de was now halted in a huckleberry pasture, on the
edge of some woods. In front of us was a rising ground, of which the
enemy apparently had gained possession. Shot and shell were falling
among us on every side. The Second Rhode Island, with their battery,
were at once ordered to advance toward this rising ground, or hill,
and in doing so the enemy opened on them, and for about twenty
minutes we stood watching them, with no orders to advance to the
assistance of our sister regiment. At this time the division
commander, General Hunter, had been wounded, and Colonel Burnside
being the senior Brigadier, took command of the entire division. He
at once ordered the 71st New York to the assistance of the 2d Rhode
Island. They advanced a short distance, and then lying down, refused
to proceed further, until their two howitzers, which one of their
companies were dragging by means of ropes, arrived to their support.
Colonel Burnside then gave the command for the 1st Rhode Island to
advance. Before moving, we received orders to unsling blankets and
haversacks and lay them on the ground at our feet. We marched away
and left them, and never saw them again. We came up in line of battle
on the right of the 2d Regiment and at once commenced firing. Soon
the men of F Company that were detailed to serve in the carbineer
company joined us; they had been on the skirmish line all the
forenoon, but became somewhat mixed when the firing commenced, and
were ordered to report to their respective companies. John Rogers was
one of the detail, and he was wounded in the leg while running across
the field to join us.

Our regiment was so posted, that to preserve the line it was
necessary to divide our company by a rail fence, a portion on each
side. John P. Peckham was shot in the head and instantly killed, and
when he fell, his musket which he was using fell over the fence. Our
color sergeant, Charles Becherer, was shot in the right shoulder and
disabled. Albert N. Burdick, 1st color corporal, then took the flag,
and was soon wounded in the arm by a musket ball. At this time
Governor Sprague, who was acting as aide for Colonel Burnside, rode
through the line to go to the left, when his horse was struck by a
rifle ball and fell dead, the Governor going down with him. Captain
Tew and Sergeant Sherman went to his assistance, helping him to
regain his feet; he was considerably bruised, but not otherwise
injured. After two color bearers had been wounde