ings. They were right in the center
of the Confederate position, and sharpshooters stationed among them were
picking off the Union gunners. The brigadier, thinking that they were
held by but a few skirmishers, rode to where the 7th Maine was lying
on the ground, and said: "Major Hyde, take your regiment and drive the
enemy from those trees and buildings." Hyde saluted, and said that he
had seen a large force of rebels go in among the buildings, probably two
brigades in all. The brigadier answered, "Are you afraid to go, sir?"
and repeated the order emphatically. "Give the order, so the regiment
can hear it, and we are ready, sir," said Hyde. This was done, and
"Attention" brought every man to his feet. With the regiment were two
young boys who carried the marking guidons, and Hyde ordered these to
the rear. They pretended to go, but as soon as the regiment charged came
along with it. One of them lost his arm, and the other was killed on the
field. The colors were carried by the color corporal, Harry Campbell.

Hyde gave the orders to left face and forward and the Maine men marched
out in front of a Vermont regiment which lay beside them; then, facing
to the front, they crossed a sunken road, which was so filled with dead
and wounded Confederates that Hyde's horse had to step on them to get
over.

Once across, they stopped for a moment in the trampled corn to
straighten the line, and then charged toward the right of the barns.
On they went at the double-quick, fifteen skirmishers ahead under
Lieutenant Butler, Major Hyde on the right on his Virginia thoroughbred,
and Adjutant Haskell to the left on a big white horse. The latter was
shot down at once, as was his horse, and Hyde rode round in front of the
regiment just in time to see a long line of men in gray rise from behind
the stone wall of the Hagerstown pike, which was to their right, and
pour in a volley; but it mostly went too high. He then ordered his men
to left oblique.

Just as they were abreast a hill to the right of the barns, Hyde, being
some twenty feet ahead, looked over its top and saw several regiments of
Confederates, jammed close together and waiting at the ready; so he gave
the order left flank, and, still at the double quick, took his column
past the barns and buildings toward an orchard on the hither side,
hoping that he could get them back before they were cut off, for they
were faced by ten times their number. By going through the orchard he
ex