That field became a seething hell. Our supports on the right and on the left recoiled and refused to go. We were left entirely alone to receive the fire. They poured it into us from the front, from the right and from the left, and inside of ten minutes over 600 of the First Maine lay either dead or wounded upon the bloody field.


    The position of my company that day was in the center of the 2nd line. My position as Sergeant was in the rear of the right of the company, that brought me directly under the colors. I remember that the waving flag slapped me in the face as we started, and this brought me in the vortex of the fire.

    I was hit by the first volley. A rifle ball struck me in the right hip and I fell forward. I can't remember what occurred afterward until I regained consciousness just before sunset. When I came to 1 was very thirsty. I managed in some way to get my canteen to my mouth, and although it was about full I drained it to the last drop, and then was just as thirsty as ever. The bullets were zipping by me and striking the ground around, and there was a small red cedar tree a few feet in my front, and I thought if I could get behind that it would be some protection. I tried to get on my knees but I found my entire right side was paralysed, but with my left toe and hand I dragged myself up to that tree, and just as I was working around to get the tree, if possible between me, and the Jonnies, a bullet zipped me in the left leg. After that I lay still.

    The enemy was firing at everything moving, but soon darkness came on and then the survivors began to rescue the