The National tribune., 1904-09-29
COL. CLAY'S ACCOUNT.
His Personal Experiences In the Assault
Which Captured the Fort.

winch captured the fOIt.
On the 2Sth of September, A. D. 1864,
the First Division of the Eighteenth Corps
was in the works on the Bermuda Hun
dred front, on the south side of the James.
Early in the evening we received orders
to move, and about o'clock at night we
left camp. l was then a Captain in the
5Sth Pa, which, with the 10th Mass, 21st
Conn.,, go New York, and 18Sth Pa, con-
stituted the Third Brigade, command by
Col. Samuel II. Roberts, of the 139th n.
Y. His regiment, with the 81st and 98th
n. Y. and 18th N. H., made up the First
Brigade, commanded by Col. Stevens, Of
the 18th n. H. Gen. Burnham command
ed the Second Brigade, which comprised
the 96th and 18th n. Y, 9Th Conn, and
10th n IT. The 5th Md, belonging to
the First or Second Brigade, / do not re-
member which, was left in camp, and the
10th Mass, OF our brigade, was absent
from the division, SO that We moved with
II regiments.
1 had no idea when we started where
We were going, nor what force accompanied
us. 1t was soon discovered that we were
marching toward the James River, and
rumor had it were to cross it on a bridge
to be laid down by the Engineers that
night.
For several hours we divided the time
between short marches and maps on the
Ss
Early in the morning We crossed the river
on pontoon bridge, which l learned then
was near Aiken's Landing, and had been
flung across the stream in the night. We
turned to the left after reaching the north
bank, and marched up the Varina road.
We were in column by division, Burn
hams Brigade in front, followed by the
First Brigade, ours, the Third, forming
the rear of the column, and my regiment
the left one Of the brigade, in the rear of
all. The column was preceded by skirm-
ishers. taken. as l found out afterward
from the Second Brigade. There was some
little firing on the skirmish line as we ad-
yanced. but nothing occurred to check our
progress.
UP TO THE ENEMY
After marching several miles and pass
ing through camps just deserted, we
emerged from the edge of a wood and saw
before US, bright with the light of the sun,
then about an hour high, shining from our
| right and rear. the long line Of rebel earth
works stretching from the direction of the
New Market road away to our right front.
| southwark to the river at Chafiin's Bluff
off 10 our left. Nearly opposite TO us. on
an eminence,s was a large fort. mounting,
| as We could see, a number of heavy guns
/ en- barbet.
The division halted: the FIRST Brigade
4
on the left of the Second. which remained
in the road. and the Third formed on the
right. 1t then became apparent that we
were about to attempt the capture of this
fort in our front. My regiment was or.
dered to the front of its brigade column
and deployed. l was told. either by Col
Roberts or the Acknowledgement Of the
brigade, Capt. Hubbeli, 21st Conn, that
the division would move forward, guide
right, and. anxious that the regiment give
no excuse for complaint by the rest of the
division of incompetency on the part of the
guide, placed myself with Lieut. Johnson
to the right Of the right aant oS tSe pas rsg;
ment. From this point l could see during
the whole charge pretty much all that
went on In the division, for could looi
along the whole front, and as We advanced
up the rising ground could see diagonally
back over the columns. When we got tc
the front, ! saw that we were formed
thus: The First Brigade on the left, IN