Arriving near them, circumstances led Lieut.-Col. Mudge to fear that the enemy had occupied the ground; and Company F was sent in as skirmishers to ascertain the state of the case. Meanwhile the regiment was promptly placed in line of battle, at right angles to its old line, in the edge of the woods, on the opposite side of the meadow from where the enemy might be expected. The night was dark, with an occasional gleam of moonlight; and, with the exception of occasional dropping shots from distant skirmishers, all was still as death.

The skirmishers soon reported a rebel line of battle at about four hundred yards' distance, in the woods, which had not only got into our works, but had formed their line directly across them; and several prisoners were brought, in who confirmed this statement. Lieut. - Col. Mudge, not fully satisfied that such could be the case, withdrew the first company, and sent in another, with orders to go forward till it met the enemy: this was at once done. The company advanced to within ten feet of the enemy's line, captured twenty prisoners, received a volley of musketry, and returned to the edge of the wood, with a loss of only two men wounded, and two taken prisoners.

It having been thus ascertained beyond doubt that the enemy was in position and in force, the new line was protected by rails and logs as far as possible, skirmishers were pushed well forward, and daylight was anxiously waited. The time was improved by posting two batteries of "Parrott" and "Napoleon guns to command the wood; and at daylight they opened a rapid fire, which was kept up for over an hour: but, although severe, it failed to dislodge the enemy, who still held his position, favored by the nature of the ground, which was steep and rocky, and covered with dense woods.

The batteries had ceased firing, and by this time the action had been renewed in other parts of the field. The fire of the sharpshooters posted in trees on the other side of the meadow was very close and annoying.

At about seven o'clock, orders were given to the Second Regiment and one other to advance across the open meadow, and take the position of the enemy. It seemed certain destruction; but such were orders: and Lieut.-Col. Mudge gave the command, "Rise up, over the breastworks, forward, doublequick!" With a cheer, with bayonets unfixed, without firing a shot, the line advanced as rapidly as the swampy ground would allow.

Col. Mudge fell dead in the middle of the open field, as

on foot, sword in hand, he was cheering on the men. Three color-bearers were shot in going two hundred yards: but the colors kept on,-into the enemy's line, over the breastwork; and the regiment held the old line. But from behind every tree and rock the rebel fire was poured in. Another color-bearer was shot dead waving the colors. The regiment on the right fell back in disorder. Ten of the officers of the Second were killed or wounded, and a regiment of the enemy was flanking it. Major Morse gave the order to fall back just in time to prevent the remnant of the regiment from being surrounded. Slowly and sullenly it retired to the other side of the meadow, and, taking position behind a ruined stone wall, opened fire on the enemy wherever he showed himself.

In that advance of about four hundred yards, and in about twenty minutes' time, the Second had lost, out of two hundred and ninety-four men and twenty-two officers, a hundred and thirty-four killed or wounded. Soon after this attack, the regiment went into its log-defences, and the men lay on their arms on the ground again. As soon as it had left the woods, the artillery opened again with good effect; and, at the same time, an attack was made by a part of the Second Division on the enemy's flank and rear; and after seven hours of hard infantry-fighting, including the time the Second had been engaged, the rebels were driven from the works, and, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, the regiment held the ground already covered by its dead and wounded. The latter were at once cared for, and the former brought off, some from under the fire of sharpshooters, and some under the cover of night.

During the following night, it lay in the works, constantly wakened by skirmishing fire and volleys of musketry; but, in the morning, the enemy had disappeared. Ordered on a reconnoissance outside the lines, the movements of the Second and other regiments only served to establish the fact of the rebel

retreat.

The losses were forty-four per cent. Lieut.-Col. Mudge, Robeson, Fox, and Stone, were killed, or mortally wounded. But the regiment had behaved nobly. "I never saw a finer sight," said the general of division to the chaplain," than when that regiment came out under that terrible fire, faced about, and formed as steady as on parade."

The regiment was in the marches which took the corps to Kelley's Ford, on the Rappahannock. From that place it was sud

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denly taken, as one of the regiments selected for steadiness, to Alexandria, and then to New-York City in the time of the riots. It was there a fortnight, camping in City-hall Park; and remained while the draft was enforced. Returning, it was sent to Raccoon Ford, on the Rapidan, where it lay under the enemy's guns.

On the 24th of September, the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps left the river. Ignorant at first, they soon found they were to go to the army of Rosecrans. It was immediately after the battle of Chickamauga. On the morning of Oct. 4, the Second found itself at Stevenson, Ala.; but, on the same day, it was started back to repair the railway broken by the enemy behind it. Hard marches up and down followed, at last temporarily ceased by being placed to guard the important bridge at Elk River.

While there, efforts were made to secure the services of the old regiments. A sufficient number of the Second re-enlisted, to secure its continuance. According to orders, the re-enlisting men were sent home for thirty days. The regiment, under Col. Cogswell, arrived in Boston on the 19th of January, 1864. The reception it met with was worthy of its fame, surpassed by no welcome to others. On the first day of March, it was again in Tennessee; being stationed at Tullahoma.

