The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-22
SIEGE OF PETERSBURG.
How the Confederates Got Into Fort Sted,
man and Then Got Out Again.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: A story is
current that the surprise and capture of
Fort Stedman by the Confederates was
due to culpable negligence on the part OF
our troops occupying it.
About that time the Ninth Corps. on the
extreme left, near Poplar Grove Church.
or the Pegram House, unchanged positions
with the Fifth Corps. which was on the
right, and the battery to which l belonged,
10Th n. Y. Capt. Rodgers. relieved the
9TH n. j. Battery. after dark. at Meade 5
Station. We went to Fort Stedman with
our six 12-pounder Napoleons, the right
section going into Battery No. 10, the cen
ter and left sections being assigned posi-
tons within the fort. which was occupied
by several companies of the 1ith y. Y. III.
A. Maj. Randall commanding. and think
two companies of the Is: Conn. II. A.
were in the fort. also. in charge of some
COehorn mortars and two larger guns.
Fort Stedn:an, in an oak grove on an
elevation called Hare's Hill. was an ex.
posed position near the enemy's lines. not
further from them than 200 yards. From
this point the lines direrged. the distance
between them gradually increasing. espe-
cialIy, toward the left. The men in tie
fort were admonshed by an unremitting
and close FIRE from the nearby Confeder-
ates not to assume conspicuous positions.
The rebels fired low. their balls grazing the
fort and striking the trees near the ground.
While in Battery No. 10. we occupied
bombproofs. but the men in the fort had
little protection.
After time a battery of Regulars was
assigned to Battery No. 10, and our sec
ton was removed to Battery No. 8. further
to the right, the I'd Mich. being in the
same locality. Afterward we We're ordered
to assume our former position at Meade's
Station.
At daybreak one morning we were
awakened by the rattle of musketry and
the roar of cannon in the direction of the
fort. We were ready for action when we
received information that the COnfederates
had made rush and captured the fort.
Staff Officer then ordered our section
to position about a quarter of a mile in
advance From that point we fired few
shots. and then moved closer to the fort,
a section of Battery G of the 1st n. Y. ac-
companying us. For an hour or more we
cannonaded the fort before any infantry
arrived to support us. Then a strong body
of troops. coming from the left, charged
and recaptured the fort.
When the Johnnies broke into the fort
they captured two guns of our battery and
turned them upon our men, ard when our
troops reOccupied the fort they found the
guns spiked.
A few days afterward I asked a men,
Der of the 14th ~ Y. how the ConfederateS
happened to capture the fort. He said a
Johnny had come within the fines and re-
ported that large body of Confederates
would come over and surrender their guns,
in consideration of the S14 that had been
offered apiece for them. Our troops were
not to fire upon the surrenderiEg cO John
MES. They marched in with loaded guns
and used them effectively, never. of course.
having had an intention of voluntarily sur
rendering. The ruse they adopted was a
violation of the Decalogue, but | presume
they thought "all is fair in war" My New
York informant was under the impression
that those Ananias-like Confederates
would have made the day exceedingly in
teresting to the Ninth Corps if they had
not been so hungry.-H. G. YORK. 18th
N. Y. Battery, Montavila, Portland, Ore.