Today in History:

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

Page 363 Chapter LVIII. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.

immediately upon their arrival. My fire was directed upon Fort Stedman, then in possession of the enemy, but an assault was made by our troops almost at the moment of my going into battery, and I had but time to fire a few rounds of solid shot before the work was retaken. My guns remained on the ground until ordered back to camp by General Tidball; they reached camp about 10 a.m.

I have casualties in reporting no casualties.

Respectfully,

JNO. B. EATON,

Captain, Commanding Twenty-seventh New York.

Lieutenant GEORGE W. BOOTH,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


No. 166. Report of Bvt. Jacob Roemer, Thirty-fourth Battery New York Light Artillery, of operations March 25.


HDQRS. THIRTY-FOURTH NEW YORK INDEPT. BATTERY,
Fort McGilvery, before Petersburg, Va., March 26, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to report, in compliance with circular dated headquarters Artillery Brigade, Ninth Army Corps, March 26, 1865, the operations of the Thirty-fourth New York Independent Battery in company with the Forty-sixth New York Volunteer Infantry, my support, in Fort McGilvery, March 25, 1865:

This command had relieved Captain Jones' four pieces of 3-inch rifle ordnance guns with four pieces of the same kind at 8 p.m. on the 24th of March. Pieces in position and everything ready for the night. I gave orders to the sergeant in charge of the guard to instruct his guard to be watchful and report any unusual picket-firing at once to me. I had now time to examine the works about the fort, so that we would have no difficulty if any attack should be made on the fort during the night; ammunition prepared for any emergency. At 3.30 a.m. March 25, Sergeant Rossbach called me and reported that there was unusual picket-firing in the direction of Fort Stedman. I immediately got up and satisfied myself that it was unusual. Ordered cannoneers to their posts. At 4 a.m. I was satisfied that an attack was made in the vicinity of Fort Stedman or near to our left of the line. I made all due inquiry to ascertain the facts of the nature of the attack and who were the attacking party. Colonel Ely, commanding First [Second] Brigade, First Division, Ninth Army Corps, said that he thought that the enemy had attacked Fort Stedman. It was now near 5 a.m. I discovered that muskets were fired from our picket-line toward our main line. At the same time we also discovered that two shots of artillery were fired from Fort Stedman to the rear of our line, and could just discover that men were irregularly running to and from the enemy's line to our line. I immediately opened fire on them with two pieces, then with three pieces, and made preparations to bring the fourth piece in position by opening a port hole on the left of the fort where the other three pieces were engaged. I thought after I had fired some 100 rounds that the enemy's progress was stopped, as we saw them for a short time falling back, but it was not long before I could see them returning and attacking with double the strength in numbers, and had gained the road in rear of Fort Stedman


Page 363 Chapter LVIII. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.