Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-20

ment left camp, ana, Win thS ~
| mand. took the train for kinston, N y.
and went into camp near hlhstoh. vi
| November LIST II was ordered 10 Iianoeel
Courthouse, Va, but returned W ~
near Kinston on the uth. The
rematned In camp until January 80, lSi'
uyben n was ordered on the New Berne
camnaign. the brigade marching on the
timer Trent road in the direction Oh
M Rerne. On the list Of February the
command formed line OF battle eAPe0.,hs
10 meet the enemy, and renamed ~ ~
~ hattie until the night Oh lhe
30 tho "a when the command was order-
hack TO camp, arriving on the 4tE' i
ruarv 1ith the command was ordered odch
IN Virginia. and took tho tram IoI
Richmond, and went into camp ABOUT I'M
miles from the city, on the Nlne nS
,ood Nav the Sd, having disposed Oh
all the surplus baggage, the .ho
marched. hating in the evening on tne
Prook turppike, and waited for the enemy
mill the 7th. when it was sent py
steamer 10 near Drewry's Blu to meet
the enemy approaching from that olreC-
tion unde the command or teoeIdi-
General Butler. 1t remained IN the
bre, stw orks until about $50 L. M May
10th. when advance was mace on INC
enemy. then on the Petersburg ana t'lch-
mond turnpike, driving him ABOUT ome
mile. Colonel Cabell was mortally
wounded early in action, leaving the resi-
ment in command of Major Griggs. Inc
loss of the Colonel was a severe one TO
the regiment; he was loved by all, ana
was as brave as the braYest. The regl-
ment was marched and counter-marcheu
around the line of defence until the night
Of the 18th, when it was ordered with the
command TO meet the enemy, VINO hau
taken possession of the outer line or
works neaC Drewry's Bluffs. Generai
Beauregard had arrived from near Peters
burg. and took immediate command Oh
the troops on that part OF the line, ana
early in the morning Of the 10th of May
the battle Of Drewry's Bluff was fought
and the enemy defeated. The casual
ties in the regiment were very heavy.
Major Griggs was shot through ms leIt
thigh near the enemy's line, and just be-
fore it's capture, and carried TO the rear.
On account of the early morning and FOG
II was difficult to distinguish OBJECTS
even at a very short distance. The reSl-
ment formed a part Of the a mat
drew from the Commanding General
r. r. Lee, the remarkable order that the
men could not be stopped from their pur-
suit Of the enemy.
IN THE TRENCHES.
The remainder Of the year the regiment
performed duty along the trenches south
of James river and Drewry's Bluff, being
recruited and reorganized, Major G. X.
Griggs was promoted first TO lieutenant
colonel and then to colonel of the regl-
ment: Captain George A. Martin TO lieu
tenant-colonel and Adjutant \. G.. Smith
to major. General George II. Stuart, of
Maryland, was assigned TO the command,
the brigade composed of the Fourteenth,
Ninth, Thirty-eighth, Fitty-thiro, ana
Fifty-seventh Virginia regiments.
on the night of March 4, 1865, the COM
mand was ordered from the trenches near
Chester Station, and took train Tor Farm
Vile TO meet the Federal force reported
i'm that vicinity under General Sheridan.
Not finding the enemy, it returned TO
Richmond on the 18th, and followed Shefi-
dan until he left for Petersburg. March
Goth the brigade was ordered 10 Battery
No. 45, south of Petersburg, and proceed
ed 10 throw up Notifications. On the Goth
il was ordered again to meet Sheridan,
who was advancing with his force from
Dinwiddie Courthouse. The command
biyouacked at Five Forks at night. In the
days march the regiment acted as rear
guard, and was most of the time engaged
in skirmishing with the enemy. At about
8 o'clock the next morning the command
moved. and engaged the enemy at about
. p. NJ. and drove him until dark. The
enemy received large reinforcements du-
ring the night, and the command COM
menced to fall back at 4:3O A. NJ. April
1st. Hating at Five Forks, It proceeded
to throw up temporary rifle pits along the
road. The enemy attacked in the eve
ming with about 5000 infantry and all of
S~heridan's cavalry. To oppose them was
the division under the immediate COM
mand Of General George Z. Pickett, con-
sisting Of six small brigades of infantry
and a small detachment Of cavalry un-
der the command of General Fitzhugh
Lee. The regiment was detached from
the brigade in the beginning of the ac-
ton and sent TO the left Of the line, which
was unprotected. 1t was Immediately de-
ployed I'm a thin skirmish line, and
fought as long as ii had ammunition, and
until surrounded, when a few Of the men
cut their way out and escaped capture.
On the I'd Of April the command attempt-
ed to cross the Appomattox river at EX-
ira Mills, but not being able to DO so,
turned up the river TO cross at Deep
Creek bridge. II failed to cross, and halt
ed for the night. The march continued
and il crossed at about IL o'clock or the
Sd, and continued the march in the direc-
tIon of Amelia Courthouse. On the 9Th,
when within about seven miles Of the
Courthouse. it formed line Of battle and
repulsed the enemy. The march was con-
tinued. and at about u NJ. 1t was attack
ed again near Sailors Creek. The regi-
ment fought until it was overwhelmed by
numbers when retreat was made in the
direction of Farmville. The regiment
made the last stand against the enemy on
this part of the line, before :he retreat
was ordered, which ended in the surren-
der of the Army at Appomattox on April
9Th.
NUN m