the river. Our bivouac was on an opening to the lef of the road, and between us and the river was a heavy woods, from the edge of which we could see the enemy on the other side busy at work. In the afternoon they opened with artillery on the workmen on the New bridge, to which the Reserve artillery responded, and with the exception of one man wounded and a gun dismounted, no damage was done our side. This artillery practice and skirmishing was of daily occurrence.

The next morning, the 19th, at day break we moved off to Ellerson's mills, on the river road where it crosses Beaver Dam creek, about one and a half miles distance, where we remained some time, and then counter-marching and moving to the left we bivouacked in an oat-field near a woods, where the Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry (Rush's Lancers) were encamped. The same afternoon Mr. Hall made an ascension in one of Professor Lowe's balloons near our camp, for the purpose of reconnoitering, but the enemy opening upon him from one of their batteries, he thought it prudent to postpone his aerial operations. Early the next morning we moved back about one mile to Nanaley's mill, where we encamped between the house and the road near a fine wood and a large mill-dam, where the boys enjoyed the luxury of bathing.

Our division upon its arrival was not attached to any Army Corps, but was assigned to the extreme right of the line, which was considered the post of honor.

On the 21st, orders were received to hold ourselves in readiness, to move night or day, at a moment's notice, and each morning to be under arms at three o'clock, and remain so until daylight. The same day, Lieutenant Fletcher and Sergeant Pidgeon arrived in camp from recruiting service. On the 23rd, we were under arms all the afternoon, and loaned our intrenching tools to the Fifth.

Early on the morning of the 24th, we started on picket to Mechanicsville, about one mile distant, where we found

the Twelfth Reserves, Colonel John H. Taggart, four companies of Rush's Lancers and Cooper's Battery; Colonel Taggart, being in command of the line, he being the senior officer. Our regiment forming the Reserve, we laid in the grove back of Dr. Lumkin's house. Mechanicsville lies on the high ground, overlooking the Chickahominy on its north bank, from which it is about five hundred yards distance. It consists of a church and some fifteen houses, all of which were deserted and perforated by shot and shell. The south bank of the river rises gradually for about a half mile, where a long line of redoubts and rifle pits front a heavy wood. In the centre of the stream is an island, which is connected with either shore by a bridge, we holding one end of it, and the enemy the other, the island being neutral ground. The pickets at this point, although quite near one another, remained on good terms, the enemy's relief, upon one occasion, presenting arms to Lieutenant-Colonel McIntire, of the First Reserves, as he was visiting one of our posts. We were disposed, at this time, to show acts of courtesy to one another, as we daily expected to meet in battle. Richmond is but five miles distant from Mechanicsville, and from a shed near the road-side we could see its spires. One of our officers wagered a hundred segars he would be in the city in one week-he was, but as a prisoner.

During the night, the position of our guns were changed and General Reynolds required hourly reports to be made to him in writing. All passed quietly and the next morning we were up and in line at three o'clock. There being strong indications of a movement on the part of the enemy, about five, P. M., orders were received to feel them with our guns, to ascertain, if possible, what they were at, and accordingly Cooper's battery threw about twenty shells, but without eliciting any response. We subsequently ascertained, what we then suspected, that they were moving off to our right. The shells,

however, dropped beautifully among them, and sent their wagons hurriedly down the pike.

BATTLE OF OAK GROVE, June 25th.-While this was transpiring on our extreme right, a more interesting scene was enacting on the left. The bridges and intrenchments being at last completed, an advance of our picket line on the left was ordered on the 25th, preparatory to a general forward movement. General Hooker's division of Heintzelman's corps, was pushed forward to occupy "Oak Grove," a new and important position in front of the most advanced redoubt on the Williamsburg road, and while advancing through a dense thicket and an almost impassable swamp, was suddenly attacked by the enemy, whom they repulsed and drove back. The fighting continued off and on during the day, and at sunset our object was accomplished, with the loss of fiftyone killed, four hundred and one wounded and sixty-four missing, making a total of five hundred and sixteen. The enemy's loss was about equal in number.

