GENERAL SMITH'S HEADQUARTERS, COLD HARBOR.
After standing in line, with arms stacked, for a half-hour, the order came to move forward to engage in an attack on the enemy's works, first from the brigade commander, afterwards from the division, and finally from corps headquarters. The 47th New York regiment, which was on our left, had already moved away, and still no word of command was given. What should we do? The greatest excitement prevailed. Finally, in the absence of Major Coan, who had been detailed on special duty, and at the earnest solicitations of several officers, the writer assumed command, although not the ranking officer present. The situation was peculiar, and the emergency desperate; and when the order was given to take arms, they were seized with an alacrity which told of the feeling that prevailed. The officers expressed their satisfaction, and the men moved with a promptness which signified the relief they felt for their rescue from the impending disgrace. "Shoulder arms! Left face! Forward march! By the right flank, march! Left oblique! Double quick!" and we had joined the brigade. "Charge bayonets!" across the field, and into the woods; and the first line of the enemy's rifle-pits was occupied. Here the men stopped, and commenced firing; but a lull in the fire of the enemy enforced the order to move forward, and in little more time than it takes to write it we had captured and occupied a section of the main line of Confederate works, and had more prisoners marching to the rear than the whole number present in the regiment. Will any of our readers recall the name of the little corporal of Company G, scarce five feet high, at whose command, as he stood on the top of the works, at charge bayonet, "Come out of there, you d—d rebels," a lieutenant and nearly a dozen men emerged from the works, and humbly and quietly proceeded to the rear with the other prisoners?
How much was crowded into the short time that we occupied that line of intrenchments. Lieutenant Ingraham, for the first time in action, having heretofore been detailed in the commissary department, with many others, was shot in the very moment of victory. It was a dreadful place to hold, with the rebels massed just at the foot of the hill, on the right, and pouring in upon us a deadly flanking fire. Repeated messages were sent to the commanding general, explaining our situation, and urging an attack on our right, or re-enforcements to enable us to do it; but no help, and no word of any kind, was received. Efforts were made to induce the commander of the 47th New York, which was separated from us by a little ravine on our left, to unite with us in a charge down the hill; but without avail, for either our purpose was misunderstood owing to the distance between us, which made communication difficult, or disinclination or positive orders forbade, and so we were compelled to wait and suffer, hoping that some general officer would become interested to find our whereabouts, and organize some new movement, by which we would be relieved. The order to charge down the hill would have been welcome, but it would have been madness to have attempted it without support. While we waited, and our numbers were rapidly diminishing, we could plainly see the Confederate reserves gathering in the distance, across the meadow at the foot of the hill, and knew that we could not hold our position long unless help came.
POSITION OF GENERAL SMITH'S COMMAND AT COLD HARBOR, VA.
At this time, the adjutant-general of the brigade that had charged across the same ground that we had come over, came to me, and offered his services, stating that his brigade had been routed and scattered, and nearly all the field officers of the command killed or wounded. While explaining to him the position of affairs, and urging him to go to the rear and endeavor to hurry up re-enforcements, a bullet pierced his brain, and he sank in death. I remember Corporal St. John of Company G, who, finding a sword which had belonged to a rebel officer, kindly presented it to me, as unmindful of the bullets which whistled about our heads as if they were not freighted with missions of death to himself or comrades. Of such men was the regiment composed. But, as the shadows deepened about us, there came a rush. The enemy was fairly upon us; and, before we could gather ourselves to repel the attack, some one, without authority, had called out to retreat, and, in the confusion which followed, the colors were seized and held by the enemy, not, however, without a fierce but hopeless struggle. Back through the woods we went, broken and dispirited. After securing a victory, we had been left alone and unsupported, to be shot down like sheep, and the men knew that it was time to seek a place of shelter.