a continual wrangling among the senior Major Generals.  The enemy had thrown up two lines of heavy earthworks for infantry and redoubts for the artillery, one near Fair Oaks, the other one-half mile in the rear.  Longstreet and D.H.  Hill assaulted the works with great vigor on the morning of the 31st of May, and drove the enemy from his first entrenched camp.  But it seems G.W.  Smith did not press to the front, as was expected, but understood his orders to remain and guard the crossing of the river.  Huger lost his way and did not come up until the opportunity to grasp the key to the situation was lost, and then it was discovered there was a mistake or misunderstanding in regard to his and Longstreet’s seniority.  Still Huger waived his rank reluctantly and allowed Longstreet and Hill to still press the enemy back to his second line of entrenchments.  From where we lay, inactive and idle, the steady roll of the musketry was grand and exciting.  There was little opportunity for ability and little used, only by the enemy in their forts.

Several ineffectual attempts were made to storm these forts, and to dislodge the enemy at the point of the bayonet.  Finally R.H.  Anderson’s Brigade of South Carolinians came up, and three regiments, led by Colonel Jenkins, made a flank movement, and by a desperate assault, took the redoubt on the left, with six pieces of artillery.  When Rhodes’ North Carolina Brigade got sufficiently through the tangle and undergrowth and near the opening as to see their way clear, they raised a yell, and with a mad rush, they took the fort with a bound.  They were now within the strong fortress on the left and masters of the situation.  Colonel Jenkins was highly complimented by the commanding General for his skill, and the energy and courage of his men.  The enemy worked their guns faithfully and swept the ranks of Rhodes and Anderson with grape and canister, but Southern valor here, as elsewhere, overcame Northern discipline.  Many of the enemy fell dead within the fort, while endeavoring to spike their guns.

Sumner, from the north side of the Chickahominy, was making frantic efforts to cross the stream and come to the relief of sorely pressed comrades.  The bridges were two feet or more under water, swaying and creaking as if anxious to follow the rushing waters below.  It is said the Federal General, Butler, called afterwards “Beast,” covered himself with glory by rushing at the head of his troops, in and through the water, and succeeded in getting enough men on the bridge to hold it down, while the others crossed over.  But the reinforcements came too late to aid their hard pressed friends.  After the entrenchments were all taken, the enemy had no other alternative but to fall back in the dense forest and undergrowth, giving them shelter until night, with her sable curtains, hid friend and foe alike.  Just as the last charge had been made, General Johnston, riding out in an opening, was first struck by a fragment