CHAPTER XIII.

STRENGTH OF THE OPPOSING ARMIES. OPENING OF THE SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES. BATTLE OF MECHANICSVILLE. BATTLE OF GAINES' MILLS. CROSSING THE CHICKAHOMINY.

IN anticipation of a speedy advance on Richmond, to provide for the contingency of our communications with the depot at the White House being severed by the enemy, and at the same time to prepare for a change of the base of our operations to James river, if circumstances should render it advisable, arrangements were made on the 18th of June to have transports with supplies of provisions and forage sent up the James river to Harrison's Landing.

By the report of the chief of the "secret service

corps," dated the 26th of June, the estimate strength of the enemy is put down at about one hundred and eighty thousand, and the specific information obtained regarding their organization, warrants the belief that this estimate did not exceed his actual strength. It is shown in the report that there were two hundred regiments of infantry and cavalry; including the forces of Jackson and Ewell, just arrived; eight battalions of independent troops, five battalions of artillery; twelve companies of infantry and independent cavalry, and forty-six companies of artillery; amounting in all, to from forty to fifty brigades. There were undoubtedly many others whose designations were not known.

The report also shows that numerous and heavy earthworks had been completed for the defence of Richmond, and that in thirty-six of these were mounted some two hundred guns.

On the 14th of May, General McClellan in his official report states "I cannot bring into actual battle against the enemy more than eighty thousand men at 'the utmost." Subsequent to that, he certainly did not receive reinforcements of more than ten thousand men, and deducting from this total of ninety thousand, the losses sustained in the three skirmishes of the 24th of May at Seven Pines, Cold Harbor and Mechanicsville, and at the battles of Hanover Court House and Fair Oaks and minor skirmishes, with the usual sickness attendant upon the unhealthy position of the army, it may be safely stated that the Army of the Potomac did not number over eighty thousand fighting men at the opening of the Seven Day's battles.

From information received from spies, contrabands and a deserter as early as the 24th, General McClellan had strong reasons to suppose the enemy meditated an attack upon his right and rear, and on the 26th of June, the day decided upon for the final advance on Richmond. the enemy anticipated our movement by attacking our army.

THE BATTLE OF MECHANICSVILLE, June 26th.-Early that day our regiment was relieved by the Fifth Reserve, Colonel Simmons, and marched back to camp. At eleven o'clock we were ordered under arms, and at twelve, noon, just as our dinners were cooked, but before we could eat them, orders came to fall in with cartridge boxes and muskets. Marching up to Mechanicsville we turned to the right and moved up the river road to "Shady Grove Church," where we met the Eighth Illinois cavalry, Colonel Farnsworth, who were being driven in by the enemy who had crossed the Chickahominy at Meadow bridge. Colonel McCandless had some time before deployed Company B, Captain McDonough, as skirmishers, and learning that the enemy were approaching in overpowering force, he deployed the regiment across the road in connection with the Eighth Illinois to produce caution on their part, and thus gain time to withdraw to Mechanicsville, where General Reynolds with the rest of our brigade and General Meade with his, were drawn up. Three companies of the "Bucktails," under Major La Roy Stone, who were on our left, were surrounded by a heavy force of the enemy, but two of them cut their way through, company K, being captured. At Mechanicsville the line was again formed, and soon afterwards we withdrew to Beaver Dam Creek, where it was determined to give battle.

This position was naturally a strong one, the left resting on the Chickahominy and the right extending to dense woods (beyond the upper Mechanicsville road) which were occupied. The passage of the creek was difficult throughout the greater part of the front, and, with the exception of the roads crossing at Ellerson's Mill, near the left, and that near the right, above mentioned, impracticable for artillery. On the right of the last named road an epaulement calculated for four pieces of field artillery was thrown up, and rifle-pits constructed on the left of the road.

The line of battle was formed in the following order