April 28, it commenced its march in the great campaign to Atlanta. The division was in front of the enemy at Buzzard's Roost, below Chattanooga; moved through Snake-creek Gap with McPherson, and found itself at Resaca. It was in reserve in the fight of the afternoon of the 14th of May; but, at night, the corps (now the Twentieth, under Hooker) was ordered to the relief of the Fourth Corps. In the morning, the Second was selected to go out on a reconnoissance; found the position of the enemy, and returned, with two men wounded. The whole corps then advanced, and drove the enemy into his inner works; and the brigade three times repulsed strong sallies. The loss of the regiment was one killed, and twenty-two wounded. That night, the enemy evacuated. Pursuit was commenced in the morning. On the 19th, the corps skirmished for five miles of advance; found. the rebels in force at Cassville, and threw up breastworks under the enemy's guns.

Here the officers and men not re-enlisting left for home, their full time having expired.

On the 23d of May, the regiment left Cassville. Near Dallas,

the regiment, with a section of battery, was specially detailed by Gen. Hooker to destroy a bridge just repassed by the corps, and thus prevent the enemy's crossing. The regiment was, by this service, kept from participating in the bloody battle of New Hope Church. It was sent a few days after to Kingston, as escort to one hundred and seventeen army wagons loaded with wounded men of its corps; but rejoined the corps in front of Lost Mountain, June 8. On the 11th, by a movement to the left, it confronted Piney Mountain, and threw up a heavy line of defences under the enemy's batteries. In the succeeding movements, it was in various skirmishes, and was an inactive spectator of the attack on Kenesaw Mountain. It participated in the movements on Atlanta, and was in the second line at the bloody and decisive battle of Peach-tree Creek; losing only one officer (First Lieutenant Lord) and one enlisted man in the skirmish line.

In front of the enemy's inner line before Atlanta, to which he had been driven, the Second found itself on the 22d, and built breastworks close to the enemy. On the 30th, Lieut.-Col. Morse, field-officer of the day, at daybreak surprised and captured the enemy's pickets in their rifle-pits; and the regiment was ordered forward. It immediately occupied the commanding hill thus gained, and hastily threw up breastworks. The position was

ers.

within two hundred yards of one of the enemy's principal forts, and a close and hot fire of his artillery, infantry, and sharpshootSeveral attempts were made by the enemy to retake the hill, but without success. For six hours, the regiment replied steadily and effectively to the rebel shots, firing two hundred rounds per man. It met with but little loss.

When Atlanta fell, the Second was placed on duty there as provost-guard, with its colonel (Cogswell) in command of the post. Its losses subsequent to the battle of Resaca had been three officers wounded, three enlisted men killed, twenty-two wounded, and six prisoners.

Lieut.-Col. Morse being made provost-marshal of the post, Capt. Brown was in command. After arduous duties, it was the last regiment to leave Atlanta in the great march to the sea.

It was on the 16th of November, ten days after the army had moved forward, that the Second left the city. Moving by way of Decatur, it joined the rear of the Fourteenth Corps, but reached its own corps, near Milledgeville, on the 22d. In the progress of the campaign, the Second had its share of skirmishes, destruction of bridges, railways, &c., and, of course, marching. On the

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morning of the 9th of December, it found itself about fifteen miles from Savannah, and halted near where the enemy had built a fort, and had planted a battery in the road. Proper disposition of troops led the enemy to retire. The next day, the regiment went into camp, in line of battle, four miles and a half from Savannah, and half a mile from the enemy's works; made a reconnoissance the next day (with the One Hundred and Seventh New-York), and found the situation of matters; crossed to Argyle Island, in the Savannah, in flat-boats, on the 15th; and, on the 16th, were all day under fire from a rebel battery and a rebel gunboat. On the 19th, the brigade crossed to the SouthCarolina shore, and, skirmishing with the enemy, drove him three miles; threw up breastworks in the night, and remained, with more or less skirmishing, until the 21st, when Savannah had been evacuated; and, on the next day, went into camp ten miles from Savannah. Here Col. Cogswell was brevetted brigadier-general, and assigned to the command of the third brigade, third division; and Lieut. Col. Morse took command of the Second.

On the 17th of January, 1865, after very imperfect refit as to clothing, the regiment moved on the march northward. It encountered the difficulties of the swamps; experienced much wet and cold weather, and some skirmishing. There is not space to give the details. The regiment reached Fayetteville on the 11th of March, and passed in review before Gens. Sherman and Slocum. On the 15th, it moved forward again, and, in the evening, formed cavalry in position, went into line of battle, and the men lay on their arms.

On the next morning, the brigade (the Second being on the left), supported by cavalry on its flanks, advanced on the enemy, drove back his skirmishers, who contested the ground stubbornly, and finally took position across the main road. The enemy, being in superior force, and with artillery, made repeated attempts to force back the line; but, by great exertion and some loss, every attempt was nobly repulsed. The brigade, relieved by Gen. Cogswell's, was transferred to the right, and again advanced, driving the enemy a mile to the works he had thrown up, and holding the position, with considerable loss. In this battle (Averysborough) the regiment lost two officers killed (Capt. Grafton and Lieut. Storrow), one wounded (Lieut.-Col. Morse), five enlisted men killed, and seventeen wounded: number carried into action, a hundred and forty-one.

"The Second and Thirty-third Massachusetts Regiments,"