268 SEVENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY.

ing an entirely different movement under the direction, as it afterwards appeared, of
some staff officer who had faced those companies about and was trying to bring them by
a flank to a "Change front to rear on First Company."

At that moment, the situation of the regiment was such, that by no fault of any one
connected with it, but through the improper interference of a blundering staff officer, a
total stranger, it was broken into fragments, lost from each others' sight in the bushes,
the left companies forming on one line, the right companies somewhere else, and the
centre nowhere. The roar of battle in the immediate vicinity was deafening, nobody
could be heard, nobody that was wanted could be seen, and, to make confusion worse
confounded, a panic struck some of the troops of the second line who, fell back in disor-
der upon the Seventh whilst in the predicament above described, bewildered by conflict-
ing orders and false movements.

In the midst of this scene the Colonel of the 14th Brooklyn, whose temporary staff
officer had done the mischief, rode up to the Colonel of the Seventh, while in the act
of repairing it, and used some hasty expressions, which were afterwards handsomely
withdrawn when the facts were understood. In fact, the accident would have been
avoided had the latter's suggestion been acted on and the captains of companies been
notified of the precise movement to be made by inversion in the dense thicket.

The Rally on the Colors.

Fortunately for such an emergency, the Seventh had been specially drilled in
getting mixed up and straightened out again. A simple "rally on the colors" brought
order out of chaos, as if by magic. It was only needed to find the color company (Com-
pany C, Harford County, Captain Bouldin), face it square to the nearest racket, and a round
of hearty cheers promptly attracted the broken files from either flank. The men fell into
ranks by the instinct of habit, and the line was re-established in much less time than
had been required to dislocate and scatter it. It was then an easy matter to adjust its
alignment to that of the other regiments, which was done under the supervision of General
Robinson.

Victory.

Meanwhile, an attack had been made upon the breastworks in the immediate front
held by the other brigade of the division, and this attack had been repulsed. The troops
of the second line had been rallied into position, and all was now steadiness and confi-
dence where, but a few moments before, there was disorder fast verging upon wreck.
The men were ordered to lie down (on account of shell), and all awaited the expected
onslaught, whether its main fury should burst upon front or rear.

The storm, however, had reached its height and spent its energy; our brave allies
of the second corps, driven from their first line of works, had rallied and retaken them,
and, although repeatedly attacked, were not to be driven again. By five o'clock, the
enemy was completely repulsed at all points on Hancock's front, with heavy loss.

Later in the evening, the Maryland brigade was thrown into the second line. Skir
mishing, more or less heavy, continued until night fell, and, indeed, to some extent
throughout the night.

The loss of the Seventh on this second day of the Wilderness was slight, there
being but three men wounded, one from each of the three left companies.