The National tribune., 1890-05-01
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0ur Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
FRONT OF PETERSBURG,
Tie Confederate Defense OF Fort Gregg, Va, april
=. 1865.

Tie Confederate Defense Of Fort Gregg, Va, April
>, 1866.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: There seems
20 be as much controversy among the Northern
soldiers ms 10 who captured Fort Gregg AS
among those who defended il on that eventiul
2d dav Of April 1865. SIS one of the defenders
write Of what ] saw on Part Of the Southern
defense and glimpses oc the Federal assault rs
they rolled on in successive waves, only 10 loo
driven of and badly crippled, until men of
Southern birth and nativity, who believed IN
=" the Union OF the States as one and not 10 bc
dissolved" came upOu the scene. aud 10y dcs-
perate courage succeeded in forcing the sur
render. Notrue soldier, either North or South,
tut what cherishgs with peculiar pleasure the
DAYS when he upheld the cause which he
espouscd, aud now after the lapse Of years since
NC put aside the harness of war and have be-
come peacoable and plodding citizens OF one
common country, il becomes us to write Of
those DAYS which tried mems souls, patriotism
and manhood.
Fort Gregg proper was one of series Of
strong Enclosed works that occupied command
ing situations inside of the Notifications proper
OF Petersburg. and WAS built Cor the very pur-
pose for which II served, TO resist an opposing
army in case the main line OF works Werc
carried. 4 deep moat or ditch surrounded IT,
which crossed into the gorge by few feet of
earth left intact The gorge was Incloscd by
palisades placed IN ZlgZag form, ana D3fely
admitted the passage Of artillery. These pail
sades were Of pine-trce trunks about is or 20
inches - diameter, aud were looPholed for
muskeiry. In fact, the rear of this fort was
the strongest part of il, aud could only have
been reduced by artillery, which was not avail
able IS several other Confederate forts had
commanding range Of IL. The weakest part OF
the fort was Just where the infantry breast
works connected with IT, but were not com
petcd its location WAS very near the junction
Of the Boydton plank road and Squirrel Level
road. on the farm of one Nr. Newman, whose
residence was the headquarters of our brigade
commander Gen. Nat. III. Harris, ut present
Register Of Public Lands at Aberdeen, Oak.
The reader viii bear in mind that Fort Gregg
and Battery Gregg are not the same places by
any means. Their positions are often con-
founded. rs much SO as Battery Alexander"
distant 400 yards from Fort Gregg Battery
"N hitworth and Battery Baldwin Whit
worth is the proper designation. Fort Bald
win" ms some of the Federal Engineers have
il laid down. was name given TO "Whitworth F"
IN derisi0n Of a soldier OF that name belonging
10 our command in the 18Th Miss. who, for
some bTeech Of military duty, was sentenced to
carry a log on his shoulders aud pace the ram
paris Of Battery WhitW0rth for 4 number OF
hours. IL illustrates the v3garies g life. as
what was intended rs a reprimand and disgrace
for military dereiictiOu, was enhanced as a
distinction Of reuOwn.
viii give a crude diagram Of the fort. and
thus its location may settle the difference OF
opinion as expressed IN The NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE as TO who captured Fort Gregg:
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