Page:Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio veteran volunteers, 1861-1865.djvu/98

 and where the chances of success were so desperate. The Twenty-ninth regiment lost nearly one-third its numbers during this three hours' engagement, and many were the individual acts of heroism displayed, which it would give the writer pleasure to record. As but few are now remembered, the remainder would suffer an injustice were these given. It is, however, but simple justice to state that the regiment fully sustained its previous reputation as a fighting organization, each individual doing his full share in the terrible work. Subsequent events proved that this assault was made to draw the enemy to this point, thus giving McPherson's corps and Kilpatrick's cavalry an opportunity to possess Snake Creek Gap, a desirable situation several miles in our right rear, opening a flank movement directly on the enemy's rear.

On May 9th we encamp at Mill Creek, near Johns Mountain, where we remain until 12 o'clock, midnight. We then move to the right and throw up earthworks. May 10th we are still at work. We receive the news of General Grant's victory over General Lee at the Wilderness, near Chancellorsville, Virginia, where our regiment received such a baptism of blood a little more than a year since. Alas! how many of our brave boys have gone down to death since then.

May 11th. Still in the same position, hourly expecting orders to move; quartermasters remove all extra baggage to the rear; all men unable for active service sent to hospital, and everything possible put into perfect fighting order, and by the way it's ever so much nicer penning these lines here in our cosy room in the far away Western Reserve of the Buckeye State than was the actual experience in Secessia during those early May days of 1864.