uaker road. Near the sawmill we turned to the left,
and crossed the Boydton plank-road near Mrs. Butler's. In the field
there were dark patches of blood on the ground, here and there, which
the rain had not yet washed out. Guns that had dropped from the hands of
wounded or slain, knapsacks, haversacks, accouterments stripped from
mangled men ere they were borne from the field, lay scattered on the
ground over which we passed.

Near the plank-road, we deployed, and advanced across a branch of
Gravelly Run. The right of the regiment rested in open ground, near a
negro's house, and the left extended into the woods in a north-west
direction. I think the division formed on our left, facing the Whiteoak
Road; and we held a gap in our lines, between the Second Corps and our
own. Companies A, B, and C were on the right, in the open ground.

In advancing to this point, we were under a sharp fire, to which we did
not respond, but hastened to throw up pits. On the left of the regiment
the firing was lively, as the men in the woods did not need to be in
such haste entrenching. We were ordered to "rally by fours," and each
group threw up a separate pit.

I was in the group with Mike Coleman, and had a chance to notice one of
his peculiarities. As we advanced to this position, he seemed to be
dazed, and almost unconscious of his surroundings. When we halted to
entrench, with my most vigorous exhortations I could not arouse him to
any interest or exertion. We had no shovel, and must make a pit with
rails and stones, which we could gather up in front. I would urge him to
carry stones and put them in place. He would perhaps pick up a couple,
very leisurely, and lay them on the ground, back of the pit, and then
stand with his hands in his pockets. The bullets would whistle around,
or strike the ground near him, and he would look about as if he did not
understand what it all meant. Yet in battle, he was always cool, brave,
and daring.

In a little while we had a pit, capable of stopping a rifle ball, and
considered ourselves ready for any ordinary emergency. During the day,
the rebels attacked the line on our right, and were repulsed, after a
sharp fight, with considerable loss. They also advanced in our front,
and opened fire on us; but only as accessory to the more determined
movement on our right. The left of the regiment returned the fire; but
we could not see the enemy, and there seemed no reason to justify a
random fire.

Ther