The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-04


Foster was transferred with his regiment
TO the Army of the Potomac. Joining that
army at Harrison's Landing July I, the
day after the battle of Malvern Hill. He
reEIaiped with the Army of the Potomac
until ordered to reinforce Pope's army,
when his command was assigned temper
arily TO the Fourth Army Corps on the
Peninsula After a short sojourn with the
Fourth Corps he was transferred with
his regiment TO Suffolk. Va. on the Nanse-
mond river and the border of the great
Dismal Swamp, between Petersburg and
Norfolk, known as the Blackwater. Here
he was placed in command of Provisional
Brigade, First Division, Seventh Army
Corps, organized for him by Major General
Peck commanding the post. His brigade
was engaged with the enemy almost daily,
making frequent raids into the enemy s
lines. He was placed in command of a
large body of troops consisting of cavalry.
artillery and infantry and assigned TO the
difficult task of destroying the railroad
| between Petersburg and Suffolk. This he
accomplished to the entire satisfaction of
all his superior officers, tearing up and
removing to Norfolk, Va, over twenty
miles of the Petersburg, Norfolk & Sea-
board & Roanoke Railroad. His COM
mand was engaged every day with the enc
my, and was victorious, accomplishing all
| that was expected of 1t. Colonel Foster
was placed in command of the south front
of Suffolk during its siege by Longstreet s
army. His command consisted of twelve
regiments of infantry, one regiment or
| cavalry three batteries of light artillery
and eighteen siege guns. 1t was the COM
| mand which pursued Longstreet during his
retreat. infiicting great damage to the enc
my, capturing many prisoners and arms,
| for which he was promoted, June u, 1868,
\ 10 the rank of brigadier general, and in
| July assigned to the army in front of
| Richmond, taking part in the attack. COM
| handing a light division of infantry, cav
| airy and artillery. His command was sent
| in advance to destroy the railroads and
| TO burn some important railroad bridges.
He succeeded in tearing up a large portion
l a hptyVppn Richmond Erp0Pr-
| icksburg, and all the bridges except one
| across the South Ann river.
| ORDERED TO FLORIDA
after his return to Norfolk he was made
| president of military~court-mar to fry
| DR.. d. M. Wright. notorious rebel of Nor
| folk, for the murder OF Lieutenant A s.
| Sanford of the First United States Colored
| Regiment. On the 18th of July he was
| ordered with his command to Morris island
| South Carolina. and took part in the siege
| of Forts Wagner, Gregg and Sumter.
From there he was ordered to Florida. ar
| irving at Jacksonville. he was placed in
| command of a division under General Sey-
| mour. and as soon the Florida campaign
| closed he was ordered to reinforce Grant
| in the grand advance on Richmond. He
twas assigned to duty chief of staff of the
! Tenth Army Corps. under Major General
/ Gilmore. He remained chief of staff of the
r B 0rR Rde srin hin the 6ss5
| heights. etc, and in all its operations
| against the enemy ecound Richmond, dur
! ing which time he commanded the cavalry
| that made the attack on Beuregard's am
| munition supply train between Richmond
| and Petersburg.
I'm June. 1864. General Foster was as
| signed to the difficult and dangerous duty
| of crossing the James river below Rich
| mond at midnight with 1900 infantry, one
| battery of artillery and two squadrons OF
Il rl,Rt
| complished noiseessly by floating 1850 of
! his command down the river on pontoons
and safely landing them on the opposite
| side OF the river. taking the enemy by sur
! prise, driving them back, laying the pom
| toon bridge and crossing his cavalry and
| artillery. By daylight he was intrenched
| within seven miles of Richmond on a main
+, road and able TO defend his position against
| four times their number. For this success
| full and daring maneuver and piece of
strategy he was officially compimented by
| General Grant. He held his position against
| numerous attacks for nearly two months
| fighting two or three hard battles together
with General Hancock and Sheridan S
| cavalry against the great mass of Lees
| array. He was relieved of his command at
| this point and ordered to Peterborough TO
take command of the second division Tenth
| Army Corps, where he was engaged daily
| and nightly during the siege of Peters
burg. losing nearly oRe"half of his effective
| force.
| FORCE BADLY CRIPPLED.
This crippled him TO such an extent that
| his division was relieved by Miless division
| of Hancocks corps and his division was
| placed in reserve for few weeks. When
| a reorganization took place his corps, to-
gether with the Eighteenth, were ordered
| to make another attack on the defenses of
| Richmond. which they did, lighting from,
| daylight until o'clock p. m. carrying all
the enemys works up to Chapin's bluff
| and making three separate charges during
| the day. Fosters division lost between So
| and 800 men killed and wounded. After the
| loss or SO many men the Tenth land Eight
| zenith Corps were consolidated as the
| Twenty-fourth Corps under the command
| of Major General Ord, with General Foster
| chief of staff. This position he held until
the withdrawal of his old division to join
| General Terry in his expedition against
| Fort Fisher. Foster was then assigned to
| the command of the First Division, TWEEN
| ty-fourth Corps. Terrys old division.
| ION the I'd day of April during the general
| assault on Lees army at Petersburg near
lly all the outer line of works We're carried
| by noon except two strong redouts which
| occupied a commanding position, named
respectively. Fort Gregg and Fort Whit
worth. General Grant decided that these
| Fosters division of the Twenty-fourth
| Corps swept down upon Fort Gregg and
| after a most desperate hand-to-hand fight
| carried il. When Mr.. Lincoln heard OF the
| assault he was telegraDhed that the last
| stronghold around Petersburg had been
| carried by Fosters division of Ords corps
| after a most desperate struggle. The men
| fought twenty-four minutes after they
| reached the paraDet of the fort, all the sal
| ly ports being securely locked and the gar
| rison ordered by General Lee not to sur
| render under any circumstances. Foster
| lost 164 man killed and wounded. The as
| sault was made under the immediate eye
of Generals Grant, Ord and Gibbon, and fol
| this victory Foster was breveted major
| general. his brigade commanders promoted
| TO brgadier generals, his staff were al
| breveted and his assaulting regiments were
| presented bronze eagles to Surmount THEN
fiagstaffs, an honor rarely granted TO any
| troops and only for extreme bravery.
| During the remaining days of the struS-
| gle General Foster was in command of his
| old and reliable division in the pursuit OF
| Lee to Appomattox Courthouse
HIGH PRAISE GIVEN.
1.-The important part General Foster tool
in the last seven days of the war is vividl.
| described by an old comrade who was {
prominent officer with Sheridan. He said
The most active and efficient general off
| Ger in command of a division in the TIVE
corps of the Army of the James. then unde
| General Ord, was a brevet major general
Robert s. Foster, of Indiana, commanding
the First Division. Twenty-fourth Corps
commanded by Major General Gibbon, o
the regular army.
1T was the memorable night when Sher
| idan was in front OF Lees army at Apo
mattox and expected to attack Lee earl.
the next morning. General Sheridan wa