Two-fifths of a century has passed since the roar of the conflict that raged before Petersburg was hushed. The commanders of the opposing armies, indeed, most of the great actors, are dead, while a large portion of the rank and file have answered the last roll-call, but the impressiveness of that scene is still fresh in my memory. As I write it all comes back to me. The long lines of blue with their glistening bayonets; the gleaming sabres of the cavalry; the tattered banners. On a little knoll was Gen. Warren the gallant commander of the 5th Corps sitting sidewise on his horse with field glass in hand surrounded by staff officers and couriers. The artillery was thundering. The rattle and roar of musketry along the lines was constant, and when the sun had dropped behind the horizon at the close of that day thousands of the blue and the gray were stretched out all over the fields. And the stars in Heaven, that night, looked down on scenes of suffering and horror that it is impossible to describe. June 17 was a day full of stirring events. The fighting was desperate and alternated between the different divisions and corps. Gen. Burnside’s 9th corps had the honors of the day, capturing several redans, a number of pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners with their colors. June 18, Gen. Grant ordered another general assault, which resulted in heavy losses and no success. Ten thousand men were killed and wounded in the three days’ effort to capture Petersburg by direct assault. I find in Fox’s statistics of regimental losses that he credits our regiment with 54 killed and 218 wounded and missing in the three days’ conflict, and many commands fared worse. The killed, wounded and missing of our regiment from May 18 to June 23d, were according to Fox, 584. The troops were now thoroughly exhausted, owing to the incessant movements, both day and night, for about six weeks. There had not been 24 hours in which they had not been in close contact with the enemy. The confederates acting on the defensive had been spared the long circuitous marches as well as the costly experiences of assaulting intrenchments. Gen. Humphreys, who was chief of staff of the Army of the Potomac in 1864, placed the losses of the army from May 4 to June 19 as 61,400, of which 50,000 were killed and wounded. RESTING WHERE THERE IS NO REST. We rested three days, if it can be called rest where there is a constant interchange of shots so that one was liable to get a bullet through his head if it was exposed above the breastworks. At night the artillery indulged in duels and the shots could be seen traveling in the air. The curves of the shells from the mortars reminded us of the Fourth of July rockets and the boys called it their display of fireworks. What the men suffered that summer in the trenches before Petersburg none will ever know except those who experienced the hardships.