The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-05-06
TWENTY.TnlRD S. c. v.
Capture and Evacuation Of Fort Stead.
man-Heroic Deeds of q Starving Ar
my-1he BraYest and Best Men The
Sun Ever Sh0ne on.
BY A spRoTT GUARD.

On receiving the order TO March 70 fetefs-
burg we were not long in gathering what
little of this worlds goods we possessed
and were soon on our way to join the rest OF
the division not far of. By the time the
whole division had got together it must
haye been eight or nine o'clock. On get
ting together it was not long before the di-
vision was in motion for Petersburg. The
night was cloudy, cold. and dark, and the
roads very vet and muddy. With all this
the troops were trying to make it to Peters
burg. Some slipping down in the road
and others slipping in the bitches on each
side of the road. So dark was the night
and so wet and slippery the road it retard-
ed our march great deal, for it took US un.
til 2 o'clock to reach the in6rmary about q
mile from Petersburg on the same road We
were travelling. On reaching the infrmary
we halted and remained there the rest Of
the night It was now the plan of Gen
Lee, so we found out afterwards, to break
through the Federal lines, and ge~ his half:
starved troops out of the intrenchments
and away from Petersburg.
After reaching Petersburg there were some
of thu Confederates detailed to surprise and
capture the Federal works near what was
known as the Iron Bridge on the Petersburg
and Norfolk railroad. On this part Of the
Federal lines was Fort Steadman. The
plan was successful The fort and a part
of the Federal line were captured. About
day break the division reached the intrench.
ments of the Confederates opposite Fort
Steadman.
A DESPERATE AND HEROIC ATTACK.
On reaching the intrenchments we saw
some of the troops leaving the fort and
making it back to the lines where we were.
Gen. Johnston on seeing this jumped upon
our works and said to Gen. Wallace: "Gen.
Wallace, don't you see those men leaving
that fort; have your brigade to take it, and
hold it." At this order, Gen. Wallace gave
the order to the brigade to forward. Col.
Benbow mounted the works and shouted,
Forward 23rd," and in few moments the
23rd were out of their works, and at a right
shoulder shiftarms were on the double quick
for the fort. The brigade advanced under
scattering fire of the Federals. A short
distance in front of the fort and works of
the Federals we encountered line Chew
aux de frise strongly linked together, and
after getting through, and passing this line
Cheyaux de frise, ditch about twenty feet
wide and four or five feet deep was crossed.
On reaching the fort the 23rd or part of
the 23rd poured over the works and into
the fort. The rest of the 23ra Lad to
stop on the outside of the fort. The
fort did not cover much ground,
so for all to have crowded into the
fort it would only have increased our casu-
alties. As soon rs the fort was reached the
Confederates on the right and left of the
fort pushed forward and captured the Fed
eral line or the part extending right and
left of Fort Steadman. The Confederates
A BRILLIANT But BRIEF CONQUEST.
were now in possession of three quarters of
mile of the Federal lines. On reaching
and possessing this much of the Federal
lines the Confederates found they could
proceed no further for they now found
themselves confronted by impregnable
earth works, works that Grant had been
nearly year in constructing. Just as the
23rd reached the fort the Federals opened
with a rapid fire upon the fort from their
batteries, increasing the fire it seemed ev-
cry minute. The Federals poured a right
and left cross fire on the fort, also taking
the fort with a heavy front fire for the fort
being in possession of the confederates now
turned the rear Of the fort into it's front
TIE 23rd now found itself under three
heavy fires. The Federals were pouring
their fire into the whole length Of their line
that the ConfederateS were now in posses
sion OF, but their heaviest fire was directed
against and on Fort Steadman. At the fort
were a great many large oak trees as
we'll as I remember, the fort being among
these trees. The place had the appearance
from the trees and their size to have been a
settlement at some time. The Federals did
not for one minute cease their fire on the
fort. The missiles were coming it seemed
from every direction. The Federals were
pouring Ito, on, and across the fort storm
of mortar, shrapnel, rifle, shell, and grape
shot the whole time, and for four hours and
half the Confederates stood their
ground and held the works nobly, sustain
ing casualties nearly all the time, and I will
! venture to say were under as heavy fire as
any troops ever were. In this fort were sew.
en- guns and the Confederates turned some
one or two of them upon the Federal works
| and kept up constant fire upon theil
works. I Will never forget seeing Gen
Wallace with his coat off and helping tc
man one of these guns, the whole time like
true and brave Confederate soldier, which
| he was.
oUTNUMBsRED AND FORCED TO RETREAT.
| At the end of the four hours and d
half we discovered that the Federals
were massing heavy body Of their troops
and numbering I will venture to say FIVE t1
one, to charge and recapture what they had
lost. Seeing this the order was given te
| the Confederates to get out of the Federal
works, and back to the Confederate lines
the best they could, for it was now every
man to take care Of himself the best he
could. On the Confederates leaving the
fort and the Federal works, the Federals
commenced using grape shot it appeared
altogether. The Confederate and Fedora,
works at this place suppose was about
two hundred yards apart and perfectly
open At the order to get out of the for
and back to our lines, the 23rd got out an6
the most of them made 1t for the Confeder
ate works the best they could, under 6
heavy fire from the Yanks. The Federals
were sweeping the whole creation it seemed
with grape shot. The Confederates attel
receiving the order to leave the fort sue
ceeded in regaining the works, though
many never reached them, having been
killed between the two lines. The loss o.
the 23rd I do not remember. Co. hao
one killed, one wounded who died shor
time afterwards, and six or seven Others
slightly wounded. remember two others
belonging to Companies A and K of the
23rd being killed at the fort. How many
of the 23rd were killed in the fort We never
knew, but there must have been several
The 23rd lost few who were taken pris
oners; the 18th and 18th regiments good
many at the same time, the order to retreat