_5th day, 5th mo. 5th._ Five o'clock A. M. Slept well last night. Were called up at three this morning, got our breakfasts and made ready to move. Are now awaiting orders. The birds are playing around us and the day promises to be a pleasant one. Seven A. M. Have moved out and halted to the right of the road--are six miles from Mine Run and fifteen from Fredericksburg. Gen'l Warren's headquarters are near us. We appear to be pretty well in the rear. Col. ---- commands the first brigade. Have not heard of any rebels yet in front. Gen'l Burnside is said to be in the rear guarding fifteen hundred wagons. The sun is coming out hot--the weather clear and sultry. Twelve M. Have been laying down since six o'clock. The Sixth Corps has passed down the plank road to take position on our left. Heard some heavy musketry firing towards our left. It is said to be all cavalry fighting. From what I know we are in the reserve. Gen'l Robinson's headquarters are within a hundred yards of us. There is also a signal station near the headquarters. This is near the Wilderness tavern. There is a house on the hill near here where "Stonewall" Jackson was taken after he was wounded at Chancellorsville. The sun is burning hot. _6th day, 5th mo. 6th._ Nine o'clock A. M. At one o'clock yesterday we advanced as a forward guard centre, we being the third regiment in line from the position we occupied at 12 M. Kept on through woods for a half mile, then the other regiment halted and deployed, and helped us on the second line, with our right resting on the turnpike. The front line was busily engaged as we advanced--the bullets flew thick and fast around us, mostly high. About two o'clock we advanced the second time, about two hundred yards, and lay down under a heavy fire where we remained until six o'clock. All the time we lay under a fire from the rebels, who were less than a quarter of a mile off. They had a battery on the left of the pike which occasionally threw shells and solid shot in good range over us, cutting off the limbs of the trees; only a few were low enough to come near us. One solid shot lit in the centre of our company, and plowed the ground up under Audenreid's feet, bursting his canteen and throwing the dirt over the men around him, without doing any more damage. At six o'clock P. M., an officer, I do not know who, came up and gave us the order to "advance with the 39th Massachusetts." After the order was repeated twice, we started, going over dead and wounded who had been slaughtered by hundreds, and lay thick on the ground we went over. The rebels did not fire a shot until after we got out into the open plain, and then they opened with grape and canister and volleys of musketry. After going to the bottom of the hill and up halfway towards the enemy's battery, the Colonel gave the order to "about face." I had stopped to cap my piece, and before I got it done the regiment was going back on a double-quick. I followed in