That Beautiful Charge

<i>That beautiful charge I shall never forget; with banners streaming, with drums beating, and our long line of blue coats advancing upon the double quick, with their deadly bayonets gleaming in the sunlight, and every man and officer yelling at the top of his lungs.</i><br>Eugene B. Payne, captain, 37th Illinois Infantry Regiment<br><br>When the bugles sounded the charge at 10:00 a.m., standing here were 10,000 Union men - an entire army visible from one place. During the Civil War such a sight was so rare that its terrifying grandeur seared itself into the memory of every man present.<br><br>The Union battle line stretched about a mile across the field before you.