The National tribune., 1891-06-11
Read Better than Pension +" on page 2.
PETERSBURG.
Maryland Comrades Account OF the Sixth Corps
Onpraff0nk

! A Maryland Comrades Account OF the Sixth Corps
Operations.
EpIToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: have been
reader Of your valuable paper for several
years, and have read Of many battles OF dii-
i ferent corps, divisions brigades, regiments,
and batteries, but have never seen anything
about the fight Of the Third Division, Sixth
Corps on April 2, ls65. in front Of Petersburg,
until recent Issue Of your paper; AND, Ie-
! lieying the only way 90 get some one ADLER
/ thsn myself 10 write IL up Is TO start the ban
rolling myself therefore ] will try 10 write
what 1 rcculeet Of the part ] took and saw IN
that action.
Everyone that was within miles Of our lines
will remember the heavy cannonading on the
night of April i, aud the signal gun fired Tor
the grand advance AZ a. IN, April 2
The Sixth Corps was formed IN nearly the
| shape ot horseshoe, outside our plckctllhes,
J with the First Division on the left, the Second
Division on the right while the Third Division
was in the ccutcr; being Tapped on both wings
| by the First and Second Divisions
There was considerable talk among our stan
as TO who would ride the FIRST horse over the
enemy's works. There passage through
4 the works about 500 yards TO our left, which
some of them intended TO make for, but j,
being Chief Of Pioneers, detailed about ak
pioneers 10 90 with me and cut away the
/ distinctions that we could 30 straight 10
the works, which we reached without much
trouble My horse climbed up the works like
al old veteran, got on the tor, but was afraid
10 Jump down; but, with helr, managed TO
push him down. So While j die not ride the
first horse inside, believe ] rode the hrst on
the top of the works
We had quite a lively time with the enemy
when We entered, aud although do not think
il lasted more than five minutes, u was quite
long enough for Liput-Col. G. X. Prcntiss,
Lieut.. Thos. Duff, aud several others TO get
wounded.
Here ] will relate an incident that would
make quite a history. Lieut.-COl. e. h. Prem
tiss who was made q Colonel in the Regular
Army for bravery, before his death, had
brother William, who was a Lieutenant IN the
Confederate army, and who had been fighting
against him la several battles. They would
hear OF each other through the prisoners taken,
and on this morning they were both hit about
The same time / DO not think there was two
minutes difference in the time; in fact, saw
them both wounded within 20 yards Of each
other. They both died after the close OF the
war from the wounds received there. Col.
Q. X. Prentiss was, think, as good aud brave
a soldier as any in the army he was brave
almost to rashness.
After we got the rebel line broken, captured,
or otherwise disposed Of, we went straight
ahead, seeking whom We might deyOur, towards
the South Side Railroad. There was nothing
in our front, so we went pretty lively for some
road. There were about 500 men, i suppose
who reached the railroad two Of US being
mounted, Major Mcclellan brother Of Gen.
George b. Mcclellan aud myself On arriving
Mt the railroad, We began to look around, and
found that we were nearly out OF sight OF tie
main line which had faced 10 the left. Maj.
I Mcclellan, being the ranking officer said: "
will 20 back aud report, while you remain
here with the mon, aud will wave my hat 70
/ you IL we are 10 20 back"
After waiting for some time and receiving
no signal, ] thought that ], being next in com
maud, should 90 and report The ground
being billy ] took several men with me- and
made a line Of signal on the top OF each knoll;
then ] reported TO Gen. Seymour, who was in
command o. our division, the Third. His
frst words to me were: Captain, where the
devil have Won beenP" ] said: "Out on the
gouth-Sids Railroad How many men have
Won OFT thorgg" "About 50a"
was then ordered to bring them In at once,
a. the General informed me he had been re-
pulsed and was afraid they would be driven
hack. ] had the impudencc TO say TO him /;
General, think ] can carry that fort" "a
forget the name Of the FORT But he said No"
, 81 his mild way, as he always did when under
FIRE.
brought out my men. formed on his line,
and Etaid there for some time, when ] saw 4
flag through the trees just where wanted 10
charge. again went to the General, and said !:
DO you see that Massachusetts flag going
around there They viii capture the fort and
I have tie laugh on US"
After looking at il for a while he Eaid Cap
tsin, IL you think you can carry that fort, go
1 ahead
We went forward at once. Having 10 cross
! d low piece Of ground where there were some
low shauties, and just as we got behind them,
the enemy IN the fort gave rs 3 yoley, which
! had but little effect rs they shot over our
I heads. They then waved their hats In token
I % surrender We kent on going for them,
however, aud the Major In command Of the
fort handed me his sword. which still have
Just then ] lost my head. Having ridden OF
Oh ton OF the fort some Of their sold iers Jumped
= down Oh our side Of the works 10 run away,
! and through my excitement got Of my horse
= and took one Of their guns and fired aftcl
i them. My horse became ashamed Of me and
~ ran down into the fort and, strange 10 say, th,
rebel soldiers caught him aud held him until
, got on him again. The rebels remarked at IN,
d time that they knew IL WAS me, from seeinJ
: NE riding the white horse while on the picket
n line"
I We kept on down the works and capturet
" three more forts or FedCubts, with Is cannon
. although there was no more shooting after Ia
frat fort surrendered. Just over the next hill
p from where We were the valley was full Of th
I. enemy, ready 10 surrender which they di,
\, without firing gun. ] think there were coo
= o. = 600 mcu surrendered.
Z" While we were on the South Side Railroa
a two member, Of the l3sth Pa. las good a regi
p ment as was ever mustcrcd) were either com
" inR 30 us or going back, when they met Tia
> rebel Gen. Hli and his Orderly, who ordere
them 10 surrender; but Col. III. H. Mcclellan
= had not drilled his soldiers 10 surrender {
Ie their own number, 30 the two boys opened hT
=, on them, killing the General, the Orderl
VI escaping.
, What I have written has been from memoir
~ and ] hope il may induce Others 20 write whi
~ they may know about this action. IL Ma
iS Andrew j. Smith, our Assistant Adjutant. Ger
~ era, Is slill living. he could give quite a hi
tory Of that days fight, especially If he ca
az write as well as he could spout Shaksper
I" Next. s. NoKyEIL, Captain and Brew
on Major 9Th Nd. Thirticth street and Columb
ny avenue Philadelphia, Pa.
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Al