“I cannot believe that it lasted more than half an hour, but how we dropped them, I was astonished myself when the smoke lifted and I could look beyond and around us and see the number killed and wounded Rebels, and what appeared to me at the time to have been the work of a few minutes.  And there at the same time so few killed or wounded on our side.  The 7^th and 6^th Maine had some hurt; they were upon the right and left flanks.  But this was an even chance, what fighting men call a fair fight, neither party having the advantage of position, being in open fields which had been very rare if at all before in this war.  The Rebels having always fought us from behind walls of earth and wood and trees.  I was informed today that there were eight regiments that made the attack on us.  I saw prisoners myself from five different regiments, but this I do know that they had two lines of battle coming down on us, either of which was nearly the length of ours.  They certainly had many more men than we had, and had brought them into the field for the express purpose, under the command of two generals, to drive us from the field and get our artillery.  The same good result throughout the day along the line would have most effectively used up their army on the peninsula.
     Our wounded men and most of theirs were brought in before dark, and as far as the surgeons could operate both parties were cared for.  I was pleased to see our men without being ordered about, going over the battle field, helping up and leading those of the Rebel wounded that could walk (the stretchers at first being used to carry our wounded) and many a one I saw pouring water from their canteens in cups and giving it to others; instead of being maltreated, they were cared for and made as comfortable as the circumstances, time, place and their condition would admit, and early the next morning the colonel sent some of our companies into the woods, where our skirmishers had been, to pick up any that might be found there.  They found several dead, and some wounded and brought them in yesterday.  Parties detailed for that purpose buried the dead.  If some Southern heartless witches can boast of having drum sticks and finger rings made from the bones of Yankees we have the gratification of saying in reply; we cared for and administered to the comfort of your dying and wounded as decently as civilized people ought to do, buried your dead, and would not allow loafers to insult your comrades when our prisoners.”