The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-17
she kindly gives us for publication: Who Fought in the Battle of the
 Craterp


 Cratere M Confederate Veteran.
 Comrade Joseph Draper writes from Oxford, Ala:
 The Veteran for August. 1899 Itpages ssa md 360, contains sketch of the war history of General Weisiger copied from commanding Virginia troops, the credit If capturing the crater, July 30. 1884 It happened with me that l reached my home at the above place disabled by 9 wound that I received at the Wilderness on May 6. about eight hours before the nine was sprung. hence I was not there; nut from my company and regiment com rades. and other witnesses, among them Toe D. Smith. Ordnance Sergeant of the that General Raus Wrights Brigade of Georgia troops made two charges, cap turing in the second charge 8 portion of the works to the left. and the Virginia troops captured part on the right, leav- Ing a portion of the works and crater still in possession of the enemy. Will cox's Alabama Brigade, componed of the sth. 9th, 10th. 11th and 14th regiments city to make a charge on the crater at D. m. The brigade formed line in de- pression about 150 or 200 yards from the enemy. to await the hour: The heat was cumbed. and the charge was made just after twelve and the crater captured, witnessed by General R. E. Lee. the greatest man that has ever lived, also by Generals Malone, Bushrod Johnson, and a London correspondent Sen. Col. J. c. c. Sanders. of the 1fth regiment after wards killed at'Reams Station. command ed the brigade, and Sen. Capt. Louis W, Johnson now of Tuscaloosa, Ala, com. its position, probably bore the brunt of the charge. The crater was held. and under truce the next day 2n dead twhite and negro) soldiers of the Federal army were taken out of the hole. which was only 75 or 100 yards long. Sixteen South Carolina troops. whose comrades were blown up formed behind ths 10th Ala hama regiment and went in, the charge. The men were instructed to keep as quiet as possible. not to yell, and at the com mand, Attention" were toSfise up. rush to the crater and not to fite until they reached its edge, then fire and go on them were carried out vehemently. and the era ter was quickly made the bloodiest scene Of ali the. battles of the secession war.
 Tuscaloosa, Ala, Oct. A, 1901.
 Dear Madam-Your letter of the 4th inst, relative to the Crater Battle, wa received. but my absence from home caused delay in answering.
 kept something of a diary of the most important engagements that came under my observation and knowledge during the war, but my trunk and con tents were burned with the wagon train lew days before the surrender at Ap- pomattox. So all I can speak of now Is from memory, but I have clear and distinct recollection of the commander and and troops who recaptured the blown-ur the 30th day of July, 1864.
 The battle, or fighting to retake the battle line, including the crater, which General Butler had taken when the fort blown nrr1VT1 nA rlx ts~ h. morning. The Alabama brigade to which belonged was stationed some three quarters of mile to the right of this
 My brigade was not engaged in this nght until noon. or afternoon. The fighting ceased about noon, and every thing around Petersburg was unusually quiet quiet l concluded that that the works had lovely; but very soon an order came for the Wilcox Alabama Brigade to quietly move back of their works and march in front Of the ssaer The Some part of the battle line had been reeaptured by the troops fighting in th' morning, but the main works were stil in the hands of the enemy. Virginis ditches in the forenoon. I can't say whether they did or not.
 When we arrived at the place intended for us to begin the attack, General Le and General Bushrod Johnson were pres ent, and General Lee addressed tht brigade in very short, but pointed speech. r.s
 He said that calling upon the Aiabama Brigade to accomplish what othors had failed to do was a great honor, and would always be so regarded; that all though 1t might be difficult deed, thu taking of those works before night was an absolute necessity; otherwise he would be compelled to abandon Petersburg and Richmond. In conclusion he said: 'J entrust this important undertaking l. the courage and discretion of the officers and men of this Alabama Brigade that has never failed in any emergency"
 There was no mention of any troops to help us. The task of recapturing the crater was turned over to the Alabama | Brigade separate and alone. and they alone did capture the works in grand style, with comparatively little loss of life on our side. Our gallant charge with the rebel yelr' frightened them into a partial surrender. This Alabama Brigade that took the crater was composed of the Sth, 9th, 10th, 11th and 14th Alabama regiments, and was commanded on that by Col. John Sanders of the 11th. I was captain of Company E, and was temporarily in command of the 10th Regiment, there being no field officer. present with my regiment. l was after wards promoted and commanded the reg iment at the surrender Colonel Sander, was killed soon after this, and W. H Forney commanded the brigade at the close of the war.
 YouIs very truly.
 l.. w. Johnson.