Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-07-18
A@WAR
HlfidMScRtNy}B5S
GID OHIO AT FORT GREGG
Thirty-Six Men Were Lost Directly in
Front of Fort-Losses Other Reg
iments Suffered.

The First division, Twenty-fourth
corps, was near Hatcher's Run the
evening before the battle at Fort
Gregg, and all night in line in a clo-
yer field.
Colonel West. commanding the Six
ty-second Ohio, about ten o'clock that
night asked that l be detailed from
Company X to report to General Os-
born's headquarters, when one from
each regiment of the brigade was es-
corted outside of the lines to find out
if it was possible for men to cross a
swamp reported in our front, writes
T. r. Shaw of Coin, Ia, in the Ma
tional tribune. After about four
hours time, having located the en-
emy's works and getting the iniorma-
ton wanted, / reported to General Os-
born's headquarters. The general then
wrote me a pass, %excusing me from
duty for five days.
About that time a terrible cannon
ade began towards Petersburg and
lasted until daylight, ABOUT stnup
the SiXty-second was ordered in line
in advance Of the First brigade, First
division, Twenty-fourth corps. / took
my place in the ranks, and we dou-
ble-quicked about five miles, when
we formed line of battle and were or
dered to deploy as skirmishers. Our
right was on the rebel line of works
facing Fort Gregg, some two miles
away.
There wasn't a man of any corps
ahead Of US, except a disorganized
mass of rebels in the ravines and be-
hind the stumps, which we drove
before US, regardless of the shells
Of the rebel forts. We could not see
Fort Gregg at this time, it being be-
yond a ridge, but there was a three
u battery at a bend in the line Of
works that shelled us, and as we got
near it gave us canister, but our left
flank advanced until they could get a
crossfire on the battery and took 1t
when we drove everything over the
ridge and came in plain view of Fort
Gregg.
We kept driving their men, until
we finally made a rush for an old
road in front running parallel to
the fort n a splendid position for
a skirmish line, where we annoyed
the fort, and kept the gunner down
until some time after noon, when we
were recalled. The troops were then
massing for a charge. AS / was near
Colonel West a staff officer told him
to withdraw his men behind the ridge
and let them, go to dinner, and they
need not go in the charge, as they
the (Sixty-second Ohio had done
enough. But When the charge was
formed Colonel West called to all that
wanted to follow him to, fall in. Most
Of the regiment responded and ad-
vanced up to the front of the fort.
Captain Griffin quotes Capt. H. L.
Carr as saying that no part of Os-
born's division struck Fort Gregg.
Now, the Sixty-second Ohio lost So
men directly in front of the fort. The
T~hirty-ninth Illinois had a heavy loss,
also the S~ixty-seventh Ohio. None Of
Turner's men eve were ahead Of
these regiments. Captain Griffin says
the colors of the Twelfth West Vir-
ginia and the One Hundred and Six
tenth Ohio were planted on the south
side of the fort. They never we're in
that position, and the reason they (the
Twelfth West Virginia and One Hun
dred and Sixteenth Ohio, Osborn's d.
vision) went in at the northwest angle
was in a hand-to-hand encounter at
the south, and, as the captain admits.
held the garrison at that point. The
Twelfth West Virginia, the One Hun
dred and Sixteenth Ohio and others
went in at that corner of the fort,
while Osborn's men went in at the
same time at the front.