MAY 19. Tuesday. Arose early and advanced three miles and formed our line of battle, our brigade on the left of Smith’s. We held this line until afternoon. On the right they fought a little, some balls passing over our heads. About 1 o’clock we moved up and formed a line. Shells passed over our heads, one man in our regiment was wounded and three horses killed. By this time our batteries were planted and the cannonading became general. It lasted until 3 o’clock and then slackened and we moved to the right about half a mile. McPherson, Logan and Stevenson are in the thickest of it. We hear that Sherman’s right rests on the Mississippi, and McClernand’s left, below. If so they have them completely surrounded. All praise to Gen. Grant. The country is rough and hilly, and the hills steep and rugged, and run in ranges parallel around the town. At 1 o’clock we moved still further to the left and a little forward. Wounded men are being brought in rapidly. We lay here till morning. MAY 20. Wednesday. We were astir early and took breakfast. Cannonading began at daylight. We were ordered back to our brigade and moved up to the road. Shells were thrown over, so we moved to the right and were drawn up. Here we were protected by a hill, and awaited orders. We were soon ordered to the left, and advanced about half a mile or more, and lay under the brow of a hill which protected us from the enemy’s fire. Their line of works are but forty rods in advance. 10 o’clock--Batteries on our right have opened and there is a regular artillery duel going on over our heads. There is an occasional premature burst, one of which seriously wounded Dare. Doty and Shaw each got a slight rap. Our line of skirmishes are on the hill above. I went up and skirmished a while and fired fifty-nine rounds. While there, word was brought me that Frank was slightly wounded. The ball hit a pocket, which was full of things, broke a looking glass, the handle of a toothbrush, and a thick letter from Cousin Sarah. It merely broke the skin, making a bruise. He had not fired a single shot. Seven of our regiment were wounded today. We lay here all night. A singular incident happened during the night. We struck up a conversation with the Rebels. One of our boys, after talking a long time, found he was talking with an old friend. Inquiries were made for mutual acquaintances, and they had a real social time. Finally they laid down their arms and came together. The line of fire that followed the shell from our gunboats and mortars sent over that ill-fated town was a grand sight.