were dug, and then the wounded were borne off. Our occupation
continued during the night and the next day, the regiment being
divided into two reliefs, the one off duty lying a little to the rear,
in a cornfield near Harrison's house. But it was a question whether
'off' or 'on' duty was the more dangerous."

On the 21st, relieved from this post, the regiment was moved to a new
position further southwest and about the same distance from the city
of Petersburg, which lay in plain view and whose city clocks could be
heard distinctly. The Sixth Corps was engaged in an operation having
the purpose of breaking Lee's communications with the South by the
line of the Weldon Railroad, and in the course of this the Second
Connecticut took part in a "sharp skirmish" with Hill's Division, on
June 22nd, an affair which to other experiences would be notable as a
battle of some proportions. The desired result was not gained; the
attempt on Petersburg, which if successful might have hastened the end
of the Confederacy by six months, and which came so near success, was
changed to besieging operations, and for some time Grant's army lay
comparatively quiet. In its four days in action here, the regiment
suffered as follows: Killed or died of wounds, fifteen; wounded but
not mortally, fifteen; missing, three; prisoners who died, five.

[Illustration: Colonel Wessells]

On July 9th came the orders which took the Second Connecticut for many
months away from its place before Petersburg, where, after the
activities described, it had settled down to a less exciting course of
constructing batteries, forts, and breastworks, and laying out camps,
with days of comparative peace and comfort notwithstanding several
alarms showing the possibility of more arduous service.

The Confederate Army which had been sent under General Early into the
Shenandoah Valley to create a diversion in that quarter, had
unexpectedly appeared on the Potomac in a sudden dash upon
Washington, then defended chiefly by raw levies. Part of the Sixth
Corps had been detached from Grant's army and sent to protect the
capital a few days before; now the rest of the corps, including the
Second Connecticut, was hurried north and reached Washington just in
time to defeat Early's purpose. He had planned to storm the city on
the 12th, and with good prospects of success; it was on that very day
at an early hour, that the reinforcing troops arrived. They were
hurried through the