in good order, placing his left
company under Lieutenant John O'Keefe so as to face the bridge on his
left, held by the rebels in rifle-pits, Finnegass keeping the other five
companies well in hand, to use them when most needed. When within pistol
shot of the fortifications, to their dismay they were stopped--not by
the rebels, but by a back flow of the river. The water was not more than
forty feet across, but over eight feet deep. To cross this without boat
or bridge was impossible, particularly under such a terrible fire as the
rebels poured upon them in front and on both flanks. On the left the
rebels were actually in their rear so far had the gallant fellows
advanced. The slaughter was now becoming fearful. Colonel Finnegass at
this juncture asked Captain Quinn if he could cross the water; Quinn
called on volunteers to follow him. The whole that was left of his own
company, G, and Lieutenant O'Keefe with Company E, responded to his
call, and in they plunged, the men holding their rifles and cartridge
boxes above their heads. In the mean time Bassett and Finnegass (whose
men were lying down) kept a continual fire on the rebel gunners and
drove them from their guns, but the water was too much for the men, and
only 35 or 40--with Quinn and O'Keefe and Lieutenants Burnham and
Dame--succeeded in crossing. This handful actually followed their
reckless leader up to the very cannon's mouth, and for 15 or 20 minutes
held the whole rebel battery in their hands. Colonel Finnegass seeing
that in a few minutes more his brave men would be destroyed, rushed into
the water and ordered Quinn to fall back, as a regiment of rebels were
clambering over the works to get in their rear. The brave fellows fell
back, but alas, few of them ever answered roll-call again. Out of the
band but six re-crossed alive, and of these, Lieutenants O'Keefe,
Burnham and Sergeants Vincent and Taylor, who were wounded; Quinn and
Dame were the only ones unhurt. The whole regiment now fell back about
600 yards, in the shelter of the woods. Six times we advanced, hoping to
find some spot where the men could cross, but in vain. We entered this
fight with 1080 men, and lost 371 killed and 150 wounded; total loss,
421. The rebels shelled us with their heavy guns. On our front were
artillery and infantry; on our left a wooded ridge full of riflemen. We
had two six-pounders; one of them was dismounted early in the fight, and
the other the gunners ran out of range, i