Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-02-15


toward close. Firmly intrenched on the
South Of the James, from that river to
near Hatcher's Run, threatening the South
side railway, the only communication be-
tween Lees army and his source OF sup
plies, II was apparent to every one that
, the sauguinary conflict which had lasted
| four years was nearing close. Gen. Lee
foresaw as clearly as any one the speedy
downfall OF the Confederacy, unless IL
could be averted by n concentration OF his
forces and telling blow upon some OF the
armies that encircled him. Looking the
ground over, he decided to make an attack
upon point in our lines In front OF Peters
burg, hoping thereby to force our army
back to City Point.
The confederates had great hopes Of the
success OF this movement, as / was AFTER
wards informed by Rev. Nathaniel Head, a
very intelligent Methodist Clergyman and
presiding Elder OF the Richmond District.
whom met, while in pursuit OF Lees retreat
ing army at Notaway Court House. The
time was even set when our army In front
OF Petersburg was To be cut In twain and
the southern half driven back pell nell up
on the other In the direction of City Point.
The same authority informed me that when
the attack had been made aud had failed,
his hopes OF success and that or many
others entirely died out. The point select
ell for the attack was Fort Steadman.
somewhere from two 10 two and half
miles to the right of the position occupied
by us Fort Haskell was between the two
points. All the available troops In Lees
army were massed In front of the Fort
during the night, and an attack was made
ON the morning OF the 18th OF March. SO
far as being a complete surprise the attack
was success Gordon's men charged at
daybreak and soon passed over the narrow
space between the lines and rushed into
Fort Steadmau, which was garrisoned by
the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery.
The garrison was taken wholly by surprise
and made but 4 feeble resistance. The
guns were captured without a struggle
and Immediately drawn out at the rear and
turned on the adjacent Forts.
The news spread along the line Ike wild
fire. aud for n time every thing was in con-
fusion. A German officer whose name
caunot recall but who was an inspector on
the stall OF General Tidball, chief OF ar
tillery OF the Ninth Army Corps, hearing
the firing mounted his horse and rode TO
understand the situation and soon found
himself prisoner. lie cheated his captors
however, and soon escaped minus horse
and watch. After the capture or Steadinan,
the rebels marched on TO Fort Haskell and
attacked II In the rear. But on our side
order soon began TO come out OF chaos.
The guns In Fort Sedgwick were taken out
at the rear, the whole company being at
the front, and turned on the rebel column
that was attacking our neighbor. Mean
while the gallant General Hartranft IN COM
mand OF division reached the scene, and
though his men were mostly raw recruits
they behaved like veterans. The rebel AT
tacking party, finding themselves unsup-
ported by the 10000 men Lee had massed
in our front, and being sharply attacked
by Hartranfts infantry, and at the same
time exposed TO a raking fire OF shot and
shell from our guns, preferred to surrender
rather than retreat through the terrible
storm OF iron hail. Two thousand sur
rendered and as many more were killed or
disabled by wounds. This was the last
offensive movement OF Lees army, and
General Meade, taking advantage of their
confusion, attacked their entrenched picket
line little to our right and held 1t.
After the Fort Steadman affair, which
gave the boys OF the Seventh Maine Bat
tery about as much excitement for q Few
hours as they cared TO have, events, which
In two weeks eliminated in the surrender
OF the rebel army Of Northern Virginia,
followed each other In rapid succession.
Gen. Grant issued an order for another
left iiank movement TO be made on the
twenty ninth. The second, sixth and hnh
corps were withdrawn, and the ninth
corps, with q division OF the eighteenth,
was stretched out 10 man the works and
hold the line formerly occupied by the four
CORDS The flank movement was made Oy
the three corps withdrawn, assisted by
Sheridan's Cavalry. The battle or Five
Forks was fought soon after, and the rebel
line hopelessly broken. On the morning
OF the second of April, an order was given
for an attack on the rebel works In our
front, and the attack was made at day
break. Our linc was thin, but that or the
rebels much more so. Their outer line or
works was speedily captured, and the guns
of the Seventh Maine and Third New
Jersey were transferred 10 the rebel Forts
which had so long menaced US In front.
Lees army still held Petersburg, and
Heath's division of A. p. Hills corps was
ordered to make charge with the view of
retakiug some OF the works just captured
by our corps. The attack was sharply
made but successfully repulsed, General
A. y. Hill, one of the ablest OF Lees Cen
erals, being shot dead in an attempt to
rally his men. This was the last lighting
in which the Seventh Maine Battery took
part. That night Petersburg was evacu-
ated, and so quietly that our pickets, who
were within stones throw from the aban-
doned lines, knew not that the enemy was
moving until the next morning, when they
were gone.