s to
relieve Martindale's division, it failed to take the rifle pits.

The right flank of the Sixth corps, thus exposed, the whole corps was
forced to fall back.

Thus this grand assault, in which General Grant hoped to force his enemy
across the Chickahominy, failed with immense loss to us and
comparatively little to the confederate army, which as usual was
defended by earthworks, while our men advancing to the charge were
unprotected. But our brave fellows were to have their revenge.

The battle was over, and again the occupants of the opposing lines of
defenses watched each other, the quiet being only disturbed by the
occasional shots of sharpshooters. Darkness closed over the plains of
Coal Harbor, and even the sharpshooters desisted from their work. The
stars shed a mild light upon the two armies which had so lately been
engaged in fierce conflict, each now securely resting behind its line of
earthworks, and the plain which lay between them, which the hurricane of
battle had so lately swept, was as still as though the noise of war had
never been heard there.

Suddenly, at eight o'clock, the rebels in front of our Sixth corps and
of the Second corps, leaped over their works and rushed with a yell
toward our lines. At the same time their artillery opened upon us. The
course of their shells was marked by long curves of fire upon the dark
sky, while the flashes of the guns and bursting missiles made a sublime
display of pyrotechnics.

On came the charging column, against the left of the Sixth and the right
of the Second corps; but nothing pleased our brave boys more than to see
their enemies come out from the cover of their works to fight.

It had, during all these long days of battles, been ours to charge well
defended earthworks almost invariably; and whenever the rebels chose to
assume the offensive, our men were glad to show them the difference
between being the assailants and the assailed.

Now the rebels came on with determination, but their attack was met by
volley after volley of musketry aimed for effect; and our well directed
fire of artillery made great gaps in the advancing lines. The attack was
nobly repulsed, and many grey-coated soldiers who advanced to the
charge, were left by their retreating comrades, dead between the two
lines, while others were ordered in as prisoners. The rebels returned to
their place, and again all was still. From this time we had no more
battles at Coal Harbor, yet we da