throwing off our blankets, passed
up the bank, and hurried on. Some twenty rods ahead of this trench, the
railroad from Fredericksburg to Richmond passes, making a cut some
twenty feet deep. Expecting to find a shelter in this from the enemy's
fire, we sprang ahead. Upon gaining the bank, with one spring I ploughed
to the bottom. I had hoped to find another breathing spell here, but
found myself disappointed in this, as the enemy had a battery in
position from which they threw shot and shell the whole-length of this
cut, and it was here we first came under the fire of their musketry. We
were ordered to gain the opposite bank as soon as possible. The ascent
was very steep, and being out of breath, it required much effort on our
part to reach the top. I never in my life strove harder than I did to
gain the top of this bank. The distance from this place to the position
we were to gain, was perhaps forty rods. And this under a scorching fire
of musketry and artillery, at short range. We hurried ahead as fast as
possible, knowing this to be no place to make long stops. Our regiment
at this time was partially broken up, every man knowing the danger,
exerted himself to escape it; and by a "double quick," which at this
time had become a run, we were fast gaining the position already
occupied by the rest of our brigade, which was partly sheltered from the
fire of the enemy.

The report of the cannon, the shriek of the shell, its explosion in our
midst, the sharp cracking of the musketry, and the whiz of the Minnie
ball, (the different missiles ploughing and cutting up the ground in
front of us,) furnished a terrible ordeal, through which the Twelfth
were called upon to pass.

Thus we hurried on until we gained the position assigned us. Here a
hillock, running parallel with our lines, and slightly elevated above
the surface of the plain, intervened between us and the enemy. This
afforded us some protection, and here within two hundred yards of the
enemy's redoubt, our forces came to a halt, and it was only after our
arrival here that we could bring our muskets to bear upon the enemy. Our
regiment was brought into this action under many disadvantages. It will
be remembered, that up to this time we had been in the service but
eight weeks, had journeyed from Rhode Island, had established two
different camps in Virginia, and just completed a march of one hundred
miles. Tired and worn out with our long and weary march, and before we