Diary of Josiah Marshall Favill.

June 26th. Magnificent day, with little or nothing doing until towards evening; then came a magnificent display of actual war. If the scene had been expressly prepared for our delectation it could not have been done in a more magnificent manner. Away to the right, the Chickahominy curves southerly, flowing at the foot of high, rolling hills, fringed at their base with heavy masses of dark pines, their slopes and crest open and covered with the white canvas villages of Porter’s corps. From our position, which is on lower ground, we look upwards, and have the entire position in full view, which is certainly at all times picturesquely beautiful. About four o’clock we were attracted by heavy cannonading, which gradually increased until every gun was brought into action. We mounted our horses and rode towards the river, and by the aid of our glasses watched the battle. At first there was little to be seen but by degrees the enemy’s forces came into full view; whole lines of batteries advancing in eschelon and firing with great rapidity; the slopes were soon enveloped in a mass of smoking clouds, through which the flashes from the guns only was visible. For a long time the deep mouthed cannon played its part alone, and we concluded it was nothing more than a great artillery duel. Along towards six o’clock, however, the long, continuous roll of infantry fire told us of a serious attack. We strained our eyes to catch a glimpse between the curling clouds of white-wreathed smoke, but could see nothing except the lightning-like streaks of flame, which issued from the muzzles of the guns, this indicating to us, however, the progress of the fight, and to our chagrin we noted the gradual withdrawal of Porter’s lines and corresponding advance of the enemy’s. Darkness at length suspended operations, and we returned to our quarters. In our own front nothing unusual happened, but we are all convinced the enemy has at last concluded to go for us. If they only would have selected our front, how happy we should be. It is absolutely certain they would be defeated, and nothing would give us more pleasure; we can hold our works against the whole Confederacy combined. At a late hour we turned in, after taking a whiskey sour, fully expecting to be called upon during the night. Last night we were out every half hour.