Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/60

 54 Southern Historical Society Papers.

line to fire into. Nevertheless, what between the fire of the enemy and the fatigue of the retreat, we lost at every step, and when at last we dragged ourselves up to the welcome breastwork (I thought it was the dearest pile of logs and dirt I had ever beheld), it was a fear- fully thinned line that climbed over and flung itself down bleeding and panting behind that grateful shelter. But General Lee's object had been accomplished. Breckenridge's command'was aligned with the rest of the army, and his front was strongly fortified and well manned from right to left, and though, as Captain Swann had predicted the night before, many of our men had fought their last fight and others were on their way to Boston, Grant was again checkmated and had to attack us in our fortified position or move his whole army again to the left, which he did. And so it was that there was only some heavy skirmishing in our front that day, from which Companies A and F were excused on account of the hot morning's work, but which resulted in the capture of the enemy's picket line, which, when they ran us in, had advanced too close to our line and taken position in some rifle-pits. We sat upon the breastwork to the right of the point where the scrimmage took place, and with indescribable satis- faction and restfulness watched our boys charge our late antagonists in their pits and gather them in.

That night we slept on our arms, and the next day moved again to our right to prevent Grant's flanking, and helping him to carry out his threat and " fight it out on that line if it did take all summer."

It was probably two days after this, during which we were con- stantly moving and halting, forming line of battle, sleeping on our arms, breaking the line and moving again, when we brought up in front of Cold Harbor one afternoon, the 2d of June. From all the signs which a soldier soon learns, it was evident that we were upon the eve of a great battle. The massing of troops, the placing of batteries, the hurrying of staff-officers, the galloping to and fro of couriers and orderlies, and the something indescribable in the faces of the general officers, meant business as plainly as if it had been spoken.

Five officers, friends in Edgar's battalion, Captain Read, Cap- tain Swann, Adjutant Craig, Lieutenant Patton and myself, had met under the shade of a small tree, and lying around on the grass dis- cussed the situation. Finally, I remarked, " Well fellows, we are in for a big fight, no doubt of it, and I would give my left leg now if I could have my life guaranteed." " So would I," said Captain Read. " I would give my left arm," said Lieutenant Patton. " They might