Now, when the fight opened, the most of Branch’s brigade—­having moved somewhat forward—­had placed itself between me and our troops.  I soon became aware of this fact by seeing straggling Confederate soldiers in the woods in several directions; some of them seemed to be wounded.

Half a mile or so to the eastward the battle was loud.  By this time it was a little after noon; the sun was hot.  The sounds of battle were advancing toward the north.  Straggling men went by me, giving me no attention whatever.  I kept my position—­not remaining still, however, but walking about in the woods in order to prevent the possibility of being suspected of trying to hide—­and awaited the issue.

Soon the straggling had ceased, and the battle died away, and I began to fear that the Confederates had had the best of it.

An hour or so passed; then a new battle broke out in a southeasterly direction.  This was caused by Branch’s endeavouring to throw a force in the rear of the Union troops, who had pushed on nearly to Hanover Court-House in pursuit of Lane’s regiment, leaving Branch on their left flank and in position to do great damage[2].  Branch attacked vigorously, but was eventually forced back.  Again men began to rush by me, and this time some of them were in actual flight.  There were many wounded; gradually the woods were scattered over with a regiment or two, the troops showing various degrees of disorganization, some of the companies holding together and retiring slowly, while men, single and in groups, were making their way, as rapidly as they could run, from the field, yet all in the same direction, as though they had some knowledge of a rallying-place.

[2] On this day Lane’s regiment saved the remainder of Branch’s brigade.  The main body of Porter’s column pursued Lane toward the Pamunkey, no doubt thinking that all the rebel force was retreating northward.  Lane was entirely routed, and was cut off from Branch for some days; the story of his retreat and return to Branch is very interesting. [ED.]

Seeing this confusion of many men, my fear increased, and I decided quickly—­whether right or wrong—­that it would not do for me to remain an idle and unarmed spectator of the retreat; and I thought, too, that it would be very hazardous to attempt to get out of this mass of men by going in a northerly or southerly direction, either of which would be taking them in line, if they could be said to have a line.  I saw, of course, that if I should simply stop—­it would have been easy to play the wounded Confederate—­the Union troops would soon pick me up; but I wanted to see where the defeated rebels would rally.  A man, slightly wounded, I suppose, threw down his gun near me, and kept on.  I picked up the gun—­an Enfield rifle—­and joined the fugitives.  Unaccountably to me, the disorder of the troops became greater, and a good many of the stragglers disburdened themselves of whatever they could throw away.  I soon secured a cartridge-box, and a haversack, and with my own canteen—­the like of which there were many in the hands of the rebels—­I became, for the time, a complete Confederate soldier.