The National tribune., 1885-09-24
FIGHTING THEM OVER,
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Gid Campaigns
FORT STEADMAN.
An Interesting Account OF How the kepeis sur
prised the Garrison.

Pa saws of the 1gnt on the LloTHibS VI
o.. 1865: "Thc pickets were captured, and the
sforming rebs dashed over the trenches, and
Fort Steadman was surprised and taken. Inc
l4th n. Y. IL. A., with nine guns formed us
garrison" To the first statement above would
saw that our lines were broken some distance 10
the right of the fort, and were occupied py Tue
l4th n. Y. III. A., some members OF whlch regi-
ment were bayoncted in their hunks. Inc
rebs then took Fort Steadman In tank anu
rear To the second statement L will say that
the fort was then aud had been all Winter, gar
risoned by a part of the 18th n. Y. battery, IL.
A., four guns (light l2-p0unders) being III Tue
fort and the other two guns, with the calSSohs'
wagons etc, in camp, some distance to the rear,
near Meade Station, Most OF the six gun bate
ri.s OH thar part OF the line were disposed IN Ike
manner. The205th Pa, and several o'her feuii
sylvania regiments with still highern numbers OF
the Third Division, Ninth Corps, lay some nan
mile to the rear of the fort, and that is probaoiy
as near as McCiintock had been in the tort at
the time of which he writes. AS l have seen
at various times articles on Fort Steadman, ana
none of them correct, hope you will pardon me
if quote at some length from an article written
by Edward w. Rogers, Captain, 18th \. I. pat
tery and Breyet Lieutenapt-Colonel united
States volunteers, and read at Reunion OF
the battery Oct. 26 1872. Coming from the
commanding officer of the battery garrisonlng
the fort it may be of interest, and may possloiy
says:
1.-The first dirt thrown up where Fort
Steadman stood was done by a sklrmlsh-llne
with bayonctS and tin cups under hrc Oh the
enemy's lines close in front; but now 1t was an
inclosed work, with high and massive parapet
next the enemy, which was pierced with four
embrasures very ingeniously ~ arranged. AT each
embrasure two heavy posts were planted-one
at each side of the openlng-with crossoeam
at the top, from which was suspended heavy
ironclad door," with portfolio cut throushJnst
opposite the muzZo of the gun; tins aperture
was covered by rope mantlet suspended over
it. When the piece was run out the mantlet
rested against its sides; its recoil withdrew 1t
from the porthole and the mantlct swung to
its place. When we had q bout with the rebels
the rifle balls spattered into the embrasures in
manner that showed that
NO MAN COULD LIVE
at a gun stationed there without some such
protection. The Iange was exceedingly close.
Being so close to the enemy, with pickets ad-
yanced but a short distance, we were always
appIehensive Of surprise. Every night, at
dark, the guns were loaded with canister and
run out and during the night a man was sta
toned at each gun, with lanyard and primer,
and with orders if the enemy attacked to i'm
mediately fre,-which might check the assault
ing force and would instantly arouse the re-
mainder of the cannoneers sleeping close by
their guns.
Many deserters came into our lines that Win
ter. To encourage deSertion, and to lessen the
number of arms in the enemy's possession, no.
tice was given that any rebel soldier bringing
in his arms and equipments would receive
their full value in greenbacks and be furnished
with a pass TO the North. The officers in Fort
Steadman, in talking over the situation, have
many a time foretoid how the enemy would
capture the fort and the adjacent works when
he felt disposed to. On the night of March "a,
1865, the rebel pickets informed ours that a
large number of them intended to desert before
morning, and would bring in their arms Con-
sequentiy, when the rebels came at about 4
O'clock III the morning of the 18th,
OUR PICKETs DID NOT FIRE.
They were instantly captured, and moment
later the rebel skirnishers, closely followed by
q heavy column. Ieaped into our intrenchments.
No force entered at the front of Fort Steadman,
but in the low ground TO its right they entered
our lines and passing up the ravine to the rear
of the fort came in at the sallypOrt or leaped
the low parapet, and after short struggle in
the dark took possession of the fort and four of
our guns that were in it. The resistance our
men made was creditable, but entirely unavail-
ing. The fight in the darkness was not very
sanguinary. The loss of the battery, out of
about 80 men in the fort, was one killed Michael
King, two very severely wounded MURRAY and
BaIlett), and Lieuts. Long and Moore and IL
enlisted men captured. The rebels then as
saulted Battery No. g. a redoubt short dis
tance to the right of Fort Steadman, and Fort
Haskell, the next work on its left but the
troops holding those works, forewarned by the
firing at Steadman, were in readiness, and
REFUSED THE ATTACK.
Our right section lay in reserve on the high
ground, short distance in rear of the fort,
where were also all our horses caissons and
camp equipage. When the firing commenced
V tn fla hrnx of 4 ha
hill, and opened fire as soon as the location of
the rebel forces was discovered. They replied
with the captured pieces so two Of our guns
were engaging the other four. The section was
soon moved TO better position further to the
right, and with single section of another New
York battery remained for two long hours (be-
fore Hartranft brought up the Third Division, J
the only troops between the enemy and the City
Point Railroad, except Joness llth Mass bat
terry, which occupied detached fort to the
right and rear. The intention of the enemy
was to get possession of the railroad, and, if
possible, of City Point, the base of supplies of
the Army of the Potomac
With a determined effort they could have
run over the few unsupported guns in their
front; but, unable to capture Fort Haskell and
Battery 9. whose Garrisons still held fast their
positions on the fanks of the assaulting column.
they advanced with only slight show of spirit,
and
WERE DRIVEN BACK IN DISORDER
by the fire of our four pieces. The rebels
were now in position from which they could
not easily extricate themselves. By an unex-
pected movement they had thrust their head
Of column through our line, but had succeeded
In occupying only a small portion of it, and
the ground over which they advanced was cov-
cred by the cross-fre of Battery and Fort
Haskell, making their retreat very hazardous
Our rallied troops had rapidly formed in such
shape that when the Third Division came into
position our line was an irregular semi-cir
running from Fort Haskell On the left to Bat
tery on the right, SO our fire completely in
closed the rebel force. Artillery was posted at
all advantageous points, and by its well-directed
fire
THE ENEMYs FORCE WAS THOROUGHLY
BROKEN
and disorganized, and sought protection from
projectiles in holes and bombproofs. So
when our troops advanced no resistance of con-
sequence was encountered, and the works and
guns were easily recaptured and about 1900
prisoners taken.
The first man in Fort Steadman was George
Morrison, private of the 10Th N. Y. battery
This affair, so disastrous TO the enemy, opened
the campaign Of 1865. 1t was the begi inning OF
the end. Its moral effect on both armies was
immense, depressing the rebels and elating ouI
men in corresponding degree. Its influence
upon the succeeding events of the campaign
cannot be overestmated. The next day Gen
Parke issued the following order: