The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-22
NJ c. STATE TROOPS
Continued from ard page)

MS we ever did, the two lines being di-
yfded hv the stream and not more than
forty yards apart. All that was nee
/ cseary for the exchange of shots was
to show yourself or shake a bush.
Juno 2lst, left Chafus Bluff and went
to Petersburg, fighting every day, On
reaching the city, we We're FASTENED
forward to reinforce some militia
I that had withstOod the Yankee forces
4 around Petersburg up to this time, and
/ had been driven to our last line of
works. Soon after our arrival the en-
envy charged our Regiment in heavy
column We let them come sufficiently
near. when we moved them down so
fcarfully that hundreds threw down
their guns and surrendered.
At night the firing was kept up on
both sides. just before day the enemy
broke Johnson's TENNESSEE Brigade
and came in our rear before we knew
IT.. The result was that all of the gath
that was asleep was captured, being
over one hundred. 1T was now day and
the remainder Of the gath fell back to
a new position, and were ordered
to build new works and sup
port Aliller's. battery. We work
ed during the day with our
hands and bayonets, and by night
we had a strong work. At night Col.
Faison. In command Of the brigade,
ordered as to move to the left, and soon
after to take back a portion of the
. works that Wise's Virginia Brigade
had been run out Of. The gath Regi-
maut was led by Major Love. This
-s ayFFr- J. sr,,V sra
! essary to club them out with the butts
of our guns. It was soon over, how
ever, and our loss was light, consider
/ inc the situation. We remained here
! in this captured works until just be-
fore day, the enemy's dead and
wounded i'm piles among US, when we
were moved to the right This brought
/ day of the morning of the 23rd, and
we were again ordered to build breats-
work, which was again done during
the day with bayonets as our only tool.
! The enemy massed their columns all
day in a deep ravine in our front.
/ About sunset they advanced several
columns deep. Our lines were doubled
also. On they came to within seventy
! five yards before we gave them the
! first fire; still they came until the third
| round, when they weakened and fell
/ back down the hill, still firing but to
no effect, as the balls passed well over
! us. About nine o'clock at night, we
we're relieved by General Longstreet's
corps, and sent ont near the reservoir
! for rest, the first we had had for seve-
raj days, On leaving the works, we
came in range of the enemy's bullets
and suffered considerable loss. The
siege of Petersburg now began by Gen.
/ Grant, and the line of breast-works
built this day by the Southern army
was the line maintained and held by
| them during the remaining nine
months of the war During this nine
months, there was scarcely a mo-
ment, and certainly not an hour, but
the sound of arms could be heard on
some portion of the lines. Time rolled
on, Ransom's Brigade occupying that
portion of Lees line from the right
bank Of Appomattox river to and be-
yond the iron railroad bridge, east of
the city. Skirmishing was now an
everyday occurrence.
In many places the two lines were
not one hundred yards apart.
On the Goth of July, Grant sprung
the mine. afterwards known as the
Crater, or Blow-up at Petersburg"
The right of the oath Regiment rested
within a few PAGES of the Crater" at
the time of this explosion, and was
among the first troops to engage in
repeling "Burnside's Negro Soldiers"
from this bloody chasm. We remained
here among these dead negroes until
they were buried, or partially so, for
several days, the stencil being unbear-
able under other circumstances. This
portion of the lines was ever after
known as Morter HILL subsequently,
the 24th Regiment, was moved to the
left, and occupied the line from the
iron bridge to the river as before sta
ted. Here it was our daily occupation
to watch the enemy through port holes
made through sand bags and to dodge
morter shells. At night we did picket
duty in the rifle pits between the two
lines, in some places not more than
forty yards from the Yankee pickets.
Often we would meet and exchange to-
bacco and coffee, and have a social
chat with each other
In October the Regiment was re-
cruited by conscripts from Camp
Holmes, which swelled our ranks some
what, and many of these men MADE
good soldiers. Time moved on with
its many changes in men and other
things. The Yankees often making
desperate efforts to break our lines,
but were as often repulsed, and some
times with heavy loss. About the 18th
of March. 1865, Ransom's Brigade was
relieved and sent about seven miles
west of the city Here we remained
for few days in some houses or huts
that had been built by the army.
About the goth of March, at night, we
were ordered to fall in ranks, not know
ing what was going to happen next.
we took up the line of march in the dl-
rection of Petersburg, which place we
reached after midnight. We were or
dered to the place we had left but a
few DAYS before, at the Iron Bridge. 70
now became apparent that something
| had to be done. About one hour to
Idav. the 24th Regiment was ordered
/ to mount the works and move as
quietly as possible on the enemy's
works.
/ Moving on i'm the darkness we soon
came in contact with the enemy's Che
vaudefrse. fastened together with
wire. Through this we soon made an
I ...r,:.,~r ,,.I s,,tay,aG fla works wit h