rhaps two hours. Colonel Mackenzie
rode slowly back and forth along the rise of ground in front of this
position in a very reckless manner, in plain sight and easy range of
the enemy, who kept up a fire from a piece of woods in front, which
elicited from him the remark, 'I guess those fellows will get tired of
firing at me by and by.' But the ground where the regiment lay was
very slightly depressed, and although the shots missed Mackenzie they
killed and wounded a large number of both officers and men behind him.

"About three o'clock, an advance of the whole line having been ordered
by Sheridan, the regiment charged across the field, Mackenzie riding
some ten rods ahead, holding his hat aloft on the point of his saber.
The distance to the woods was at least a quarter of a mile, and was
traversed under a fire that carried off its victims at nearly every
step. The enemy abandoned the woods, however, as the regiment
approached. After a short halt it again advanced to a rail fence which
ran along the side of an extensive field. Here, for the first time
during the whole of this bloody day, did the regiment have orders to
fire, and for ten minutes they had the privilege of pouring an
effective fire into the rebels, who were thick in front. Then a flank
movement was made along the fence to the right, followed by a direct
advance of forty rods into the field. Here was the deadliest spot of
the day. The enemy's artillery, on a rise of ground in front, plowed
the field with canister and shells, and tore the ranks in a frightful
manner. Major Rice was struck by a shell, his left arm torn off, and
his body cut almost asunder. Major Skinner was struck on the top of
the head by a shell, knocked nearly a rod with his face to the earth,
and was carried to the rear insensible. General Upton had a good
quarter pound of flesh taken out of his thigh by a shell. Colonel
Mackenzie's horse was cut in two by a solid shot which just grazed the
rider's leg and let him down to the ground very abruptly. Several
other officers were also struck; and from these instances as well as
from the appended list of casualties some idea may be gained of the
havoc among the enlisted men at this point. Although the regiment had
been under fire and losing continually from the middle of the
afternoon, until it was now almost sunset, yet the losses during ten
minutes in this last field were probably equal to those of all the
rest of the day. It was doubtless the