had taken, and
only by the most valorous fighting, prevented a rout.

The gallant general and his noble men held the ground alone until the
division was fearfully cut up. At length General Kearney, at the head of
his division, approached on the Lee's Mills road. General Sumner rode up
to him and said quietly, "General, do you know that Hooker is badly cut
up?" "No." "He is, and is falling back. Hurry on your division as fast
as possible." "How shall I reach him?" said Kearney. "Through yonder
strip of woods." Kearney now led his men forward at a rapid pace and
very soon came to the relief of the exhausted division. The troops of
Hooker were holding their ground against the enemy twenty thousand
strong. They had fought for hours with only nine thousand men.

General Hancock of our First brigade, at his own and General Smith's
request, was, at three o'clock, allowed to take his own and a part of
our Third brigade to the right of the line, where the position of the
enemy was very strong by nature, and which was on that account secured
with less care than the rest of the line.

A steep wooded bluff rose to a great height in our front, and a mill
pond lying at the foot of the bluff and newly dammed by the rebels,
served as a moat. Spanning the pond near the dam, was a bridge of logs
which they had neglected to destroy. Across this bridge and up a road
winding along the side of the bluff, the general led his troops, finding
the enemy upon the plateau above, occupying strong redoubts. Artillery
was brought to bear upon them and the rebels fled; our forces advancing
and occupying the works. The enemy was now reinforced by a brigade of
North Carolina troops and charged upon the federals. The Union troops
allowed them to approach very near, when they opened a tremendous fire
of musketry and artillery upon them. Still the rebels came on until they
were within thirty yards of our men. "Now, gentlemen, the bayonet!"
cried Hancock, as he rode along the line of battle close to the troops.
The men charged upon the rebels, who fell back before the shock, broke
and fled, leaving the broad, green wheat field strewed with their dead
and wounded.

[Illustration: CHARGE OF HANCOCK'S BRIGADE AT WILLIAMSBURGH]

While the fighting was going on, General Hancock had sent for the
remainder of our Third brigade. The order "forward, double quick" was
received by the men with one of those wild exulting shouts, such as is
only heard on the field