Sergeant Thomas F. Galwey, 8th Ohio Infantry:

"Forward we go over fences and through an apple orchard. Now we are close to the enemy. They rise up in the sunken lane and pour a deadly fire into us. Our men drop in every few files. The ground on which we are charging has no depression, no shelter of any kind. There is nothing to do but to advance or break into a rout. We know there is no support behind us on this side of the creek. So we go forward on the run, heads downward as if under a pelting rain.

"About fifty yards on this side of the enemy's improvised trench in the sunken road is a slight elevation. Here we halt. The ground is covered with a soft turf speckled with white clover. . . . This ridge is a cornfield, and just back of it we can see the tops of the trees of an orchard. Line after line of the enemy's troops are advancing along the ridge, through the corn. They come up opposite us and sink out of sight in the sunken lane. It is a mystery that so many men could crowd into so small a space. . . .

"The fight goes on with unabated fury. The air is alive with the concussion of all sorts of explosions. We are kneeling in the soft grass and I notice for a long time that almost every blade of grass is moving. For some time I supposed that this is caused by the merry crickets; and it is not until I have made a remark to that effect to one of our boys near me and notice him laugh, that I know it is the bullets that are falling thickly around us! It is wonderful how a man can live through such close danger. . . .

"Our men are falling fast. General Kimball passes, muttering, ‘God save my poor boys.' Well ought he to pray God in such a moment.

"The din is frightful. Alas, no words can depict the horrors of a great battle as they appear to men unaccustomed to them. . . . What we see now looks to us like systematic killing."