in my rear, gave the command, "forward into line," and ordered the men to load. The Federals immediately opened fire, but halted as they perceived our long line in rear. Meanwhile, a corporal of the enemy drew down his musket upon me as I stood in front of my line. John Deel, a private in Company A, Fourth Texas, now residing in Gonzales, Texas, had, fortunately, in this instance, but contrary to orders, charged his rifle before leaving camp; he instantly killed the corporal, who fell within a few feet of me."

CASUALTIES IN BATTLE OF WEST POINT

Companies F and G, Sixteenth New York, took into action on May 7, 1862, three officers and one hundred and two enlisted men. Casualties, six killed, and eleven wounded, total seventeen. The nominal list will be found in Appendix A, page 362.

'This was Corporal George J. Love, the first man killed in the Six teenth New York.

CHAPTER X

FROM PAMUNKEY TO THE CHICKAHOMINY

HE regiment, with the troops of Franklin's division,

TH

remained near the battle-field of the 7th for four days, and then marched to Eltham. While it was in this camp, General McClellan rode to regimental headquarters, and sent the messages referred to by General Gilmore in his letter of May 31, 1904. This visit to the regiment furnishes an illustration of General McClellan's strong personal interest in the welfare of his soldiers; he first instructed them, and then watched their progress, and commended their well-doing. This element of his character affords one of the reasons why General McClellan possessed that enthusiastic affection of the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac which was held by no other commander under which it marched and fought. The military commander who gives to his subordinates generous praise for their conduct in battle adds to their selfappreciation, which is one of the strongest elements of their military efficiency; it increases their regard for him, and cultivates confidence in themselves.

A march of ten miles, beginning at three o'clock in the morning and ending in a broiling sun, brought us to Cumberland, a farm with a landing on the Pamunkey River; here the division joined the main army which had fought the battle of Williamsburg, on its march from Yorktown. Two days later, on May 15th, the regiment formed line at daylight and marched eight miles, in a heavy rain storm, to White House. This plantation was the property of Mrs.

Robert E. Lee and was carefully guarded, while held as a base of supplies. It attracted much attention on account of the Colonial and Revolutionary memories which surrounded it; here Washington had courted and married Mrs. Martha Custis. Mrs. Howland, the wife of our colonel, visited it while we were encamped on the farm, and gave the following description:

"Half a mile above us is the White House naming the place, a modern cottage, (if ever 'white' now drabbed over), standing where the early home of Mrs. Washington stood. We went ashore this morning, and, with General Franklin and his aides, strolled about the grounds-an unpretending place, with old trees shading the cottage, a green lawn sloping to the river, and an old-time garden full of roses. The house has been emptied, but there are some pieces of quaint furniture, brass fire-dogs, and just inside the door this notice is posted: 'Northern soldiers, who profess to reverence the name of Washington, forbear to desecrate the home of his early married life, the property of his wife, and now the home of her descendants. A grand-daughter of Mrs. Washington.'

"Some one has written underneath in pencil, 'Lady, a Northern officer has protected this property, within sight of the enemy and at the request of your overseer.' It is government property now and the flag waves from the top, and sentinels pace the piazza."

General McClellan organized, at White House, the Fifth and Sixth Provisional Corps; the Fifth under command of General Fitz John Porter, and the Sixth under General William B. Franklin. Franklin's old division, under command of General Henry W. Slocum became the First, and General William F. Smith's the Second Division; Colonel Joseph J. Bartlett of the Twenty-seventh New York, as senior colonel, assumed command of Slocum's, the Second Brigade. On May 19th, the regiment marched three miles

beyond Tunstall's Station and bivouacked for the night, and proceeded the next day to Cold Harbor, near the Chickahominy River. The infantry of the Fourth Corps arrived on May 20th, at Bottom's Bridge, and Casey's division forded the Chickahominy to protect the force which at once began to rebuild the bridge; Couch's division of the Fourth Corps followed Casey's, and both were employed in throwing up defences to secure the left flank. The Third Corps crossed and moved up to the support of the Fourth Corps.

On the 22nd, under command of Colonel Bartlett, the Sixteenth and the Twenty-seventh New York, a section of artillery, and a squadron of the First New York Cavalry went on a reconnaissance toward Mechanicsville, a small hamlet with a guide-board reading, "Five miles to Richmond." The detachment drove in the enemy's pickets, advanced close to his lines, learned his position, and returned to camp at II P.M.; the casualties were one cavalryman killed and one captured. Acting upon the information obtained, General Stoneman, with a cavalry force, captured the place on the following day. Our occupation of Mechanicsville deprived the people of Richmond of the pleasure they had long enjoyed, of driving there on summer evenings, and dining on the banks of the Chickahominy.

On the march from White House, we passed over territory which recalled many interesting incidents connected with the Colonial and Revolutionary periods. At Mechanicsville, we came to the scene of a most important event in the history of the Jamestown Colony. The descendants of this, the first successful English settlement in America, delight to call Jamestown "The Cradle of the Republic"; as we, descendants of New England, call Plymouth "The Cradle of Liberty." It was here, or near this place, on the 16th day of December, 1607, that Captain John Smith was captured, while in search of corn for the colonists at Jamestown.

After many days' travel, during which he was exhibited by his captors, he was taken to the court of the Great Chief Powhatan for final judgment and sentenced to execution. When the sentence was about to be carried out, and the executioners' clubs were raised to complete the savage edict, Pocahontas, the favorite child of the chief, for a child she was of but ten summers, sprang out from the throng and placed her head upon that of the intended victim. Extraordinary as are the incidents of succor and reprisal recorded in Persian, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Latin, mediæval, or modern story, not one of them carries the leading character so far beyond the realms of expectancy as the act of this maiden, in thrusting herself between death and this strange man; in every other scene of remarkable character, where pity, love, justice, or mercy has interposed to change the current of human affairs, practice or precept has mingled its influence with spontaneous impulse. In the social ethics of the Indian, a woman was an asset to be disposed of by her father; sentiment had no existence. What impulse stirred the springs of action in this untutored child, the psychologist only can disclose. The one who knows most concerning the limitless range of the human heart will doubtless come nearest to the solution.

Dr. Gaines's grist mill had been seized by order of General Slocum, who detailed Captain Gibson of the Sixteenth to superintend its operations with two men of the regiment, Nelson Lauber of Company H, and George H. Godden of Company A, as practical millers; they took charge of gangs of men and ran the machinery continuously. Captain Wood of the Sixteenth, with a guard of infantry and cavalry and a number of teams from the division train, was detailed to collect wheat and corn from the farms within our lines, to supply the mill; the corn was on the cob, and twenty men from the Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania were kept busy shelling