The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-27


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to our right. BY thls wc knew that
ar, attack would be MAIDS with the
purpose OF tearing the right flank OF
orr heroic little army OF probably
5000 men. now facing perhaps 10000.
Just at this time, and during tho
moon wos shining brightly, and there
al about us was tho gllastly sight of
tho dead and dying. Tie old trench
was strewn With them; here ono poor
fellow struggled In the agonics OF pain,
others We're cold and stiff in death.
their pale faces plainly visible In tho
weird glow Of the rising moon. They
We're clingman's North Carollnlans,
who had held this position OF the line
before we came In.
Another Grand Assnult.
Presently we were moved farther to
the right to meet tho now assault.
Stationed againin line Of battle in|th!s
new position, tho battle was raging
with renewed vgor a powerful az
sant was Immediately made by tho
enoiny. this time with still stronger
force and more artillery. We poured
tremendous vollcys into the ranks as
they came up, and were receiving as
good as we were sending, while their
artillery projectilcs were cnfilading
our limo with tremendous effect.
Charge after charge was made by tho
solid ranks OF Yankees. until after
little while 1t was discovered that they
had broken our line on tho left and
were thanking US.
Forced TO Fail Back.
There was but one thing to do-fall
back. Tho order was PASSED down tho
line by the officers and men. and was
understood by some. while others felt
that they had no Official orders to
leave tile works. or course, there was
great confusion. Our lines were abail-
doned, and the retreat was hasty and
thoroughly disorRanized. We were do
fcnted for the first time in our ex-
perience II might be called almost y
panic at this moment. But a thin and
struggling line made stand In a
skirt OF woods short distance to the
rear. and the stragglers from behind
soon formed the organization and II
was again line OF battle. The enemy
In the meantime had ceased firing on
gaining our works. content with their
victory.
Had they only knokn our condition
and followed up quickly what they
had gained they could have gone into
Petersburg that night without further
opposition, But their precaution was
natural. Meade did not know what
other troops or dcfenscs might be IN
our rear and 1t was now about 10
or II o'clock at night. Then again he
was no doubt aware of the fact that
Longstrect and A.. p. Hill had put their
columns in motion about niEhtfall, anu
were coming to our assistance. II was
natural for him to conclude that
:, ,,a t0u
hazardous.
On the Main Line.
When we had gathered up the stray
glers and lined up the men. We quietly
fell back to line laid out by Gem
cral Beauregard's engineers. There
we found great army OF negroes very
busy with picks and shoyels digging
the entren chments where the final
stand was to be made-trenches which
were to be occupied and held by tho
Confederates during the long siege
that was to follow. Reaching this line
about the dawn OF day on the morn
ing OF June 49, we were all on the
verge OF physical exhaustion. having
been fighting and marching day and
night since the afternoon of the 18th
when we left the Hewlett lines. We
had had during this time nothing to
eat. save such little scraps as some
of the men happened to have IN their
no time to sleep, and not
even water to drink most of the time
a little after sunrise the detail Of
cooks came In with some cooked
rations, scant though they were: and
about that time we saw the glistenin7
bayonets of Longstreet's and A. P
HIS Corps slowly filing over the hill
at Blandford Cemetery. Kershaw's
Division relieved us, taking our posi-
tion on tho line OF battle. THIS az
forded us a short respite from the
strain of long fighting and, after re-
naming for a while as a reserve line
, until General Lee was satisfied tina,
no further attack would be made thai
morning, we were moved again. Filing
over tho hill. we took a position In
deep ravine between the battle line anc
Petersburg for rest and recupcration
Grant had by this time assembled q
large army in front OF the bcleaguret
city. The memorable siege OF Peters
burg, had commenced.
| Work of JohnsOn'a Divislon.
| Our division, assisted towards the
Hast by Hoke's Division. had stood FOL
nearly three days as tho only defense
| of the city against powerful army
and we were proud of the distinc
tlon and praise that was accorded u:
by an admiring people and our be
loved Army Of Northern Virginia Gen
eral Grants quick passage over TIL,
James with such great army In sucl
an fncrediable short space OF TIM
stands unmatched in the annals o
war as a mas erly piece OF rapid trans
portation. while his tactics were OF tn,
highest order, but the "thin line o
gray. was standing across his wa,
when lie approached Petersburg. ant
that line fought him to sthndstil
once more. Beauregard's total strength
ihad been $4,000 men. Grant had prac
Itically his whole army opposing him
The Federal casualties for tho Peters
burg campaign. from June 1918. ar
given as follows: Killed. laos; wound
/ ed. 7.414; missing. 1.S14. Total. 1O.5St
1 There are no returns for Beauregard'
4 losses. but they are estimated at killed
500; wounded. 2.2oo; missing. 2.ooC
i Total, 400.
Ia SHARED
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