The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-09-07


write record of that fight that was
written few days after it occurred,
which gives the date as Feb. @ and Z,
1865. l belonged to the 155th Pa,
Third Brigade, Bartlett's (FirsD Di-
vision, Fifth Corps.
MY record reads: "Feb. 4, 1866
This evening we received orders to be
ready to march at 6 o'clock next morn
ing, and were also notified that those
on picket would remain, as also the
camp guards.
"At daylight Sabbath morning, Feb.
8, the corps was in line. Appearances
indicating that we might return here,
we took nothing but our blankets. We
marched to the Yellow House, three
miles away, then south down the We'll
don railroad about four miles; then
southwest to Rowanty Creek, two
miles. The rebels had riile.pits on the
opposite bank and had slashed the
creek full Of timber, making il diff
cult to cross, but we got over some'
how, routing and capturing most of
them.
After this we marched possibly six
miles until we struck the Waugh road.
Here Gen. Warren had narrow es-
cape from being killed or captured.
He was so close to a squad of about 80
rebels that he asked where they be-
longed. (They were mostly dressed in
our uniform.) They replied with a
vollcy, one bullet going through the
Generals coat. They captured Il few
of our men, when squad from my
regiment was sent after them, who
killed two and captured others. 1t
had been freezing all day. About sun
down we went into camp on a large
plantation, the owner of which told
me that we were the first Yankees
that had campcd on his place. He was
perfect type Of the old Virginia gent
leman; "aio' dc wah, sah," stove-pipe
| hat, blue swallow tailed coat, brass
buttons, etc. A big Irishman in the
regiment wanted to trade coats with
him, which he took as deadly insult;
and Pat innocently added to his wrath
by asking him if little darky boy
that was running around there was his
son. AS the man was very dark
skinned, Pats question drove him
crazy mad.
"About IL o'clock that night we
were walked up, and started back on
the Waugh road in the direction of
Petersburg to Hatcher's Bun, about
! five miles. The Second Corps had
captured the rebel works here during
the day. When we came near Hatch
cr's Run we halted in an old tobacco.
| field, without fire, and did not know
where to get anything to make fire,
and all we could do was to walk about
and shiver until daylight-about two
hours. This day was cold and we
suffered very much on account Of it.
about 3 o'clock p. m. the Second
and Third Division of our corps ad-
vanced and drove the rebels some dis
tance before we went IN.
sour regiment was on the left of the
line and our company on the left of the
regiment, and instead of a liue of bat
tie the regiment deployed like skir-
mish-line. We drove them mile or
more through the wooks, over fallen
timber and tree tops, until we came to
where there had once been a saw-mill
and large pile of sawdust. Some of
our boys were on the sawdust when
they made q charge on our line. The
regiment on our right had fallen back,
! which let the reDs IN on our flank. The
bullets were coming from front and
| flank and il was getting both hot and
close. The rear was the only open
| place, and we went back in hurry,
| jumping over logs and brush, and all
| the while the rebs seemed to be un-
necessarily close. We soon overlook
part of our division, when we rallied
and gave them a few volleys, which
eau 'ed them to stop crowding us.
When we had gotten nearly back
10 where we started we found the
Second Brigade of our division in line
! with fixed bayonets to prevent our
| going further. This brigade was
composed of the 1S7th, lSsth and 1seth
OF N. Y, one-year regiments, and
were the same that fred into our men
Oct. 81, 1864, at Hatcher's Run. Here
in front of them were the men and
officers of two divisions and one bri-
gade of our division trying to form a
line of battle. While forming the
rebels bullets were coming thick,
which excited our Second Brigade so
that they began firing right among
the mass Of men in front of them,
Men and officers fell all about, per.
haps more than fell from the rebel fire
After they had fired, many of them
threw away their guns, and the whole
brigade started as fast as they could
20 for the rear and got behind the
works, where some of those who still
had their guns continued to fire at our
men as they came back. Then they
made another break for the bridge
and the other side of the creek.
"When We got back to the works W,
stopped the rebels and began to form
companies, regiments and brigades
The commanderpfour company began
jYtft