The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-22

Che 10Th, we reached Petersburg, Va,
and was sent down ou the James river
60 intercept BUtcI then advancing
ou Richmond from the south side Of
ihe James. Eausom's Brigade was now
assigned ro Bushrod Johnson's divis-
iou. under command of General Beau
regard Eausoms Brigade was now
sent t0 Drewrys Bluff, and ON the t4th.
was sent down the railroad 90 occupy
lime OF breast-works on the extreme
sight of 0nr lines. The gath Regiment
rested its right a the end of the works,
on march sand To be impossible by
troops.
Ghe-eueny was closing I'm upon us
I'm front and file Soon after reaching
this position the enemy broke through
this swamp and attacked our line i'm
rear. breaking our line temporarily
and severely Nouuding General Ram
som. Az this moment, the gallant
Captain Durham was killed at the head
Of the 2fth Regiment, which was now
being pressed from all sides and the
only alternative was to cut through
the enemy's lines from the rear, which
was done in admirable style The cath
was ordered to cover the retreat up
the railroad. the enemy she'll
ing with all their artillery which made
this position anything but comfort
able. At night, the gath, was ordered
to rest on their arms and Company u,
was sent forward ON a skirmish. During
the night we could hear the cries Of q
wounded Reb in front of our lines, the
words of whom we could not under
stand at the time, or that it had spe-
cial siguiacatiou or meaning until hos
tiIities ceased for the time and
the wounded man brought safely into
our lines. 1t was said by men that
knew that this man was a Free Mason,
and was thus safely rescued. Firing
was kept up during the night and i'm
the early morning of the 18th assumed
tho proportions of "a regular battle.
Fighting was kept up during the day,
and in the afternoon the whole line
became engaged, Ransom's Brigade
occupying much the same position of
tie night before. The gath Regiment
suffered terribly during the day. Com
ranv + lost nine men wounded and one
killed dead by the exploding of
shell. 1t was here that Col Clarke,
commanding the Brigade, was severely
wounded, and never again returned TO
fighting, and ass the morning of the
10th day of May, 1864, was ushered in,
we were again on the move, the 2tth
Regiment occupying the left of the line
from that of the previous day. Nhout
O'Clock Eansom's Brigade, i'm come
maud Of Col. Ehtledge. OF the 25th
Regiment. was ordered to rc-take a
rnrtiou OF our wo ks that had been
captured the day before. Lieut., Col,
Harris led the 2tth to The charge The
route over which we had 10 pass was
about 5o0 yu DIS.
The timber had been cut and relied
in the direction from which we had to
make the advance. st the word for
v9rd, we made our way as best we
could, losing our men at every step.
Reaching the works occupied by the
enemy. the conflict became fearful,
the heastwork only ci%iding the two
lines. At this moment the 2fth Regi-
mpnt had one hundred or more OF her
ah eady thin ranks Stricken down, and
for the first time ia her history had to
faIl back i'm disorder On reaching the
uoiut from which we first started. Col.
Harris reformed the regiment for a
second charge. Capt Lane ConUny
that he had but two men left The
writer was one of the two Addressing
Gen ReauTcgard. vhg aJ iu
Gears told him thath Ha8 l4a SCI 3f bias
men but two. poir e. myself aua
Crcech Boaureg sand 20 He
captain, you b.E. au Ugh laa
those two men and uard
and recruit vou# Conn #ur when
Harris ORDERED ta. nd cha LANE
ordered az ,c trl BE- and We q II so.
But on reaching the works the Yankees
had he'd, leaving their dead and
wounded behind.
This was heart-reuaing scene. IAe
dead and wounded were lying in every
conceivable condition, and cries for
help went mp all around 1t is enough
that we should say, that none could
look on and not weep, unless ne pos
sessed a heart as unsusceptible as
stone, or that he were soldier Butler
retreated to Bermuda Hundred.
Rnauregard followed. About the first
of Juno. we had heavy skirmish fight
at Bermuda Hundred, and the fighting
was kept up from day to day for sew
cral DAYS. On one occasion Company
= was sent TO reinforce Company II on
the sIlirmjsh line. soon the whole
regiment was sent and drove the en-
envy back Reaching q road, Cob
Harris gave the order TO lie down, and
iust here happened little incident
that we will mention for the fun OF
tine thing. When the order came to
lie down the writer crossed over the
road and took a position behind
a forEed oak, and began firing at the
Yankee colors about one hundred
yards off Soon we were joined by
Tom Toler. who also began to fire soon
after. Looking around we saw that
the Regiment was going. Calling to
Tom to let's go. he said, No, we are
going up"
We shook hands and ported AMI on
reaching the Regiment, ! t'ld the boys
Tom was gone up; that he was q pris-
oneE, but in a few moments up came
Tom, out of breath, putting and. blow
ing, and said the next time he offered
himself to the YankS, they would be
sure to have him. The boys gave
loud yen at Toms expense.
June theSth. below Richmond, near
bottoms Brigade, doing picket duty on
% creek. This was as bad picket duty
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