Meanwhile General Foster’s brigade had advanced up the main road to the clearing, when the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts was sent into the woods to the right of the road, and opening a heavy fire on the enemy commenced the action of the first brigade. The Twenty-seventh was sent to their left to support them, and, news being received that the enemy were trying to outflank the Federals on the right, the Twenty-fifth was sent to resist the movement. The Twenty-third being moved to the front next in line of battle, opened fire upon the enemy, which was replied to by very heavy volleys, and a cannonade from a park of field pieces behind the breastwork. The very first cannon-shot killed Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Merritt of the Twenty-third. General Foster’s line of battle was completed by moving the Tenth Connecticut to the extreme left, a position which they were compelled to maintain under the most discouraging disadvantages. The ground was very wet, swampy, and cut up into gulleys and ravines, which opened toward the enemy, offering no protection from his fire. General Parke’s brigade, which had followed the first brigade up the main road, was placed in line between the Tenth Connecticut and Twenty-first Massachusetts, the Fourth Rhode Island holding the right of line, the Eighth Connecticut the next place, the Fifth Rhode Island, next, and the Eleventh Connecticut on the left. The line of battle was now complete, the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts on the extreme right, and the Fifty-first Pennsylvania at the extreme left, and extended more than a mile. The naval battery was in position at the centre, with Captain Bennett’s and Captain Dayton’s rifles alongside, and were all worked with the greatest gallantry throughout the day. The fire of the enemy was now telling so severely upon the Twenty-first that Colonel Clark ordered the regiment forward on a double-quick, and at the head of four companies entered the breastworks from the railroad track in company with General Reno, and the colors were taken into a frame house which stood near, and waved from the roof. The men at the nearest guns seeing the movement, abandoned their pieces and fled, and the four companies being formed again in line of battle, charged down the line upon the battery. Colonel Clark mounted the first gun, waved the colors, and had nearly reached the second when two full regiments of the enemy emerged from a grove of young pines and advanced upon his men, who, seeing that they were likely to be captured or cut to pieces, leaped over the parapet and retired to their position in the woods.