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The Foot Soldier: Battle
George Beidelman
About noon the enemy must have got a view of our position, for they opened a furious enfilading fire of shell and cannister upon our left wing, which fire was well supported by their sharpshooters. Soon we noticed the regiment adjoining us on our left falling back singly and in squads, until, in a few moments, there were none left. Our comrades of the left wing hugged mother earth most tenaciously under the terrible double-enfilading fire, and they would have been annihilated had they not also fallen back. But this only increased the fire, as well as the audacity of the rebels. Our companies at the building, were now in an isolated position, in danger of being flanked on either side and surrounded as well as of being killed by the solid shot and shell coming through the building, of which we had just had a sample. The Colonel, being a prudent as well as a brave soldier, deemed "discretion the better part of valor" and ordered us to fall back and run in, scattering, which we did, though reluctantly. We had some 150 yards open space to cross to get to a sort of canal or race, containing then only about two feet of water; but the banks on either side were high, and afforded good protection.
Samuel Watkins
Down would drop first one fellow and then another, either killed or wounded, when we were ordered to charge bayonets. I had been feeling mean all the morning as if I had stolen a sheep, but when the order to charge was given, I got happy. I felt happier than a fellow does when he professes religion at a big Methodist camp-meeting. I shouted. It was fun then. Everybody looked happy. We were crowding them. One more charge, then their lines waver and break. They retreat in wild confusion. We were jubilant; we were triumphant. Officers could not curb the men to keep in line. Discharge after discharge was poured into the retreating line. The Federal dead and wounded covered the ground.
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