. When this
action was completed, while holding the gun and ramrod together in one
hand, he stopped to prime and then, much to my relief, aimed and fired at
a little squad of our men close on my right. I heard the bullet strike and
an exclamation from the man who was hit. The rebel then started to trot
forward again, at the same time reaching back with one hand to draw a
fresh cartridge. By this time having rested a little, I looked back over
my shoulder towards the breastwork. I noticed that there was a ditch on
the outside and the sight of this ditch brought renewed hope. With the
fervent prayer, into which was poured all the intense longing for more
life, natural to my vigorous young manhood, "O, God, give me strength to
reach that ditch," I turned and staggered forward. I fell headlong into
the ditch just as our line there opened fire. The roar of their guns was
sweeter than music and I chuckled with satisfaction as I thought, "Now,
Rebs, your turn has come and you must take your medicine." I lay as I
fell, panting for breath, until I had caught a little fresh wind and then
began to crawl around to take a peep and see how the rebels were getting
along.

When my body was lengthwise of the ditch I happened to raise my head and
was astounded by the sight of the rebels coming into the ditch between me
and the pike, the nearest of them only a few yards away. They were so
tired that they seemed scarcely able to put one foot before the other and
many of them stopped at the ditch utterly unable to go a step farther
until they had rested. It was only the strongest among them who were still
capable of the exertion of climbing over the breastwork. If the men behind
that work had stood fast, not one of those tired rebels would ever have
crossed that parapet alive. Transfixed with amazement, I watched them
until the thought flashed into my mind that in an instant some of their
comrades would come in on top of me and I would be pinned down with a
bayonet. The thought of a bayonet thrust was so terrifying, that it
spurred me into a last effort, and with the mental ejaculation, "I never
will die in that way," I sprang on top of the breastwork. Crouching there
an instant with both hands resting on the headlog, I gave one startled
look over my shoulder. The impression received was that if I fell backward
they would catch me on their bayonets. Then followed a brief period of
oblivion for which I can not account.

With returning consc