their formation somewhat broken by four successive and
parallel lines of fence that had to be thrown down and crossed.
Once clear of the young corn, they found themselves entangled with
the abatis that covered and protected the immediate front of the
Confederate works on this part of the line. This had been set on
fire by the exploding shells, and the smoke and flame now added to
the difficulty of the movement. Here the men suffered greatly,
many being shot down in the act of climbing the great trunks of
the fallen trees, and many more having their clothing reduced to
tatters and almost torn from their bodies in the attempt to force
their way through the entangled branches. The impetus was soon
lost, the men lay down or sought cover; numbers of Dow's men made
their way to the grove in their rear and into the gully on their
left; of Nickerson's, many drifted singly and in groups into the
ravine on their right.

Long before this, indeed within a few minutes after the line first
marched out from the wood, Sherman had fallen from his horse,
severely wounded in the leg; under the vigorous fire concentrated
upon this large group of horsemen in plain sight of the Confederates
and in easy range, two of his staff officers had shared the same
fate. This would have brought Dow to the command of the division;
but nearly at the same instant Dow himself was wounded and went to
the rear, and so the command fell to Nickerson, who was with his
brigade, and, in the confusion of the moment, was not notified.
Thus, for some interval, there was no one to give orders for fresh
dispositions among the regiments. Many officers had fallen; the
128th New York had lost its colonel, Cowles; the 165th New York,
at last holding the front of Nickerson's line, had lost two successive
commanders, Abel Smith and Carr, both wounded, the former mortally,
while standing by the colors. To retire was now only less difficult
than to advance. Nickerson's men, lying down, held their ground
until after dark; but Dow's, being nearer the cover of the woods,
fell back to their first position.

Andrews now took command of the division, in virtue of the written
orders of the commanding general, and prepared to obey whatever
fresh instructions he might receive. None came; there was, indeed,
nothing to be done but to withdraw and to restore order.

As soon as Banks heard the rattle of the musketry on the left, and
saw from the smoke of the Confederate guns t