The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-11-26

By Brevct Brigadier Cecil Clay in Philadelphia
Times.
Some time ago there was published in The
Weekly Times account Of the attempt which
General Lee made at the suggestion Of General
Gordon, who was entrusted with its execution, to
break through the lines of our army before
Petersburg at point not far from AppomattO1
river, so as to effect Judgment between the
bulk of General Grants forces and City Point,
and roll the army up from its right flank. AS a
tactical movement this was not bad one, but at
the time General Gordon attempted to put it in
execution it was too late for any permanent re-
suit to come from it. Fort Steadman was taken
by night attack and held for few hours but
the enemy were soon driven from it and our lines
re-estabiShed as before.
The idea of this movement, however, was not
new one. 1t had suggested itself to some one
as early as June 1864 and came within an ace of
being put to severe practical test On the oath
day Of that month the right of General Grants
lines before Petersburg resting on the Appomat-
tox river, was held by the First division Of the
Eighteenth Corps This division contained three
brigades, each of which in turn occupied the
front line of works for twenty-four hours at a
time. On the day mentioned the front line was
held by the Third brigade, composed of the
Fortieth Massachusetts,, Twenty first Connecticut
Ninety second New York, One Hundred and
Eighty eighth Pennsylvania, and Fifty eighth
Pennsylvania. l was serving in the latter regi-
ment as a captain; the division was commanded
by General George J. Stannard, of Vermont, and
the brigade by Brevet Brigadier- General Guy V.
Henry. an officer of the Regulars who was Colo
mel of the Fortieth Massachusetts. There was
no lack of fight" about either Of these COM
manders This front line of work consisted of
a strong rife-pit, made by digging a deep and
moderately wide ditch, the earth from which was
thrown out upon the side next the enemy and
made into parapet. Inside the ditch on the
same side was wide banquette of proper height
for the men to stand upon and fire over the par
apet; while in the rear face were dug at intervals
recesses in which the officers accommodated them
selves spreading over the top shelter tents to
keep off the sun rain. A short distance in
front of this line was a string of skirmsh pits or
French pits, that is to say, lot of small de-
tached pits; few yards apart dug for the accom-
mediation of the skirmish lire and made so as to
be commanded by the fire Of the works in the
rear. They were dug about ten feet square by
running an inclined plane from the surface of the
ground at the rear to the depth Of some three feet
in front, and throwing up the earth as breast
work. In each of these pits were three or four
men. The enemy's front line was in fair rife
range, and the intervening space was covered with
a growing crop Of oats, high enough to afford con-
siderable cover.
The night of the Odd passed in quietness but
on the morning of the 24th just as we were be-
ginning to think about breakfast, we were sud
denly reused from our meditations by great
roar OF artillery and the horrid shrieking and
whistling Of missiles of all sorts which few Just
over our heads, plunged into the bank behind
us, smashed the top Of our parapet, knocked
down our shelter tents and scattered dirt and
dust by the tublull all over us. but. very fortu-
nately, little death and not much destruction
When we recovered from our mOmentarv astonish-
ment we found the enemy had concentrated the
fire Of forty guns upon the small front held nv
our brigade. Any one who has "been tberen
knows what that means. Forty gums concen
trated on the front Of one brigade, WHY tbe
air was perfectly blue There was. a continnous
roar, shrek, and whiz; fragments of she'll flow
in every direction Crash bang! and a bio felIer
knocks down much earth as an Trishmor
would throw out OF a cellar in day. The
second and third lines of works were on biober
ground than the front line, but behind Them tho
ground sloped off again to a ravine, RUNNING
down toward the river, and in this rayine were
collected the cooks of the various regiments and
all the cooking of the division was done there
Just the firing began it happened that two Con-
necticut men were marching along toward brigade
headquarters, carrying between them large mar
ket basket containing the breakfast for General
Henry and his staff mess. A shell hit the basket
and away went beefsteak, bread and bacon in
every direction. There was no breakfast at
brigade headquarters that morning. All the shots
that went over the rise Of the ground behind us
pitched into the cooks ravine and there was
soon frantic exodus Of detailed men and
darkies looking out for a safe place. Anticipate
ing a heavy assault as the sequence to this artil
Iery fire the teams were loaded and dispatched