Moving rapidly along the plank road toward Salem Church, we saw no signs of the enemy,

but an occasional dead soldier lying along the line of March was proof that sharp skirmishing

had been going on.

Suddenly, we encountered soldiers lying at rest along the road, and soon after, marching

by the plank in four ranks, we filed to the right from the road into a field, and marching

a short distance, we heard the order, left face, forward march, and we were marching

in the line of battle towards the woods.

Probably scarcely a member of the regiment, except the Colonel commanding, knew that

the 15th was about to engage in its first pitched battle, until some men of the 3rd New

Jersey who were lying along the fence, saying out, throw off your nepsacks.

The regiment approached the woods and entered it, not a shot having been fired as I recollect.

After having gone into the woods about a hundred yards, we were met by a scattering skirmish

fire, followed a few seconds after by a crash of musketry from a line of battle, probably

not more than 50 yards ahead.

The regiment halted, and without any general order to fire, the 450 rifles of the 15th

responded with the deafening roar to the rebel body.

After the smoke cleared away, I saw two men of the 15th lying dead, Joshua D. Banker

and James Hendershot, both shot through the head, and two others, whose names I care

not to mention, lying on the ground nearly frightened to death.

In a little time, however, they recovered from their scare, and upon suggestion how to

load and fire, both these men went to work and fought bravely through the entire action.

The situation was terrific.

...