Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-04-20


10Th " " " y :.
e77
The enemy's loss, according to General
Grants estimate short time afterwards, was
above 5000 men, including % commanders OF
regiments and two commanders Of brlgadeS.
These desperate trenches became the abode Of
the Seventeenth for the rest Of the war.
LETTER FROM J. C. COLT.
CHERAw, S. c., August 2, 1879.
Col. +. ". McMaster, Columbia s. c.: Dear
Colonel.-Yours Of the 29th ultimo received
In giving yon an account of the part taken by
the artillery under my command, and my OBJ
servations of tho conduct Of the other troops
engaged at the battle of the crater in front of
Petersburg, on July 30th, 1864, you will ex-
cuse me for going somewhat into details, as it
seemed to me that T could not give an intel
ligent account Of that engagement without
doing so. Iwould state in the beginning that
my camp-desk and all official papers Of my
command were captured when the enemy's
cavalry made an attack on the artillery train
near Appomattox station, on the night OF
April 9Th, 1866. What I state, therefore is
from recollection without reference to official
documents.
My immediate command consisted Of four
batteries of artillery of four guns each, to-wit:
Bradford's, of Mississippi, four 20-pounder
Parrots; Wright's, of Halifax, Virginia, four
12-ponnder Napoleons; Pegram's, of Peters
burg, Virginia, four 12-pounder NapOleons ;
Kelly's of Chesterfield, South Carolina, (my
old battery four 12-pounder Napoleons.
At the time of the explosion of the mine
Kelly's Battery was on detached service in
North Carolina.
When General Grant crossed to the south
side Of the James River my battalion was in
position in front of General Butler at Ber-
muda Hundreds, and was moved upon the
lines in front of Petersburg, when Grant made
his first attack upon that place from City
Point. In the defence of Petersburg, there
fore, my command occupied the front from
the beginning until the close Of the siege.
During the ten months Of that siege, while
the infantry were shifted from point to point,
my artillery, except for short time, occupied
the same position. While my recollection
therefore as to the position of brigades at GER
tain dates lowing to the frequent changes)
may not always be correct, still I was perfectly
familiar with the general topography of the
country and location of troops upon the part
of the line occupied by my command. The
same may be said in reference to artillery upon
the Jerusalem plank road. These guns being
some distance from the front line could be
easily removed, and frequent changes were
made. There were some mortars on the plank
road near the covered way, and some guns
near the Gee house on the morning of the ex-
plosion, but I do not recollect who command
ed them that day. Of these will speak
hereafter 1 enclose herewith sketch from
memory of the lines and the position of the
troops. Batteries, covered ways, and impor-
tant points adjacent to the crater. This
sketch will probably aid you more in under
standing the position of the troops as recol-
ect than any written description could give.
The salient marked A, when the mine was
exploded, was occupied by Pegram's battery,
four guns. The battery to the left Of the era
ter, marked B, was Wright's of Halifax, Va,
four guns. The battery marked c, on north
side of Appomattox was Bradford's Of Mis-
sissippi, four 20-pounder PARROTS.
The battery was opposite the enemy's battery
No. l, and was intended to enflade their lines
as far as the Hare house and beyond. These
were the batteries under my command on the
Both July 1864. El1iott's brigade occupied
the position marked A, the right being in
gorge line in rear of Pegram's battery, and
the left extending to or near the ravine in
front of Wright's battery. My recollection is
that Ransom's brigade occupied the line on
Elliott's left, and Grace's brigade on Ransom's
left. I have no distinct recollection what
troops were to Elliott's right and beyond the
centre; think Wise's brigade. do not know
who commanded the one gun battery to the
right of the crater. This gun was in ravine
or hollow was intended to sweep the space in
front of the salient on the right. but am sure
could not reach the enemy after they occupied
our works. I understood at the time the as
sault was made that this gun was abandoned
by those having it in charge, but was after
wards effectively served Captain McCabe, in
his account of the defence OF Petersburg says
by Hampton Gibbs and Lieutenant Chamber
layne This also is the gun alluded to by Cen
eral Hunt as being the only gun on the rlgnt
Of the crater that he did not silence. The
truth is, it was the only gun on the right that
could reach the assaulting columns, ana II
could not reach them after they entered our
works. AS to the guns in position on the Je-
rusalem plank road, in rear OF the crater,
have no certain recollection. Iremember that
section of Gardens, South Carolina battery,
was there few days before the battle, but
whether it was there OH the Both l do not
know. see by the May No., 1878, SOUTHERN
H1sToR1CAL PAPERS that Captain Planners
North Carolina battery occupied that position.
General Bushrod Johnson's headquarters was
upon the Jerusalem plank road, near the Gem
etery, and is marked in the sketch, General
Elliott's and my own near the spring on the
covered way, in rear of his brigade.
The artillery to the left Of Wright's battery,
and to the right of the one gun battery on the
right of the crater, may have thrown few
shot into the enemy's lines in the front, but
took no part in the engagement at the crater.
During the day some artillery was brought
from the right or rear and placed in position
on Cemetery hill, but took no part in the en-
gagement. The only artillery actually en-
gagged was Wright's battery, the battery at
the Gee house, and the two mortar batteries
marked on sketch NJ, and the one gun battery
to the right Of the crater IF g. The ravine