198

YORKTOWN AND WILLIAMSBURG.

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Smith all mentioned Hancock’sGleneral Smith said in his report,

endeavoring to take a drink found thecanteen quite empty, a bullet having-tapped it for him. Another had a partof his thumb-nail taken off. Anotherhad a bullet pass into the toe of hisboot, down between two toes, and outalong the sole of his foot, withoutmuch injury. Another had a scalp-wound from a bullet, which took off astrip of hair about three inches inlength from the top of his head. Twoof my regiment were killed outrightand fourteen badly wounded, besides| quite a number slightly injured. Thus§ I have chronicled my first day’s fight,g and I don’t believe any of my regi-t ment were ambitious to ‘chase tin'

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g enemy ’ any farther just at present.« Refreshed with hot coffee and hard-

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% tack, we rested from the fight, wellg satisfied that we had done our duty.”g On the Confederate side, according toa Longstreet’s account, the march of the£ rear column northward in retreat from

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£ the town was being delayed all day onjjj the 5th by impassable roads, and he| ordered fresh troops from time tob time to countermarch to the field ata Williamsburg, relieving those whosea ammunition was exhausted in this un-

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§ expected engagement. After Hookerb had been forced back from Fort Ma-= gruder, the threatening position of« Hancock on the Confederate left was» noted by the enemy, and D. H. Hill\ went forward with Early’s brigade,* Early and Hill in person leading, to-1 ward the crest where Hancock’s infan-a try was posted.

£ The Confederates were met by a® severe musketry fire, and at length| by a counter charge, led by Hancock,in which the bayonet was used in openfield. Generals Sumner, Keyes, andvictory, which was brilliant and decisive.“ The brilliancy of the plan of battle, the