The following is transcribed from 'Sixteenth Maine Regiment in the War of the Rebellion'. This piece of time was choosen by me due to the fact that Colonel Tilden has the colors destroyed, is captured and escapes, all for the second time during the war.

Aug 15, 1864

The Fifth Corps was relieved and withdrawn to the rear, preparatory to an attack upon the Weldon Railroad, August 18th.

Aug 16,

Colonel Tilden, division officer of the day. Recieved orders to move at half-past two A.M., 17th. A large part of the command detailed for fatigue, and went on duty in heavy rain.

Aug 17,

Packed up and ready to move, and remianed in position all day. Pitched tents at five P.M., during a heavy shower. Ordered to move at four A.M., August 18th.

Aug 18,

Struck tents at four A.M. Marched at half-past six. Lee was compelled to strengthen his forces north of the James, or risk the fall of Richmond. Immediately Warren struck out for the long coveted road, which was reached at a point called the Yellow House, about five miles south of Petersburgh. The Sixteenth was the extreme left of the division, which was supposed to connect with the right of the Second Division, resting upon the railroad. But a most unaccountable posting of the brigade, by a bewildered commander who moved it in all directions but the correct one, left it in an irregular line at an angle of forty-five degrees, one hundred and fifty yards from the road. Regimental commanders were informed that a strong line of skirmishers was posted thirty yards in their front, waiting for orders to advance. Meanwhile, no firing of muskets must take place. Hardly had the men kicked the underbrush from their feet, when the rebels rose up fifty yards in front, with that half human, half animal yell, and poured a volley of bullets into our column. The Zouave skirmishers of the Second Division, rushed through the brigade to the rear, without firing a gun. Meanwhile, the enemy, quick to discover the opening between the divisions, filed through and formed rapidly in the rear of the regiment. The first intimation the right battalion had, was the melting away of the left. Some officer ordered the men to lie down and blaze away. Immediately the enemy charged the brigade in front and rear, and over one hundred of its numbers started, with most willing escort, for Petersburgh - cursing the blundering stupidity of some one, they knew not who. The division, so much of it as remained in line of battle, was withdrawn from the woods and a new line established, less favorable to the rebles. The Sixteenth lost Sergeant-Major Edwin C. Stevens and Private James Fahey, Company A, killed; about twenty enlisted men wounded; Captain Conley, Lieutenants Broughton, Fitch, and Chapman, Adjutant Small, and thirty men prisoners. Intrenchments were thrown up during the night, and with one important omission (credited to General Crawford) we were prepared for the morrowís expected fight. Beyond the Third Division was only a skirmish line without breast-works or support.

Aug 19,

The enemy, reinforced, made a heavy attack along the whole line. The skirmish line alluded to gave way, and allowed a large force to advance unpercieved, in the dense woods, to the rear of our lines, then hotly engaged in front. The First Brigade had repulsed two direct assaults, when rebels appeared in their immediate rear. In the confused struggle that followed, less than one hundred men, with two officers, escaped. The regiment sustained the following losses in the two days' fight:-

Summary
Numbers of killed 2
Numbers of wounded 28
Numbers of missing 115
Total loss 145

Colonel Tilden, in reporting the part taken by his regiment in the operations near the Weldon Railroad, says: -

"My regiment, numbering eight line officers and two hundred and thirty-one guns, moved in column with the First Brigade on the morning of the 18th inst., and arrived at the Weldon Railroad at twelve m., halted and rested one hour, to the right and rear of the Yellow House. At one oíclock received orders to advance and form line at the edge of the woods, extending my left to the right of the railroad. Advanced into the woods to connect with the right of the Second Division. While forming my regiment, and before the remainder of the brigade on my right had formed, the enemy opened a sharp fire on my left and the right of the Second Division, causing the latter to retire somewhat, thus leaving my left exposed. We, however, held the enemy some minutes, when I discovered that he was close on my flank and rear, causing my men to retire to save capture. These were rallied and formed on the left of the One Hundred and Fourth New York, which position we held the remainder of the day. During the night we threw up breat-works in our front, extending to the railroad. This position was held by us until two oíclock p.m., the 19th inst., when we moved to the right one hundered and fifty yards, being relieved by a portion of General Hayesí brigade extending from my left to the railroad. At three P.M. the enemy attacked our line and was repulsed three times, when we were attacked in our rear, he having come around the right of our line. This attack in the rear, together with the fire from our own artillery, created a panic among the men, but not until the troops on my right and left had fallen back, did I allow my command to retire, feeling confident that if we were not attacked in the rear, we could take care of the force in our front. On retiring we found that we were completely surrounded and were compelled to surrender, not yeilding however until several efforts were made to elude the enemy. At this time my loss was wholly in prisoners. I was captured, together with three line officers and eighty-three men. Lieutenant Davies and myself succeeded in making our escape from the enemy on the 20th inst. My colors were destroyed, thus preventing their capture by the enemy. My regiment was behind works, and the enemy being obliged to emerge from the thick woods in our front was very much in our favor in this dayís attack, and must have caused severe loss to him."

