rter's corps was a strong one; and he was ordered to
hold it till night, and then to cross the bridge and burn it after him;
the upper bridge having been burned during the night. The country
between the two lines was rolling, somewhat wooded, but in parts
cleared. Both parties went to work to cut down trees in their front.

The rebel forces, who supposed on the 26th that they were fighting our
main army, were surprised, on the morning of the 27th, to find that only
a picket line opposed them. They were early astir; and advancing against
the slender line, drove it back. The whole rebel force advanced
cautiously; A. P. Hill and Longstreet bearing to the right, while D. H.
Hill turned to the left, to unite with Jackson, who was supposed to be
coming in from the rear. Owing to the uneven country over which they
were advancing, their march was slow; for they might fall upon a Union
line of battle behind any rounding swell of land.

It was afternoon before the rebel army had fully formed its line on
Gaines' Farm. The position of that army was nearly that of the same army
when Grant attacked it at Coal Harbor two years later, only it was faced
about. The battle opened about one o'clock, by skirmishing on both
sides; but it was not till an hour later that Hill's division dashed
across the open space, rushing through the swamp, and under a severe
fire from our batteries and musketry, pushed up the slope on which was
posted our line. The confederate troops advanced almost up to Sykes'
line of battle on the right, and in other parts of the line actually
forced back the Union troops; but they were able to hold their position
only a short time, when they were forced back with great loss.

Longstreet now advanced against the left of our line, but he too met
with a stern reception, and he withdrew to rearrange his plan of attack.

By this time Jackson was approaching, and now the overwhelming forces of
the enemy promised to crush the single corps; but Slocum's division of
our Sixth corps was ordered to the relief of the Fifth corps, and
arrived at four o'clock. The division was sent into the fight at once,
each brigade being ordered separately to strengthen the weak points of
the line. Thus, while the division fought bravely, and suffered equally
in proportion with the Fifth corps, its incorporation with that corps
for the time deprived it of the honors to which it was justly entitled.

Bartlett, with his brigade, went to the aid o