he
New York Observer, Independent, Christian Examiner, Evangelist and other
papers, and Mr. Alvord, the agent of the Tract Society, had just been
among the men, distributing copies of the American Messenger. These were
soon collected and carried over to be exchanged for copies of the
Richmond Enquirer, Sentinel, and Examiner. The trade was not kept wholly
within the limits of literary exchange, but sugar and coffee passed into
the rebels' hands in return for plugs of tobacco. At length an order
came from division head-quarters, stopping this illicit practice. Our
boys declared that they were acting the part of colporteurs to the
barbarian rebels, and, if they had been allowed to continue the
distribution of religious papers among them, they would soon be
convinced of the error of their ways, and desist from further fighting.

During the night of the 8th, our division was withdrawn to the north
side of the river, our place being taken by the Third division. We
retired to Stafford Heights and bivouacked. Our bivouac became our
encampment for a week. There we lay, wondering what was next to be done,
while the artillery on either side exchanged shots. The 32-pounders on
our hills sending their huge shot across to the opposite heights, and
the rebel guns replying, sometimes with shells of most improved pattern,
and at other times throwing over huge pieces of railroad iron.

An incident of much interest to Neill's brigade occurred while we were
here. A lieutenant, belonging to the Twenty-first New Jersey regiment,
had been tried by a court-martial, and convicted of cowardice at the
battle on May 3d. The whole brigade was brought out at the hour for
evening parade, and formed in a hollow square. To the center of the
inclosure the culprit was brought. His sentence was then read to him,
which was that he be dismissed the service in disgrace. The
adjutant-general of the brigade then proceeded to execute the details of
the sentence. The sword of the cowardly officer was taken from him and
broken over his head; his shoulder-straps and buttons were then cut off,
and his pistol broken and thrown away. The sentence, and the manner of
its execution, were ordered to be published in the newspapers of the
county where the regiment was raised. A similar sentence was executed in
the Seventy-seventh regiment on the same evening. Lewis Burke, of
Company F, was convicted of cowardice at the same battle. He was brought
before the regiment, whi