On the morning of May 6th our corps was ordered to begin the attack at 5 o'clock. We at once moved out the plank road and soon attacked the enemy, this time on the left of the road. The fighting for a while was all in our favor and we drove the enemy (Hill's corps) back for over a mile and were just about entering the open fields around the Widow Tapp's house, when Longstreet's fresh corps arrived and reenforced Hill, whose corps was in great confusion. Owing to the density of the woods through which we had been chasing the enemy, our lines had become much disordered, and before that could be rectified, Longstreet attacked with his usual vigor and we were in turn forced back. We retired fighting until we reached the Brock road, where we took a position on the left of the plank road in rear of the entrenchments that had been thrown up along the Brock road. Here about 4:15 p. m. the enemy charged the works and drove back the first line, when we advanced and retook them, capturing a number of prisoners.
On the morning of the 7th we made a reconnaissance, crossing over to the right of the plank road and advancing over three-fourths of a mile, when we found the enemy entrenched behind strong works. We had a sharp fight, and were then withdrawn, and again took position on the Brock road.
According to the monthly report of the regiment, dated April 30, 1864, we had present for duty 18 officers and 357 men. As this was but a few days before the battle, it will give a nearly correct estimate of the number of men the regiment took into the field on May 5th, on which day our greatest losses occurred. During the three days' fighting our losses were 22 enlisted men killed; 4 officers and 128 enlisted men wounded and 3 enlisted men missing. Of those killed none was more deeply mourned than First Sergeant Duke Miller, of Company E. He was one of the bravest and best men in the regiment, and his social and intellectual qualities were admired by all who knew him. Colonel Sides and Lieut. F. V. Shaw were among the wounded.
Senior Captain A. H. Nelson had command of the regiment as Colonel Side's successor until the last week in June, when Major Neeper, who had been captured at Gettysburg, returned and took command.