Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-29

recognize this point after he had reached
it. Very unlike the common idea, that
Broad is the road &c.
The rebel works in our front are as
more regular and uniform in their APP
pearance. This is owing to the fact that
4 great portion of their line was buiIt be
fore our troops occupied this position.
when they could operate more deliberate
ly, while ours was thrown up under A
constant shower of mines. shot ANA shell.
across the rebel lines and see the church
spires of Petersburg. gided by the bright
sun light. and hear the music of me
church going bells, which is almost the
only reminder we have of the CIVILIZATION
we have left behind us
The rebel Roger A. Pryor. was captured
in front of our old position at Fort WEIGH.
by captain of the 9th corps and was
brought into the fort. He wore a souched
hat. Il neat fitting suit of Confederate
gray and top boots. He seemed A little
crest fallen at his capture though seem
ngly confident of a speedy release.
Today a portion of the veteran sixth
corps late from the valley. is relieving
the 9Th on our left. Tnis seems to ind-
erations. il the weather continues favor
able.
The Thanksgiving dinner provided by
our northern friends did not reach us in
season for that festive day. But boun
tiful supply of the American bird was re-
ceived on the day following.
We received
Turkeys hot and turkeys cold
Ditto young and ditto old.
Ditto tender and ditto tough.
And thank the Lord. we had enough,
and more to, for all which the donors
have our sincere thanks.
Our company is now enjoying good
health, and so far as | am able to judge.
though | confess my means of Judging
correctly. are none of the best. think the
health of the army never was better.
The only observation that will make
III passing is that the eth Maine Battery
giving dinner In excess of the list Maine
Heavy Artillery in about the ratio of il
to /.
Now to return to my narrative.
1t was near the last of September 1864.
when the tenth corps on our right was
relieved by the first ana second divisions
Of the second corps thus leaving the
whole line from The Appomattox to the
jerusalem Plank road guarded only by the
second corps. while the tenth was sent
north of the James river to cooperate
with the 18th corps in the movement
against the Notifications in front Of
Chapin's Bluff. AS soon as this move
ment was we'll inaugurated and Lees at
tention called to the defence of Richmond.
& movement WAS made on our left by
Two divisions each of the fifth and ninth
corps. On September 20, near Poplar
Grove church. the divisions of the fifth
corps made a successful assault OF the
enemy's works. carrying two redouhtS
and some lines of rifle pits. but the di-
visions of the ninth, while working still
further TO the left were attAcked ana
driven in on the fifth corps lines which
however. We're held At this juncture
part OF Gibbons division relieved our
third division and we were FASTENED 10
the scene- being transported by cars over
Grants military railroad. We reached
Warren's headquarters near evening and
eamped for the Night in pouring rain
but made ourselves as comfortable
Possible under our shelter tents. The
next morning. october ,. lines were
formed by three divisions with orders to
carry the line of works that the two di-
visions had failed to do two days before
The lines moved forward in good order
only to find the position abandoned
Pushing on through the dense forests we
soon struck the enemv's skirmishes who
disputed every inch of ground until they
reached a second line of works strongly
built and bristlng with cannon ana mus
kerry and extending beyond our left so
that il was impossible with our force at
hand to turn their flank but rather we
were in danger of being fianked ourselves
To guard against this movement on the
part of the enemy four regiments of our
brigade were refused on the extreme left
Here the lines Rugged the ground in or
der to avoid the shots from the enefnys
guns as much possible while our sec
0nd brigade made a reconnaissance to de-
veop the strength of the enemy This
Dtlf1S ACCOMPLISHED IL WIS not utt!utt tA-
pedient to push matters further and at
about four o'clock in the afternoon the
troops were carefully withdrawn from the
position and the next few days were
spent in strengthening the new line Of
works established by the fifth corps on
September 80. October ). we marched
back, our third division to its old position
in the Petersburg lines to the right of the
Jerusalem Plank road. In this movement
the First Maine had no special duty to
perform but conformed to the general
&c Of fhA inc hut n
it was a positive benefit to the regiment
After the terrible losses at Spottsylvania
and Petersburg and intervening battles
during the early part of the campaign in
wounded inside of thirty days. besides
our heavy loss in killed. wounded and
prisoners during the siege. and the scores
who had fallen out on account of sick
ness had been sent to northern hospitals
SO that IT, the regiment was reduced to
a and mich disci1ssed 1 question whether
this regiment with ranks so depleted I'M
der circumstances so discouraging and
with nearly all our ora officers Ulcers either dead
be like its former self. not in numbers to
be sure, but in steadiness under fire,
courage and devotion to duty. which
marked the early part of it's career in the
field But this affair of October 2, dem
onstrated the fact that this remnant of
the First Maine Heavy Artillery still
contained the material of good and true
soldiers who could be depended on in any
and every emergency. When ordered to
advance on the double quick over an open
field in the face of a calling fire there was
10 hesitating but with closed ranks and
firm tread the regiment rushed in with
the expectation of stormng the works.
and the steadiness with which they held
their position in the woods under the
terrible shell fire to which they were
subjected showed they had the staying |
qualities as well. And when they retired |
from that field they were a hundred per
cent better than when they went in for |
the men now had full confidence in them !
selves and in their new officers and the /
officers in their men, and from that time
forward, although we had not a Col /
Chaplin to lead our battalion and but a
single one Of old time captains to
head our companies we knew we should
hold up the honor of our once grand
regiment But to return to the particu-
lar part our regiment played in this af-
fair. In being transported over the rail