Owing to our well-selected position, Grant could not get at our flanks; and to take us by direct assault, after his bitter experience at Spottsylvania, caused him to "pause, ponder, study, and plan."
Perceiving he had made a blunder, and that his army was in a position of much peril, he, on the night of the 26th, recrossed to the north side of the river, and made another detour to the eastward, as far down as the Pamunkey River.
On the 28th he crossed the Pamunkey at Hanovertown. On the 30th his advance ran against our brigade, on the left of our lines, at Atlee's Station, where we entertained him for some little time to his discomfiture. The next day we had a sharp engagement near Tolopotomy creek, and on June 1st, they attacked us in heavy force at Pole-Green church, the skirmish continuing for some time. Our brigade and regiment suffered considerably from their shells and sharpshooters.
Lieutenant Chas. A. Campbell was mortally wounded and was carried to the rear, where he died the next day. Campbell was one of the "original panel," serving as private until April, 1862, corporal until August, when he was promoted to sergeant. He was wounded at the battle of Sharpsburg. On his return to his command, November 1st, he was appointed Orderly Sergeant, serving as such until the 11th of December, when he was promoted to Junior 2d Lieutenant. With the exception of a short furlough from camp at Orange Court-House, he was always at his post, ready and cheerful at all times to perform his duties. Soon after he was shot down, he was carried to the field hospital, where he died and was buried the following day. As he passed me on his litter, he stretched out his almost pulseless arm and remarked, "Goodbye, Captain; if I don't come back, tell them I fell fighting at the front."
God's peace be with him in his rest,
Lone dweller in the stranger's land.
CHAPTER XVII.
On the 3d of June the two armies were brought face to face at Cold Harbor, where but two years before "Little Mc" had struggled in vain for the mastery.
On the night of the 2d our brigade was placed in line on the extreme left, with our regiment upon what is known as Pharr's farm. As soon as we were halted we began to fortify, and by early dawn had constructed good temporary works. Owing to the dense, heavy body of woods the enemy were enabled to make near approaches in our front, and previous to their advance, on the following morning, we could hear distinctly the orders given by their officers. After some little firing by their sharpshooters, about 8 o'clock, they began to attack, and kept up their assaults until late in the evening. Brigade after brigade was hurled against us, until the ground in our front was literally covered with their dead and wounded. Their assaults were repulsed along the whole line. Finally, when the order was given to renew the attack, their men sullenly and emphatically refused to move forward under our withering fire. The prisoners we captured denounced and cursed Grant for this slaughter, and dubbed him the "champion butcher."
In the evening a battery of artillery was sent to our aid. They came up at a gallop and endeavored to take position on a slight elevation, in the skirt of pines, immediately in rear of our regiment. Before they had time to unlimber, every horse in the battery was shot down. The men then endeavored to run the guns forward by hand, when nearly all the men were killed or wounded. One gun only was gotten in position, and it rendered but little service before it was dismantled. Having been under constant fire, and firing rapidly all day ourselves—each man averaging two hundred rounds of cartridges—it became necessary to replenish our ammunition. An attempt to go to the rear, or to leave our works in any direction, was almost certain death. Lieut.-Col. Whitfield, who was now in command of our regiment, disliked to force a detail to go to the wagons for ammunition, and therefore called for volunteers. A sufficient number came forward at once, and set out on their perilous expedition; among the number was private R. F. Hampton, of the Grays. In due time they all returned, each bringing a supply of cartridges, but waited some distance back of us for a lull in the firing so as to run the gauntlet of the sharpshooters to the lines. Several were badly wounded in making the trip, among the number private R. F. Hampton, who had almost reached the lines when he was shot down by a sharpshooter, mortally wounded, and afterwards died of his wounds. During the battle, private W. J. Hunt was killed, and Dan'l. B. Coltrain and Benjamin Burnsides severely wounded. Private Hunt, when shot, was standing near me. We were trying to locate a sharpshooter in our front, who had become very troublesome by the accuracy of his aim. We had been exposed in our position but a few moments, when a minie-ball pierced his head, scattering his brains in my face, and he sunk down lifeless at my feet. Lieutenant-Colonel Whitfield was severely wounded in the head, and was carried from the field. The command now devolved upon Capt. Herring, the senior officer, who acted as Colonel, and Captain Sloan, next in rank, as Major.