Colonel McCoy, in reporting the action of the First Brigade says: "This brigadeadvanced into the woods, with orders to connect with the right of the Second Division, which extended across and to the right of the railroad, from fifty to one hundred yards. This was effected by the Sixteenth Maine Regiment (Colonel Tilden), that regiment being on the left of the brigade. While Colonel Lyle was exerting himself to bring up each successive regiment on the right of the Sixteenth Maine into line, it being very difficult to accomplish, in the thick and tangled wood and underbrush, the enemyís column of battle advanced and made a furious attack on the Second Division, on our left and extending along the front off our brigade, then in course of formation. The Sixteenth Maine first came under fire with the right of the Second Division. The troops on the right of that division rtetiring somewhat, left the left flank of this brigade exposed. This regiment, holding its ground for some minutes, soon dicovered that the enemy was threatening its flank and rear, fell back some hundred and fifty yards, together with the other regiments of this brigade that had also become engaged, suffering a loss of some killed, wounded, and missing. The brigade again advanced under brisk skirmish fire, and partially re-occupied the ground from which it had just retired.î In his report of the engagement of the 19th instant, Colonel McCoy after referring to his losses by capture, thus speaking of Colonel Tilden: ìI would not omit to mention that Colonel Tilden, of the Sixteenth Maine, a most worthy and esteemed officer, being deeply impressed with a vivid recollection of a former imprisonment in Richmond, after having been taken to Petersburgh, and while on his way under guard from that city to the Libby Prison, made a most daring and successful escape, and rejoined his regiment the third night after his capture. Considering the perils through which he passed in making his escape, it cannot be otherwise regarded than remarkably providential. He was accompanied by Lieutenant E. F. Davies, of the same regiment Lieutenant Aubrey Leavitt, acting aide-de-camp of the First Brigade, was captured, but made his escape, bringing into our line a number of prisoners.

The prisoners were closely guarded by the rebels, but on their way to Richmond, Colonel Tilden and Lieutenant Davies escaped and rejoined the regiment on the morning of the 22d. A correspondent of the New York Herald thus describes the experience of Colonel Tilden:-

"Having on a light-colored and broad-brimmed Kossuth hat and a rubber overcoat was unquestionably his salvation. The fact that it rained nearly all the time he was a prisoner gave no look of strangeness or ground of suspicion in his wearing a rubber coat, while his broad-brimmed beaver gave him the air and tone of a true Southerner ëto the manor born.í At all events, he walked through the streets and public places of Petersburgh, picking up much valuable information, which he has since imparted to the commanding general. When he first struck the reble lines, with a view to get through them, he was fortunate enough, in his place of concealment and observation, to hear a rebel soldier remark to another, ëThe Yanks will have hard work getting through our three lines of battle here, but below, where there is only a thin skirmish line, it ainít so safe, I reckon.í The Colonel thought he would take a look after that thin skirmish line, and he found it. The heavy storm and dense darkness of the night enabled him to get through the line. He did not get through any too quick, for two shots were fired at him while between the enemyís skirmish line and ours. He came upon the pickets of his own brigade - a piece of good fortune, pleasing, agreeable, and quite as remarkable as agreeable."

The correspondent omitted to compliment Lieutenant Davies in seconding all the Colonelís movements.

Aug 21,

The third and last assault f the enemy at this point was handsomely repulsed. Shortly after this, the Third Division was reorganized, when the Sixteenth was assigned to the Second Brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General Baxter.

Aug 22,

Colonel Tilden returned from capture, and reported to Colonel Lyle.

Aug 23,

Regiment employed in tearing up trrack of the Weldon Railroad, until seven oíclock P.M.

from 'Sixteenth Maine Regiment in the War of the Rebellion' (B. Thurston & Company, Portland, Maine, 1886)

by Major A. R. Small