The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1902-11-20

tir, Ist Lieut.. W. II. Hastings, aud
Lieut. W r. Je8eries, gid Lieut..
When Shoemaker WAS elected Captain
Isl Corporal Martin was appointed Or
de,ly Sergeant and when Lieut.. Levi,
resigned on account Of IN health
Sergeant Martin was elected Ist Lieu
tenant Lieutensnt Martin was a brave
and fearless soldier, aud dearly loved bS
the company; without disparagemeni
to others. I know that he would have
been Captain Of the re organized compa
ny had he consented to accept.
All, wac are familiar with the hislur,
Of the Army Of Northern Yirgiuia
know, that hui for Tie stubborn defence
unparalleled, At Fort Gregg. made by
the I2th and 10th Miss. Regts. on Sun.
day, the and April, 1865, checking the
advance OF the Army Of the Potomac,
flushed apd jubilant over the defeat and
capture Of the whole right wing Of our
army, and now pressing forward upon
Petersburg. General Lee would have
been compelled to surrender In bis
trenches, for Il was a physical impossi.
bilily 10 have withdrawn his army across
the Appomatlox except under cover oi
night. Gen. Lee, in his dispatch of that
day to the Secretary Of War, said: "Il
is absolutely necessary that we should
abandon our position tonight. It will
be difficult operation, but hope not
impracticable." The battle OF Fort
Gregg was the last great battle between
the Two armies, and was decidedly tie
bloodiesl Of them all
On the Ist Of April, 1865, our brigade,
Harris. composed OF the I2lh, 10th,
Ie'h and 4Sth Miss. Regis. was doing
service In the trenches on the north side
Of James river. About dark we got or
dres to cook all The rations we had on
hand aud 10 be ready to march al a mo-
ment's notice, The orders came at mid
night, o leave the pickets on duty and
to move out quietly 10 the rear, and TO
leave every thing but canteens and car
fridge boxes. We moved on the road
70 Richmond, conjeciuring that We were
going 10 intercept a raiding party but
after crossing the James. the column
was beaded towards Petersburg, aud
soon was double quiekiug. We crossed
the Appomatlox on a pontoon bridge
about four miles above Petersburg, at q
little factory village, Matoaca; and
when we lined up on the south bank OF
the Appomattox, the sun was ushering
IN beautiful aud charming Holy day.
aud little did we reck what would hap
pen TO US before Il went down kh
kinds Of rumors were flying, some that
our right, composed Of ohnson's, Pend
er's aud Pickets' divisions, had the day
before turned the enemy's left, and won
great victory; others that We had a,
first driven the enemy, and then had
been driven by them, sustaining a great
loss. After waiting an hour or so, we
we're moved south about four miles 10
the trenches, shout one mile west Of
Fort Gregg. Here we were fronied At
righ, angles 10 the line Of trenches our
left on the trenches aud our right
thrown back towards the river. We
we're the only organized force in sight.
Then il was evident TO all that a great
disaster bad overiaken Gen. Lees right,
for men came running back, singly and
in squads, most Of them dsmoralized,
and reported that the enemy had by q
day ligl. susck succeeded in breaking
through our line and had captured The
whole right wing Of the army, and that
Gen. A. P. Hill, our corps commander
was among the killed. In the course oI
few hours the enemy came In sight
directly in our front, their battle line
more than a mile long, the CLINT and
glimmer Of their guns shone like wave
OF silver. When they got within the
range OF our rifles, they halted and be
gan desuItory firing, and ten or twelve
pieces OF artillery came in gallop tc
the 'front.' Then the command was Civ
en- TO fall back TO the two forts. and foi
the I2ih and I6'h to occupy Gregg. and
.he Iqib and 48sh to occupy Baldwin
/ xrTt.... -. ,ot,.d E,rt O.. -. f.....
there two pieces OF field artillery,
manned by twelve or fifteen men, and
about 100 Infantry, who had made their
escape from the right; they begged 10
60 to the rear, and we hesitated wheth.
er to let them 20 or make them stay and
help to defend the fort but concluded
that iu their demoralized condition il
was better to let them 60, provided they
left their guns with Us, which they read
ily consented to do. While we were
getting into position, "Ou the right by
file into liue." beginning with Co. A. oi
the 10th. which arrangement placed my
company on the opposite side OF the
drive way from Co A, and It's duty &c
protect the entrance, I was told that
Gen. Wilcox wanted me when got Il
him, he had dismouuted and vas stand
ing IN the entrance way. he asked me Il
I was the commanding officer, replied
that Col. Duncan was, be said send fol
him. Before Duncan arrived, he got OF
his horse so that be could be better
hearl. anil then IN loud. exciting voici
said "Men the salvation OF Lees ar
my Is IN your keeping. you must rea izl
the possibility, and your duty dom
surrender this fort II you can bold thl