Page:Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio veteran volunteers, 1861-1865.djvu/58

 remained in this position, supporting the battery, and receiving a heavy fire from the rebel artillery in our front. Here several men were wounded.

At 5 o'clock, we moved over the crest of the hill, to a cornfield some distance in advance of our previous position. During the advance to this new position a terrific cannonade opened on us, dealing great destruction to our ranks. Apparently every cannon of the enemy was let loose against us, but we never faltered in this march of death, despite the terrible missiles that were tearing through our bleeding ranks. Comrades were falling, and brothers dying. The mangled and bleeding victims of the fury and violence of war were left thick around us, making the ground sacred on which they fell; but we wavered not. Reaching a low piece of ground, we halted, and were ordered to lie down and continue firing. We remained for one hour in the open field, exposed to this furious storm of grape and canister, shot and shell. Comrades gave up their lives so gently that it was scarce possible to tell the living from the dead. The fatal missile struck the victim, leaving the lifeless clay in the same attitude which the living body occupied. During the fatal period death assumed a real character while life seemed but a dream. The engagement had now become general. The brigade of General Prince came up, and formed on the left of our regiment. The Sixty-sixth, Fifth, and Seventh Ohio regiments were formed on our right, in the order named. (The Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania regiment was not with us in this engagement.)

At a given signal the brigade arose and, with defiant yells, rushed forward to the charge, Prince's brigade on the left moved forward with us. A sheet of flame and smoke burst forth from rebel batteries, musketry replied