ve. Next came the 26th Maine with Bradley's section of
Rodgers's battery, then the 159th New York, then the remainder of
Rodgers's battery, while the 13th Connecticut brought up the rear.
When he saw his skirmishers briskly engaged and by the sound and
smoke discovered the position of the enemy, Birge made the reserved
battalion of the 25th Connecticut change front forward and move
across the field against the Confederate left. Bissell led his
men quickly to within a hundred yards of the wood, where they lay
down under the partial cover of a ditch and began firing. Hubbard,
with the 26th Maine, came up on Bissell's left and took up the same
tactics. At once the enfilade fire of the Confederate line became
vigorous and annoying, until Bradley took his two guns at a gallop
to the skirt of the undergrowth opposite the interval between the
infantry battalions and, opening fire at five hundred yards' range,
engaged for a time the whole attention of the Confederate cannoneers.
Then Grover, who rode with Birge, sent in the 159th New York on
the left of the 26th Maine, with orders to take the wood, while
the 13th Connecticut, marching round the bend of the bayou, formed
on the extreme left between the stream and the road.

Molineux promptly deployed his regiment, and gallantly led it
forward at the double-quick over and beyond the left of the line
already formed, until the men were within short point-blank range
of the enemy's musketry; there, finding them exhausted by the rapid
advance over the rough and heavy ground, as well as suffering
severely from the bullets of the enemy, he made the men throw off
their blankets and overcoats, lie down, and open a vigorous fire.
Perhaps under the stress of this, but more probably in preparation
for the counter-attack, the Confederates slackened their fire, and
Molineux, perceiving his opportunity, as it seemed, was in the act
of uttering the command "Forward!" when a bullet struck him in the
mouth and he fell, painfully wounded, leaving the command of the
regiment, for the time, to Captain Dayton. Lieutenant-Colonel
Draper had already fallen, and Major Burt was with Grover, serving
on the staff.

At the word the men sprang to their feet, but before the command
could be carried out, suddenly came the crisis of the battle.
About seven o'clock, Gray had brought up the 28th Louisiana to
Taylor's aid, and with it the news that the rest of the forces from
Bisland were close at hand and