rs, and Newton demanded
aid. Regiments from the New Jersey brigade rushed to the assistance of
their brothers of the Third brigade, cheering as they advanced, and the
position was held until the left wing of Porter's corps gave way. For
two hours the conflict on this part of the line raged with terrible
violence; the columns surging backward and forward, neither party being
able to gain any permanent advantage. Never had we heard such volleys of
musketry as now rolled along the borders of the swampy Chickahominy.
Artillery was less used; a strip of pine woods intervening between the
position occupied by some of our batteries and the rebel line preventing
an accurate range. The attempt to break our center was abandoned, and
now immense forces were brought against the left. The roar of battle
became more loud than before. The thousand continuous volleys of
musketry mingled in one grand tumultuous concert of death; while the
booming of artillery, which was now brought more into action, shook the
earth for miles around. Under the pressure of overwhelming numbers, one
brigade gave way; and another on the extreme left, finding itself
outflanked, fought its way back to the upper bridge, which had been
partially destroyed during the night, and, crossing to the south side of
the river, gathered its shattered regiments behind the breastworks of
our Second division.

For two hours and a half the battle had raged fiercely on this part of
the line, and as these brigades on the right gave way, the confusion
spread all along. The rebels, seeing the disorder, and encouraged by
their success on the left, came on with redoubled fury; and the whole
line gave way, and fell back to some high grounds near the bridge. Here
two brigades from the Third corps appeared as reinforcements, and the
retreat was checked. The Fifth corps, with Slocum's division and the two
brigades from the Third corps, were able to hold their position on the
north side of the river till after dark.

But we had been beaten, and our losses were very great. Twenty-two
pieces of artillery fell into the hands of the enemy. We lost two
thousand prisoners, among whom was General Reynolds, commanding one of
McCall's brigades; and our killed and wounded numbered about four
thousand. The rebels had suffered greater losses in men, nine thousand
five hundred having been killed or wounded. The action, on the part of
the rebels, had been directed by General Lee in person, who was