unders, and were
constantly attempting to force back our pickets in that locality. The
location of the several guns of Battery D at 10 P. M., on the 28th, was
as follows: the second and sixth pieces were in Battery Galpin, on
second creek, enfilading the creek and railroad; the third, fourth and
fifth in Fort Saunders, and the first in Battery Noble, on the left of
the Loudon road. At 11 P. M., the rebels made a determined attack upon
our lines from Battery Galpin to the river, and our battery did
considerable firing. This movement of the enemy was to drive in our
pickets and to get as near our main line as possible.

We all knew that by daylight we should be attacked with all the fury
which General Longstreet could command. Ammunition was brought up in
extra rounds, ready for use. Nobody slept. General Burnside was visiting
his troops, especially those in Fort Saunders. Two companies of the
Twenty-ninth Massachusetts had been added to the infantry. His staff
were all busy directing and encouraging the men. It was not until half
past six o'clock on Sunday morning, Nov. 29, 1863, that a signal gun was
fired from the enemy's battery on Armstrong's Hill. There was then a
lively artillery fire opened from all the enemy's guns in position on
both sides of the river. Our artillery made no reply. When the rebel
artillery stopped firing we all knew that the assault would promptly
follow. We were peering through the fog and smoke and darkness to see
the advancing gray lines of the rebel infantry. We well knew that in a
minute they might be upon us, as they had crowded up to within 200 yards
of Fort Saunders.

In front of the fort telegraph wires had been wound round the stumps of
trees lately cut down, and this wire, not being known to the enemy,
threw them into much confusion. Lieutenant Benjamin's 20-pounders were
not well adapted to the short range required to repel the assault,
although they were as well served as any men could serve them, so that
it devolved upon the three brass Napoleons of Battery D to do the
effective work. As soon as the charging "columns by division closed en
masse" of the enemy appeared, Battery D sent in to the columns double
rounds of canister at fifty yards. The veterans of Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville, and Chickamauga began to quail. It was not possible
for them to stand such an onslaught from big guns and rifles. Many fell
from the deadly fire and others on account of contact with the
entan