Today in History:

304 Series I Volume XLVI-I Serial 95 - Appomattox Campaign Part I

Page 304 N. AND SE. VA., N. C., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.

here halted a short time, engaging the enemy, and after a short rest advanced and drove the enemy into the main works, afterward falling back to the crest of the hill, and then threw up works. About 12 o'clock at night my command was marched back to camp, leaving pickets to cover the front of my right and over it, driving the enemy into their main works. There being no connection on the right or left, the regiment was compelled to fall back to this side of the hill, where they halted, and after a short rest threw up works, and remained in that position until ordered back to camp, where the regiment arrived between 12 and 1 o'clock that night; the regiment being in command of Lieutenant Colonel John G. Parr until near dark, when he was wounded and left the field and I then took command.*

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN G. PARR,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Captain E. A. TODD,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 121. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Amasa S. Tracy, Second Vermont Infantry, Second Brigade, of operations March 25.


HEADQUARTERS SECOND VERMONT VOLUNTEERS,
March 28, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to report the following as the operations and moves of the Second Vermont Volunteers in the attack made on the enemy's line, on the 25th instant:

The brigade was massed in three lines. The Second Vermont Regiment was posted on the right of the third line. My instructions from Bvt. Major General L. A. Grant were that the brigade was to support General Shaffer's [Keifer's] brigade, of the Third Division, which was to make the charge on the enemy's line. My orders from General Grant were to wait until the second line of the brigade left the pits in front and then to move forward, keeping about the same distance in their rear. The idea that I got from General Grant's order to me was that we were not the charging column, but the supporting column. But when the advance was ordered I saw no troops making the charge in that part of the line in front of the Jones house but the Second Division, Sixth Army Corps. The Second Vermont Regiment charged in and captured the enemy's line in front of the Jones house, supported immediately by the Third Brigade, Second Division. Seeing the enemy running in all directions to get out of our way, I ordered the Second Vermont Regiment to charge and take the Jones house, which was gallantly done. I should state here that one battalion of the Eleventh [First] Vermont Heavy Artillery joined my regiment (the Second Vermont Volunteers) and charged gallantly with it to the house. Finding that my regiment and the battalion of the Eleventh [First] Vermont Heavy Artillery were the only troops that had advanced beyond the works and that we could do no good by remaining at the house, I ordered my regiment back to the earth-works we had captured, keeping skirmish-

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*So recorded in regimental letter-book, but Lieutenant-Colonel Parr signed the report. Major James McGregor appears to have been the next in command.

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Page 304 N. AND SE. VA., N. C., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.