Page:Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio veteran volunteers, 1861-1865.djvu/78

 in this fight. He was daring almost to rashness, always at the front, unmindful of danger, while his tender solicitude for his men endeared him to all who knew him, and his death was sincerely regretted. The rebel who killed him was concealed in the crevice of the rock not more than twenty paces from our line. Upon again exposing his person not less than one hundred rifles were discharged at him; he sprang backward, a shrill cry rang out upon the air, and brave Hayward's death was avenged.

A little further down the hill lay the dead body of Major Light, assistant adjutant-general on Ewell's staff, who had perished in the morning assault.

Early on the morning of July 4th the Twenty-ninth regiment advanced in reconnoissance over the battlefield, and for the first time gained a full knowledge of the fearful loss of life the rebels had sustained, full five thousand of whom had answered to their last roll-call. Still the mystery exists how any rebels escaped, as each soldier of the Union army had, in the seven hours' fight, fired two hundred and fifty rounds of ammunition, sufficient to have annihilated the entire Southern army.

We moved forward to the base of Culp's hill, and thence left, to the creek near Cemetery hill, on the opposite bank of which were posted the gray-coated pickets of the enemy. Rebel troops were moving through the town, while a force was fortified on Seminary ridge. Pickets were thrown out to observe their movements and we retired to the main line.

During the day nearly five thousand stand of rebel arms were collected from the field, in front of Geary's division alone. Our fallen comrades were tenderly, though rudely, transferred to the kindly embrace of