to them, as the main force of the enemy was in our front.
Suddenly I was whirled around on my feet like a top, and a sensation
went through me similar, I suppose, to that which one feels when he
receives an electric shock. I noticed that the breast of my overcoat
was torn, but saw no blood nor felt any pain, so it was manifest that I
wasn't hurt. It was clear that the ball which struck me had come from
the right, so some of us paid attention to those fellows at once, and
they soon disappeared. At the first opportunity after the battle was
over I examined my clothes to find out what this bullet had done. As
stated, it came from the right, and first went through the cape of my
overcoat, then through the right-arm sleeves of my overcoat and dress
coat, thence through the right breast of both those coats, and then
through the left breast thereof, and from thence went on its way. All
told, it made nine holes in my clothes, but never touched my flesh. But
it was a fine line-shot and had it been two inches further back all
would have been over with me.

Just after this episode, as we approached a rise in the field we came
in sight of the main line of the enemy, in the edge of the woods on the
opposite side of the field. The right wing of our skirmish line then
took ground to the right and the other wing to the left in order to
uncover our main line. It then marched up, and the action became
general. The musketry firing on both sides was heavy and incessant,
and, in addition, the enemy had a battery of artillery, which kept
roaring most furiously. We also had a battery, but it was not now in
evidence, the reason being as we afterwards learned, that it had
exhausted its ammunition during the previous course of the day, and had
returned to Fortress Rosecrans for a further supply, but before it got
back the fight was over. The engagement had lasted only a short time,
when the command was given to charge, and our whole line went forward.
And thereupon I witnessed the bravest act that I ever saw performed by
an officer of the rank of general. The regiment immediately on the left
of the right wing of our regiment was the 174th Ohio. It was a new
regiment, and had never been under fire but once before, that occasion
being the affair at Overall's creek three days previous. So, when we
started on this charge, I anxiously watched this big, new Ohio
regiment, for it was perfectly plain that if it faltered and went back,
our little right