ns in
front of Petersburg, of which you have already received newspaper
accounts. If you remember, in my conversations upon the character
of these troops, I carefully avoided saying anything about their
fighting qualities till I could have an opportunity of trying
them.

"That opportunity came on the fifteenth instant, and since, and I
am now prepared to say that I never, since the beginning of this
war, saw troops fight better, more bravely, and with more
determination and enthusiasm. Our division, commanded by General
Hinks, took the advance on the morning of the fifteenth instant,
arrived in front of the enemy's works about nine o'clock A.M.,
formed line, charged them, and took them most handsomely. Our
regiment was the first in the enemy's works, having better ground
to charge over than some of the others, and the only gun that was
taken on this first line was taken by our men. The color-sergeant
of our regiment planted his colors on the works of the enemy, a
rod in advance of any officer or man in the regiment. The effect
of the colors being thus in advance of the line, so as to be seen
by all, was truly inspiring to our men, and to a corresponding
degree dispiriting to the enemy. We pushed on two and a half
miles further, till we came in full view of the main defences of
Petersburg. We formed line at about two o'clock P.M.,
reconnoitred and skirmished the whole afternoon, and were
constantly subject to the shells of the enemy's artillery. At
sunset we charged these strong works and carried them. Major Cook
took one with the left wing of our regiment as skirmishers, by
getting under the guns, and then preventing their gunners from
using their pieces, while he gained the rear of the redoubt,
where there was no defence but the infantry, which, classically
speaking, 'skedaddled.' We charged across what appeared to be an
almost impassable ravine, with the right wing all the time
subject to a hot fire of grape and canister, until we got so far
under the guns as to be sheltered, when the enemy took to their
rifle-pits as infantrymen. Our brave fellows went steadily
through the swamp, and up the side of a hill, at an angle of
almost fifty degrees, rendered nearly impassable by fallen
timber. Here again our color-sergeant was conspicuous in