The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-07-18
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0ur Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
PETERSBURG.
@Baldy" Smiths Corps in the Works at that
piarp.

sBaldy" Smiths Corps in the Works at that
Place.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In recent
issue Of your paper COmrade Bryant, OF the 81
Me. asked if there was any such place ss re-
tersburg, Va, during the war, and wanted 10
hear from some comrade who was there re-
member the place and have some recollection
of being there, and have been in hopes that we
would hear from some Of our comrades. Perhaps
they are all afraid 10 speak out IN meeting loF
fear that some other comrade will knock the
wind out of their sails, in the claims of the
youngest soldier aud who killed Stonewail
jackson. / hope the comrades are not getting
timid az this late day. However, viii write
q few lines 10 start the ball a-rolling, aud hope
the comrades will pitch i'm, for / would like TO
know what we were all doing in the IL months
spent around that city.
Ii was the writer's great fortune TO have his
lot cast with that gallant old regiment, the
Il7th n. y; but as Petersburg is our objective
point, will say that the First Brigade of w. r.
Smiths Corps - better known Badly
Smith-br0ke camp at o'clock a. m, June 10,
1864. aud crossed the AppOmattox River at
Point Of Rocks and advanced towards the city.
Before noon we relieved the colored troops
that had been in advance, and did a little
skirmishing with the enemy, and continued 10
advance until toward evening, when we took
our position on The right OF the lines overlook
advance about sundown Gen. Smith sent up a
battery OF artillery to shell the works, and
Capis. A. r. Stephens and w. ]. Hunt de-
ployed their companies as skirmishers and adj
vanced. The brigade was ordered 10 fix bayo-
nels and advance in force on the rebel position.
The advance of Capts. Stephens and Hunt had
been rapid that when we got within short
distance of the works they had captured the
entire line in our front, taking 2i5 prisoners,
several eaTthwOrks and the entire armament
Of fcld-guns The balance of the enemy lit
out for Petersburg they having no more bust
ness with the Nanks about that time. The
garrison was composed Of raw recruits many
being in citizens dress. and there is no doubt
but what we could have gone IN and capt
ured the city at that time. The Army of the
Potomac came up the next day, and on the
evening Of the 18th charge Was made by one OF
the corps 1.-THE Ninth, think. which advanced
the line a short distance; but they came very
near being routed, and Gen. Smiths Corps
was ordered in again. and relieved them and
held the line, and we went 60 work and threw
up ri6e-pits 10 protect ourselves. and we re-
manned there several weeks.
The weather got 10 be very warm, aud as the
bodies Of the men killed in the charge bad not
been buried. the stencil became almost un-
beArable. When the nights were dark we
would 90 outside and cover them mp as well as
we could. All this time the rebels would fire
=. y had about 100 men picked of by the enc
my while We lay IN the trenches before the
city. Every man that showed his head made
himself q target for the enemy, and they i'm
proved il, too, during the time we remained
there.
Many amusing incidents happened TO break
the mOnotOny, however. / recollect that while
we were in the woods just back Of the line,
when we had day out Of the pits 10 straighten
out our limbs and skirmish for graybacks and
draw rations. one Of our regiment was de-
tailed 20 take the rations from the wagon 70
the cook shsnty. He had Just sbouldered box
Of bareback aud started of when one Of those
little three-inch shot came over and struck the
Eround and ricOcheted. striking the box Of
bareback, distributing them IN a hurry. IL
was amusing 70 see the cOmrade, who was about
SIX feet two inches IN hight light out for cover,
the boys all yelling az him.
At another time, while we were down on the
right ofthe line. one Of Go. G's boys was shak-
ing with the ague for all be was worth One OF
those little three-inch feelers came over from
the J0hnuies and took bis knapsack out from
under his head, dem0lishing il. Bith ali bis
worldly possessions, including a couple Of So
shirts that be had just bought Of the Suffer
b. ii stopped bis shaking quicker than a
ration Of quinine and whisky would have done.
lie surveyed the ruins and said to MS chum
Well, g. there goes them shirts, aud / am
them and get some more" The next morning
be had fall supply Of shirts.
Our regiment lay in the works until the
mine was exploded IN July. and then we we're
ordered down there 10 support the Ninth Corps.
When we got there We found pretty kettle Of
FISH. The General who was 10 make the charge
was drunk. and the negroes on the skedaddle;
but we got there just the same checked the
retreat, sBd held the line until order was re-
stored. We we're then ordered 10 march for
City Point, and take transports FOR Washing
ton, but we had been in the pits 50 long
that when we got out into the open fields
In The sun, our men were melted down By
the hundred, 20 that another corps was sent in
oar place, and we took our Old position on the
right. where we remained unti we were
ordered TO advance on Richmond by the way
81 the james River aud Chapius Farm.
Let me say in closing that the brigade which
have been writing about was composed OF the
lz2d, 18TH, lI7th N. Y. aud 10th Pa and was
commanded by Col. =. Martin Curtis, who won
his stars al Fort Fisher, and is now Depart
ment COMMANDER Of New York GAR He
lacks just 10 feet Of being q rod tall aud was
every inch soldier, and is as good az he was
tai.
! would ike 70 hear from some Of the other
comrades vino were before Petersburg while we
were laying the Petersburg express" VIII
some cOmrace tell Us what he knows about
that or tie singing gun Oh our right over the
fiFerf-E. &. WHEELER, Co. q, lI7th y. y,
Aatergille, N. ".