Wednesday, June 22d.
The regiment moved back from the lines about a mile and camped. In the afternoon my company was sent out to make gabions for an earthwork which was being built for artillery, and while at work a little distance in rear of the position of McKnight’s battery, General Meade came riding along at a very leisurely pace and apparently alone. Suddenly a solid shot from the enemy struck the earth just in front of his horse, followed in a moment by another which landed close by the first, and laying himself along the neck of his horse, just as any private in a cavalry company might have done, he drove his spurs into the horse’s flanks and got out of range about as quick as that manœuvre could possibly be executed. Very soon after this incident the rebels made a charge and took some of Mc-Knight’s guns, how many I do not know, and came prettynear gobbling up Lieut. McPherson’s Coehorn Mortar Battery also, which was nearby, manned by Co. C of our regiment, and if they had come a little farther they could have captured my whole company too, for our muskets were stacked at some distance from where we were at work, and we were armed only with axes and jack-knives. Not long after the enemy had withdrawn with its booty, we were ordered to go to camp by a staff officer, and finding the camp deserted, followed the regiment to a point on General Barlow’s First Division line.
