I forwarded you yesterday photograph of General Sheldon in "citizens' Dress" as requested in yours of the 9th. This photograph was taken 25 years after the war, and the General says that the sculptor will have to put hair on his head. I had a long letter from our mutual friend Captain Buchwalter sometime since, and same should have attention ere this, but I have been so very busy. From his letter, written just after his visit to you a few weeks since, he writes me that it seems that Colonel Oran Perry of the 69th Indiana claims that the 69th was on the left of the 114th, as the line was formed after the assault had been checked, May 22d. My recollection is that a little before midnight of May 21st I was detailed to go over the hill to the left of where we were camped in the valley, with my Company, and take position as "sharpshooter" to keep the enemy from operating their guns on the Fort in front, as well as a little to the left of that position. This, I did, there being no other officer with me except Major Lunch of my Regiment, who accompanied me in selecting a position during the night, and gave me instructions that on the firing of the gun at ten o'clock that I would move my Company over the hill on the right, down to the valley and join my Company to take part in the assault which would be made at that time. At daylight of the morning of the 22d, my Company F of the 114th was occupying a position about where the markers of the 118th Illinois is placed. As I said, our duty was to keep the enemy from operating their guns. I recollect that many of the boys put their hats on their ramrods and held them up to have the same perforated by the enemy sharpshooters. Before ten o'clock, in looking down the valley below me, I could see forming, and afterwards advancing, the left column of our (Osterhaus) division. As they advanced, the enemy had become quite active, and we, as sharpshooters, were active, until the firing of the signal began for the general advance along the line. I noticed the advanced skirmish line, which composed either the 16th Ohio or the 120th Ohio about some 200 or 300 feet distant, advancing toward us, when we left our position and went over the hill on the right, down on the valley, where we found the 69th Ind., and my regiment forming. I was afterwards informed that the 49th Ind. was also with us in the advance, but I recollect well Colonel Bennet in the 69th hollering to us to "Hurry up, Boys, the firing has begun all along the line, and we will miss it if we do not get there soon!" I did not see on this day who had the advance line as skirmishers, but recollect well that we were with the 69th Ind., and as we went into the charge they sang "We'll Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys." When we came up on the hill the two regiments were undoubtedly mixed close together. As the Major of the 69th took up the colors of that Regiment and shook them at the enemy he was shot through the body, and I recollect well Colonel Bennett of the 69th getting up and calling the Regiment's attention to the fact, and stated that the Major, whose name I forget, although I knew him well afterwards. I visited him while he was laying wounded in some negro quarters where the Colonel of my Regiment, Cradlebaugh, was laying. Colonel Bennett said, as near as I can recollect it: "Men of the 69th: Major (giving his name) has been shot down like a dog; a braver man never lived; I want every man of the 69th to raise his hand and swear to avenge his death;" and every man, as far as I could observe, raised his hand. I had men wounded right there within a few feet of where the Major was shot, who said when he recovered consciousness, said, "That ground is not made to bury me in." He lived, as I recollect, for something like a year afterwards, and afterward died from being thrown from a vehicle in a runaway, and I believe the wound opened and he bled to death. Captain Bonebrake was promoted to Major in his stead, along about the beginning of the year 1864. The entry in my daily journal of May 22d is as follows:

I am quite confident that as we crept up the hill on the 22d, after going as far as we could in column, that we were more to the left or South of the 69th Ind. Colonel Bennett, at the time the Major was wounded, when he made his talk, was to my right quite a little distance, and lower down on the hill, while the Major who was shot was a very few feet to my left, and perhaps not to exceed ten feet from me. This was just after the close of the assault, and we held these positions practically untill dark. As you will note from my journal, we maintained the same positions the next day, but my recollection as to just how we were then is not clear, and when we commenced work on the trenches with my Company, I was on picket duty; and in advance of the line of work on the trenches, you will notice further, that the day after this work was begun, our Regiment was ordered to Warrenton. I distinctly recollect one circumstance which is not down in my journal: that during the afternoon of the 22d some of the shells from our battery at Osterhaus division headquarters upon the hill were playing into our men; in other words, were shooting too low, and Colonel Kegwin of the 49th Ind. came along, and noticing it, ordered me to go up the hill on the other side where this battery was, and notify the Commander that they were depressing their pieces too low, and to give them a greater elevation, as they were shooting into our men. I recollect making that ascent, and of looking back and having an opportunity of seeing the enemy's work, and at arrival at the battery I found that the enemy "sharpshooters" were doing considerable damage to our artillery men, and among others that were shot, there was Osterhaus's cook who had been shot. I feel quite confident that there was no command to our left, as a command, unless it was over the ridge where the 7th Kentucky and the 120th Ohio and some other Regiments that composed the charge column were, as you will doubtless know the division that day did not observe its Brigade formation. It charged in three columns. I cannot give any positive information, as I said before, as to the location of the trenches, and I find by my journal I afterwards visited General Lindsey's Brigade Headquarters. I will write Captain Buchwalter as to the matter of a marker site as occupied by the 114th on May 24th, as we virtually occupied the same position on the 23d as on the 22d, commencing the work of trenching on the night of the 23d.