SOLDIER 59 



the breastworks. The consequence was we were exposed 

 to a raking fire as we went over the crest. Here we lost 

 two lieutenants and seventeen men wounded. We arrived 

 at the other side in great confusion. There were parts of 

 twelve or fifteen regiments all mixed up together and en- 

 tangled among the fallen trees. After several hours straight- 

 ening, line was once more formed ; but the order to charge 

 was countermanded, and we lay up there in a terrible sun 

 all day. I was quite sick when we started, with violent 

 vomitings, and had to lie down, but rejoined the regiment 

 during the charge. At 8 p.m. we were ordered up into the 

 outer ditch of the breastworks, but we had been there but 

 a short time when we were ordered to the right, to our old 

 position in the rifle-pits, which we reached about midnight. 

 Poor General Paine had been wounded in the leg in the 

 early part of the day, but we could not reach him to afford 

 him any aid and he lay there in the burning sun till night, 

 when we brought him off in safety. It was a fearfully hot 

 day and quite a number were sunstruck, some fatally. I 

 wore wet leaves in my hat, but about two in the afternoon 

 could stand it no longer and had to He down in the shade. 

 This was a miserable Sunday scrape, and like all scrapes 

 commenced on Sunday ended disastrously. The loss of life 

 was frightful. 



June 15. We were relieved at night by the 28th Con- 

 necticut and returned once more to our old camping- 

 ground, where we remained till June 19, when we were 

 ordered a mile and a half to the right, to support the col- 

 ored brigade, where we are still, June 20. 



As ever, with oceans of love, 



Henry. 



