On the morning of the 30th they opened a heavy artillery fire upon Breckinridge’s command, which was as vigorously responded to, and kept up until the evening of the 31st, the battalion sustaining a loss of but one man wounded.
June 2d.—In the early part of to-night the division moved in the direction of Gaines’ Mills by way of Mechanicsville, passing on the road many destitute families fleeing from the neighborhood. There were a large number of children among them who were suffering terribly from hunger, and their appeals to the rough soldiers for a mouthful of food was distressing indeed. These shared their day’s rations with them, and they eagerly devoured the coarse bacon raw.
In the afternoon the division of Breckinridge reached the farm of Dr. Gaines, and took its position in line of battle, which was upon the same ground held by the Federals in the memorable engagement of the 27th of June, 1862. The Second Maryland was here held in reserve, to support Echols’ brigade of Virginians, and formed line about one hundred yards in rear of the main body.
The skirmishing was very heavy during the afternoon and evening, and the enemy made repeated attempts to charge the Confederate lines, but the utmost efforts of their officers failed to induce the troops to leave the shelter of the woods in which they were posted.
During the night the lines were strengthened by the arrival of Wilcox’s and Finnegan’s brigades, which also formed in reserve.
June 3d.—To-day is memorable in the history of the glorious little Second Maryland, for they this day won honors of which every Marylander may be justly proud, and wrung from the great Lee, in his official report, a compliment which will live forever on the pages of history.
At the break of day the command was hastily aroused from its slumbers by the loud peals of cannon and the rattle of small arms. Springing to their feet, what was their surprise to behold that part of the line of battle in their immediate front precipitately retreating, and abandoning their works, and the artillery there stationed, to the enemy, who were swarming over the breastworks. But an instant was, however, left for reflection. Another moment and their own artillery, double shotted with canister, would be turned upon them, and their destruction was inevitable, and, perhaps, the destruction of the whole division. And then and there they did what few troops had ever done before. Almost spontaneously (for in the confusion and noise no command could be heard) they rushed upon the overwhelming masses of the Federal infantry with the bayonet, and wrested the guns from their hands just as they were about to belch forth death and destruction to all who stood in their way. A most desperate and sanguinary hand-to-hand struggle then ensued, in which the bayonet and the short swords of the officers were used with dreadful effect, and it can be said to be one of the few instances of the kind in the history of battles. The enemy did not long withstand this mad attack, but fled over the breastworks and sought the cover of the line of works from which they had just emerged, falling by hundreds at every step, from the fire of the recaptured artillery and the deadly minnie that relentlessly pursued them. Again and again they advanced, but right upon the heels of the Maryland boys had followed Finnegan, with his Floridians, and the utmost efforts of the heavy Federal columns failed to make the least impression, and the result was, that the whole ground in front was strewn with the dead and wounded of the enemy, and at the close of the sanguinary battle of Cold Harbor Breckinridge remained master of his position, with several hundred prisoners in his possession, captured in the headlong charge of the Marylanders.
The fight was not yet ended when the glorious Breckinridge, who had witnessed it all, dashed up, and, with tears of gratitude streaming down his classic face, extolled their conduct and thanked them for what they had done; and even as he did so he came near falling a victim to his own generous impulses, for a cannon shot struck his noble charger full in the breast, and horse and rider fell heavily to the ground. Except a few bruises, however, the General escaped unhurt.
Here is what “a Virginian” says, in the Richmond Sentinel, of the part taken by the Marylanders in this great battle:
Near Richmond, June 6th, 1864.