L. P. Brockett, The camp, the battlefield, and the hospital: or, lights and shadows of the great rebellion

Finding his soldiers, most of whom had not before been under so severe a fire, becoming excited and uneasy, he dashed through the fire and smoke, his tall and commanding form erect, his snowy hair streaming in the wind, and as he rode along the front, where the men were falling like grass before the mower, his clear, ringing voice was heard all along the line, “Steady, men, steady! Don't be excited. When you have been soldiers as long as I, you will learn that this is nothing. Stand firm, and do your duty!”

At the end of the second day of that bloody battle of Fair Oaks, the troops which with great peril had been able to cross the Chickahominy before the bridges were carried away with the flood, were under his command; the fighting had been severe, and only parts of three shattered corps were left to resist the enemy's entire force. The situation was one of great peril, but Sumner was equal to the occasion. After making his disposition to receive an attack, he sent for General Sedgwick, his special friend, and, like himself, a man of the most undaunted courage. When he came, General Sumner said: “Sedgwick, you perceive the situation. The enemy will doubtless open upon us at daylight. Reinforcements are impossible; he can overwhelm and destroy us. But the country cannot afford to have us defeated. There is just one thing for us to do. We must stand here and die like men! Impress it upon your officers, that we must do this to the last man-to the last man! We may not meet again; good-by, Sedgwick.”

The two grim soldiers shook hands and parted. Morning came, but the enemy failing to discover our