The National tribune., 1891-08-20
AT PETERSBURG.
Comrade Perry Fires Tvs Last Shot In Defense OF
the Sixth Tnrrs

EDITOR NATIOSAL TEIBUNE: C0mrade Buck,
Goth Mich, in your issue Of Feb. 10 in an ego
tistical article replying TO mine OF Jan 8, claims
about all for the Ninth Corps, April >, 1866, at
Petersburg. when the facts are that the Sixth
Corps is tho only oipe that went through the
Confederate works that morning.
The Sixth Corps formed in front OF Fort
Fisher, and from there penetrated through
every line of works. cutting the telegraph wire
along the BoydtOn Plank road. the men mount
ing on their comrades shoulders 20 better do
the work, and. rs ] said before. a large part Of
the corps going to the Southsido Railroad.
One partof our regiment met a large crowd Of
women and old men, who said they were going
10 church. We returned 10 the starting point.
captured another line Of works. and received
from one of our comrades two Jugs Of apple
Jack, ho having more than lie could well man
age, and feeling good he was disposed TO divide,
which he did.
our brigade then moved toward Petersburg,
going into line Of battle in an old Toadbed,
where the Boydton Plank road crossed the rail-
road. We were now close 20 the inner line Of
works in front Of Petersburg. To our right
was one lone piece Of artillery that bothered
the rebels not a little in their endeavOr to form
a skirmish line. We remained in the old road
until evening. From our position Petersburg
was in plain sight. Our corps picket-lne was
sent out in the evening, and before daylight
| advanced into Petersburg Corp'l Fox, of the
95th Pa, capturing the Confederate custom
house flag and bringing it bacl, with him.
Our brigade moved back a short distance
here and threw up a line of works, tearing
down building that was said to have been
Lees Headquarters finding in the house Phia-
delphia and New York papers dated April l.,
1865.
The Ninth Corps charged in front Of Fort
Sedgwick and along the Jerusalem Plank road
captured the works in their front, and doing
what had been assigned 10 them. but there IS
no evidence that they advanced toward the city
until after daylight on Monday morning, April
3, 1863 Feeling their way cautiously, and
finding the works vacant, they then marched
! into the city, aud, as Cumrade Buck says,
| planted their flag Oh the courthouse.
i am not cOntcndlng rs 10 who first planted
| their lag but as 10 what men were first IN the
/ city, and the facts are that our men had been
20 the city and returned shortly after daylight.
| IL was not the custom of the Sixth Corps 70
send stragglers and whatn6ts out on picket, but
men who could be relied on, and had that line
| as it advanced found an enemy that picket-liue
| would have turned out a line Of battle calcu-
| lated 10 do something and hurt somebody.
| 4 reliable Confederate authority says Of that
charge of the Sixth. that they broke through
| Lees line, killed Hill, aud fastened the evacu-
alton Of the city, and gave success to the as
| saulting party in front of Fort Malone. The
l Nlulh NbIi IlllSi4g nave btCu SUCCESSFUL luNC-
| pendent Of the movements Of the Sixth, but !
fail to see IT, by both moving at the same
hour one helped the other and combined they
gained a complete victory.
While in our temporary works, shortly after
| daylight pril 3, we heard cheering somewhat
in our rear, and looking in that direction we
saw line Of battle going for a line Of works
| They came on for quite distance, then, foI
! some reason, halted ard retired. Had they
come on they would have como into our line
To what Corps did they belong, and where did
they 50 to? We believe the works were va
| cant.
VIII comrades Of other Corps give the names
| Of CO!OF-ScTgcauts, in addition to Scrg't ID. "
Youn, 18Th Pa, who received One-third Of q
purse Of money raised by loyal citizens as tes
| timonial for being first 10 mount the works al
| Petersburg April 2, I-GJ2
The facts remain the same, and IL Is mol
claiming too much when wc say that 20 the
Sixth Corps in great measure, is due the sue.
cess Of April 2, 1855, aud il is taking no honor
| from the Ninth. The Corps was i'm the line O
duty, and il gained honor thereby. / shall
have no more % say, and desire no controversy
with any comrade.-WM. w. PERRY, SD Pa.
Rinsgold, Pa.