The National tribune., 1902-06-26

Gen. kautZ and Gregg taNalfE CO.
operated in the movement against the
Weldon Railroad.
I.ieut.-Gen. u. S. Grant commanding
the Armies of the United States, was
present with the Army of the Potomac.
The Weldon Railroad ran from Peters
burg. Va. TO Weldon, y. c.. distance
of about 30 miles. The possession OF tins
road was of great importance 10 ten.
Lees Army of Northern Virginia, as by
it he was enabled to obtain supplies from
the South.
The movement by Gen. Grant to cap
ture this road dates from Aug. Is, 1861.
as shown by the following order:
(Rebcllion Record, p. 1922
Headquarters Army of the Potomac,
Aug. -, 1864; 12:45 y. M,
Mai.-Gen. Warren. Commanding Corps:
The Major General Commanding directs
that you Ire prepared to move nj short
notice and see that the required amount
of supplies are on hand-siX days ratOns
in train and four days with the men, am
munition and grain-accordlng TO recent
orders.
The working parties employed on the
intrcnchmeI Is will not be relieved from
them. and precautions will be taken IN
obtaining the necessary supplies. ii they
should net be on hand. to conceal the fact
that ii has reference To any contingency
looking 10 q movement: that Is, the Com
manding General desires you to be pre-
pared 10 move 1T short notice. yet whittier
that il shall not be expected by any part
of your command that any movement is
contemplated or probable.
\. 4. HUMPHREYS.
Major General and Chief of Staff.
On the afternoon of Aug II. 1864, Gen.
Warren. commanding Fifth Corps. Army
of the Potomac, composed Of the First
Division Gen. Griffin: Second Division,
Gen. Ayres; Third Division. Gen. Craw-
ford. and the Fourth Division. Gen. Cut
ter, was instructed TO move the next
morning at o'clock. and make a lodg-
ment on the Weldon Railroad near the
GHrley House.
The Corps, with a brigade of cavalry
under Col. Spear. left the vicinity of Fort
Hell, in front Of Petersburg. Va: moving
as directed, proceeded by the left flank,
going down the Jerusalem Plank Road
about six miles, turning then TO the right,
passing the Gurley House by dirt road,
toward the Globe Tavern otherwise the
yellow House,, a station On the Peters
burg and Weldon Railroad, about six miles
from Petersburg, three miles TO the west
of the left of the Army of the Potomac.
CAPTURE DE- THE WELDON RAILROAD.
About o'clock Griffin's Division. which
was in the advance, reached the railroad
1.-THE Confederate cavalry videts getting
away, and Immediately commenced TO
tear up the track south.
Ayres's Division cane next. The Mary
land Brigade. of this Division, under Col.
Dushane,. was in the advance. and COM
prised the LIST Md, Lieut--Col Wilson; the
4th Md, Col l.. y. Bcwerman; the It'll
Md, Maj. Mohley; the 9Th Nd, Lieut.
Col. Johannes, and the Purnen Legion,
Col Graham.
Upon approaching the railroad / was
directed by Col. Dushane to take two regi-
ments and go on the skirInish line. The
4th Md, Lieut.-Col. Barrett. was de-
ployed. and the Sth Md, Lieut.-Col. johann
mes in support. faced in the direction of
Petersburg, the right resting on the rail
road: Hayes Brigade, Ayres's Division,
to the right CT the railroad. left resting on
same: Crawford's Division on Ayres's
right; Cutters Division in rear in support.
The corps, in line of battle, moved up
the railroad about one mile, when at
O'Clock the Confederates, under Gen.
Heth, attacked Ayres's Division and
LyN's Brigade of Crawford's Division,
and partly .urned Ayress left, but was
soon repulsed and the line re-estabiished
A very severe action ensued, lasting three
hours, the Confederates falling back.
The part taken by the Maryland Bri.
gade this day was the 4th and 9Th regi
ments on the skirmish line; the list, Stt
and the Purnell Legion, in line, formed the
extreme left of the line of battle; the Isl
Md, on the left had its left refused at ar
angle OF about 10 degrees.
l As the Confederates advanced il seemed
to Col. Dushanc that the troops on his
> right were falling back. and being sorely
pressed, he gave the order TO retire. AT,
ter falling back about go yards, the mer
halted and regular stand-up fight ensued
the Confederates III the woods, our mel
in the open plain suffering severely. Am
munition giving out, Capt. Bankard, AS
siStant AdjutaHt=General, was sent to Gen
Ayres for assistance. Gen. Ayres replied
Tell Col. Dushane the brigade has dom
nobly and / will send help" IL soon cam'
by the 18th y. Y. II. a. The line ther
advanced, the Confederates falling back
The loss of the brigade was two officer
and - men killed. 10 officers and III mel
wounded and one officer and IS men miss
ing. Every member of the LIST Nd. color
guard, seven in number, received sever
wounds. Lieut. William Taylor took tn
flag and carried it until relieved by
newly appointed guard. The men VIII
fell around the colors were Serg'ts JOIN
Esser. Co. Is; James I. Annacost, Co. L
Corpls Thomas JOice, Co Il: Charles +
Miller, Co. c; Samuel G.. Keller, Co. L
Henry Fehrman, Co. /. and james Smith
Co. X.
Many had narrow escapes. Col. Du
shane received one shot through his cloth
ing; Lieut.-Col. Wilson's clothes wer
perforated by four shots and his bors
killed: Col. Graham lost horse-kiled
Maj. Moberley, of the 9TH, wounded badly
Capt. Bankard. Assistant Adjutant Ger
eral. and Capt Gibson, Assistant AdjU
tant- General, were both slightly wounded
The loss of the corps was al killed an
wounded and 392 missing: total, 936. Tn
Confederate loss WAS greater
Gen. kautz $ cavalry reported to GeI
Warren this day.
THE BATTLE OF AUG. 10.
The morning of Aug. 10, Bragg
Iron Brigade, Of Crawford's Division, wa
sent to establish in connection with til
cavalry a skirmish line 10 connect wit
the pirkets Of the Ninth Corps, which ha
been pushed forward from the left Of II
army towards the Fifth Corps; WilcO.
White and Potters Divisions Of th
Ninth Corps were sent 10 Gen. Warner
The troops constructed breastworks O
the line gained the day before.
The Confederates brought up for'
under Gen. a. i. Hill, comprising Hei
and Mahone's Divisions Of infantry, Gel
Lees cavalry, and Pegram's batteries
artillery.
All 4 o'clock in the afternoon Mahol
broke through Bragg's skirmishers al
swept rapidly down Warren's right fan
capturing all of Crawford's skirmishe
and part of his line of battle The r