d, the regimental
flag was taken and held by Private Robert D. Coggeshall, until, by
order of Captain Tew, he was relieved by Private William Hamilton, of
the color guard.

Shot and shell were flying in all directions; we had lost a number of
men, and the other companies of the regiment had suffered
considerable loss. An officer now rode in front of our regiment and
gave the order to cease firing, as we were shooting our own troops.
The smoke, which had occasioned this, soon lifted in our front, when
we discovered a regiment bearing the union flag marching up the hill
in our direction. When a short distance from us, they gave us a
volley, which we returned at once, when they turned and retreated
down the hill. This regiment was the 4th Alabama, and their colonel,
Egbert Jones, was carried to our field hospital, mortally wounded.
With others of our regiment I went over the field after the firing
had ceased, and our conclusion was that they were amply repaid for
the cruel and unmanly deception practiced upon us. It was never known
who the officer was that gave the order to cease firing; he appeared
in front of our lines, mounted, with sword uplifted when he gave the
order, which was recognized by our company officers, they mistaking
him for an aide-de-camp or staff officer. It was, however, the
opinion of many of the regiment at the time that he was a rebel
officer.

Soon the firing in our front ceased. Our ammunition was all expended,
we having been under fire for nearly four hours, and had driven the
enemy from that portion of the field. This position, from which we
had forced the enemy to retire, and which we then held, is known as
Buck's Hill, and was regarded as a position of much importance for
our forces.

The Third Division had now arrived, and were coming up to our
support, and a battalion each of Regular infantry and United States
Marines now came up and occupied our position, while our brigade was
marched back into the woods for a brief rest and for a fresh supply
of ammunition. Having stacked our muskets, the roll was called by the
1st sergeant, and men detailed to look after the dead and wounded.
George C. Almy, Christopher Barker and myself were detailed to go for
water. Taking as many of the men's canteens as we could carry, we
wended our way toward a small, one-story gambrel roof farm house,
which was being used by our surgeons as a field hospital, near which
was a well of water. The grounds about the