The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-09

perate fight day peIore yesterday t0dt- urday). I, through the mercy and protection of an all-powerful God, es- capped with, I may say, no injury.
 "wright's and Mahone's brigades charged and captured the works and failed to capture the fort. We were then ordered to charge the works through an open field. and the charge was the most successful one we ever made. The men clambered over the works as though there were no enemy there The slaughter was terrible.
 "Our brigade (Saunders's), is highly complimented in the morning papers, both in Petersburg and Richmond
 q will write you all the particulars as soon as I have time.
 General Grant mined our works and blew fort up. and in the con- fusion captured 1t, but 1t was dear business for him.
 "Our entire loss. 800 men; their loss, (5, ,000) five thousand. I have never seen such slaughter since the war commenced.
 T will write more.
 Your affectionate husband,
 "J. c. Featherston." United States Christian Commission
 800 IT Street,
 Washington, D. C.,
 Camp 9th Alabama Regiment,
 Near Petersburg.
 August 2. 1864.
 My Dear wife:-I wrote you q note yesterday while in our recaptured for- tifcations, informing you that was not killed in our desperate fight on Saturday, she 3oth ultiIno. but gave you very little news otherwise. You must excuse its brcvity, for, coEsid- erfng the circustances, think 1 did well to write at all.
 The enemy's line was only about seventy-fve yards from ours, and we were shooting at each other at every opportunity, and the sand was uy31g over everything, and the general noise and confusion incident on such occa- sIos all tend sd to keep me from writ ing more.
 an noCr refore day. we racsIy9d CT ders to leave our camp and move up to our place in the breastworks (which was about one hundred yards distant), and to be prepared for an at tack. Nothing unusual occurred. The skirmishing was about as usual. and so was the cannonading, unHl just about o'clock a. m. The earth seemed to tremble. and the next in- stant there came report that seemed to deafen all nature. Everything for a while remained quiet, as If in won der and astonisnment; then the artil- lery from each side would have drown
  bolt. Then could be seen 1orsemen dashing to and fro, bearing dispatches and orders. Every man was at his post and ready for anything.
 Soon after thls we received infor- nation that Grant had sprung a mine under one of our forts, and portion of our breastworks, down on the lines, about a mile TO our left, and opposite the city, wnicn was helc by some South Carolinians, Georgians and Vir- ginians. This scene considerably de- moralized the troops nearest the fort and caused them to givs way. and be- fore the smoke from the explosion cleared away, the enemy, having their infantry massed. hurled brigade after brigade through the breach thus af- fected, until the entire place was | alive with them.
 Three brigades (Wright's Georgia, Mahone's Virginia and Saunders's Ala , Wilcox's old--of our-Mahone's -division), were ordered to move down quickly and retake the works at all hazards. We moved down and took our position in a little raviAe in | front of the works held by the ene- my. The artillery from both sides were being used most vigorously. Soon Mahone's brigade and Wright's were ordered to charge the breastworks on the left of the fort. These two bri- gades charged in gallant style. and | after a severe fight succeeded in re- | taking the breastworkS on the left of | the fort. As soon as they were safe- l ly lodged in the works the prisoners | commenced coming back, and to our very great astonishment a large num- l Der of negroes, as black as the ace of spades. with cartridge boxes on and in every sense of the word equipped ! as soldiers ;..-. -.....
 After the works on the left of the l fort were recaptured, we of Wilcox S | old brigade, were then ordered to storm the fort. Everything was fully l explained to the officers and men. Desperate as 1t seemed. when the com mand, Forward" was given all moved up the hill as though we were on drill. As soon as we arose the hill we saw the fort, about two hundred yards distant. The ground was per l fectly level.
 The fort was literally covered with | Yankees and bristled with bayonets as the quiIls of the "fretful porcupine.' | As soon as we became visible the in- fantry and the artillery opened on us a most destructive fire, then the com mand, Charge" rang out along the 1 line. and we went like a terrible | avalanche and as fast as possible nc man being permitted to fire untiN he reached the fort In the fort the ene- my were crowded. but undaunted by numbers. our boys commenced sealing the sides of the fort. The enemy kept up such a fire that it seemed like 8 second Vesuvius belching forth its fire Then came the tug of war ! The enemy have shouted, No quar- | ters." We then gave them what they justly deserved There we were or one side of the walls of the fort anC the Yankees on the other. The hgh was the bloodiest of the war, con sidering the numbers engaged. w fought with muskets, with bayonets win rocks. and even with clods 0 dirt. The fight lasted in this manner l Enr nearly half an hour, when thel