Connecticut western news., 1912-02-01
ROBERTS, REMlNISCENCE
Continuation of the Story of the Second
 Heavies In War.
BYE. s. ROBERTS

BYE. s. ROBERTS
 Comrades will take up my chain of thought where left you in my last let- ter while commenting on the pension matter; not that wanted to be under stood as being belligerent in the matter, but do think that the pensioner owes nothing to the bond holder, but there iH little tune to even up that matter.
 In my last letter left you in the ditch of rebel fort The chev aux de.fris which was the picket fence through which you had to go was a novel construction and was made as follows pole twelve to fifteen feet long with two inch holes through it at right angles, every six inches through which sticks eight feet in length were sharpened and driven to their middle. it made very formidable obstruction, resembling an old fashioned wood roothed horse rake with another set of the teeth put through it at right angles SO that 1t would be long hub filled with spokes. This hub fifteeA feet long is fastened to others by means of chains, thereby making close picket fence that you had to get through before you could get into their ditches which defended their works and you know it was no cinch to get through when the Johnnies were the other side, we'll arm- ed and plenty of shot and shell and as determined to keep us out as we were to get in, but you got in, some of you. l sd Nf. Y kRnA 4xsw last was weird and fateful ditch in- deed for the dead and wounded of tho past twenty four hours lay in it, the deAd partically submerged and the wounded drawn to the slopes, so as far as possible to keep them dry, and as comfortable as possible. In this situation you passed the afternoon and night until about three o'clock in the morning vigilantly await ing the order to scale the works, when a voice from over the banks calls and say, "why don't you come over. they have gone" You crawled to the top of the work so staff and cold that it was with great difficulty that you clambered over, and 10 and behold the rebels had stolen away You were soon formed into a skirmish line and started on after the feeting Johnnies, You found the ooy- sred ways and pits a very serious obst cal to rapid progress, especially in the darkness and to strangers to the grounds, AS a skirmish line you got much scatter ed, soon bright light shot up to the sky which showed us that the rebels were firing the city and leaving it.
 Our men having taking possession of the works loaded and fired a gun, elicit ing no response, moved on. We moved on down the hull, it began to grow light as we reached the street leading into Petersburgh. We had proceeded the main line of our force. A regiment of Zouaves was following us, calling us to halt but we did not heed the challenge but kept on the run into the oity, and those with us on this skimish line know that there were no Union soldiers ahead of us.
 AS we entered the street there was line of shanties inhabited by darlies who were on top of their houses and fences waving their hats, shouting "The Lord bless the Yankees, the Lord bless the Yankees" We moved on into the heart of the oity. Our Col. Hubbard assuming command of the city was made Provost Marshall, At sunrise Old Glory was floating over the oity, A little pillaging was done. The stores were soon guarded by our boys, however. I took from a show case in one of the stores a pair of scissors which I brought away as a trop- hey and have them now, and value them very much as a reminder. Some huge fires. several large tobacco ware- houses were sending up their black, dense columns of smoke filling the air and making the early morning air of April Sd anything but refreshing. Our stay in the city was short. At nine a. m. Col. Hubbard was relieved as Provost and down the road in a south eastern direction of our old camp, three miles below, where we found our knapsaclzs, blankets and etc., that we left more than twenty four hours before. We cooked coffee and ate our first meal in nearly thirty-sx hours and mind you we were hungry and worn out After rest of two or three hours we packed up all of our belongings and bid farewell for ever to old camp, near Warren Station. and back through the lines that we have been contending for, for the last eight months. We see how formidable work you have been butted against for you are on the back side now.
 You will remember that on our way back to Petersburgh that we met Prssi- dent Lincoln and Admiral Porter escort by squad of cavalry and l don't be- lieve that the "rebel yell" could have drowned the cheers that were sent up