Page:History of the Forty-eighth Regiment, M.V.M. during the Civil War (IA historyoffortyei00plumm).pdf/80

 over such grounds and in a few moments it was every one for himself. The "Forlorn Hope" and the main line became inextricably mixed, and advanced together, charged nearly up to the rebel works, but the fire was so severe that human endurance was not equal to the task set for us, and the men were compelled to drop behind stumps and logs, and take advantage of any shelter to be found, and acted as sharpshooters, hoping that reinforcements might be sent up and continue the assault. The 2d Louisiana from Dudley's brigade came up the road later, but too late to be of any service, and the assault was abandoned, and the men dropped back individually to their old line as best they could. Col. Chapin, 116th New York, commanding the brigade, Lieut.-Col. O'Brien, 48th Massachusetts, commanding the "Forlorn Hope," and many others were killed; Capt. Rogers, Co. H, Capt. Smith, Co. I, Lieuts. Morrison, Frawley, Maginnis, Ricker, Bassett and Harding, and many others wounded, and a large number of the rank and file of the regiment were killed or more or less seriously wounded; Lieut. Ricker suffered the amputation of his leg. As we came back from the front, we had our first sight of the dreadful effects of a battle and burial of the dead in one line, about twenty dead bodies lying at the side of the road, and the long trench all ready to receive them. Poor fellows, with no coffin and no shroud but the blue uniform in which they had shed their blood for the flag they loved.

May 28. Ambulances and stretchers under flags of truce have been going all night, bringing in the bodies of the dead and wounded. Col. Chapin's body has been sent to New Orleans. Lieut.-Col. O'Brien's body has just been found in the most advanced line. When his