day grew warmer and thirst became more intense.--But what
is that?

There was a sharp rattle of Springfield rifles from Baird's skirmishers,
a third of a mile to our left and hidden from sight by the woods. In a
moment came a crash of musketry which brought every man to his feet.
Baird's skirmishers had been driven in, and his main line had hurled its
thousands of bullets as the attacking enemy came into view. Instantly
the answering fire was given, and then followed the continuous rattling
roar of a fierce general engagement. Wounded men began to come out of
the wood where Baird was as they made their way alone toward the
hospitals or were carried off by the hospital corps. Suddenly, a hundred
men with arms in their hands emerged from the woods into the open field
behind Baird, straggling and without order. These were not wounded men.
No: it was too plain that Baird's division was giving way. A moment
more, and the lower end of the open field was filled with a dense mass
of men as Baird's disordered lines poured forth out of the woods, which
were swarming with the exultant enemy. Through and behind the retreating
mass the mounted officers rode furiously, their swinging sabres
flashing in the sun as they alternately commanded and exhorted their men
to rally and breast the storm of lead which the enemy was hurling upon
them. Then Johnson, whose division was next to Baird's, wheeled a
regiment or two backward and opened fire on the enemy engaged with
Baird. The troops of the latter were not running, but falling back,
firing as they went. Suddenly, one of their colonels seized his
regimental standard from the color-bearer and faced his horse toward the
enemy, holding the flag high above his head. The men began to rally
around this flag, and in a moment an imperfect line had been formed. The
enemy's success was at an end. A moment more, and with a wild cheer
Baird's men dashed forward and drove the enemy from their front.

Meanwhile, we were not idle spectators of all this. At the moment when
Baird's men had been forced into the open field, and it seemed
impossible to re-form them under the fire they were receiving, the
skirmishers in front of Johnson's and Palmer's divisions broke out into
a lively fire and came in at a run. Close behind them were the
rapidly-advancing skirmishers of the enemy. As these came in sight of
our position they took shelter behind trees and waited for their main
force to come up. Soon the woods