Today in History:

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

Page 965 Chapter LVIII. THE APPOMATTOX CAMPAIGN.

3.30 in the morning the signal was given to advance. We reached the enemy's works, losing but a few men. Charging across the entrenchments we pursued the enemy to the edge of a wood about a mile in the rear and left of the above-mentioned works. The regiment was then deployed as skirmishers, and halted for a short time until the word was given to advance, when the entire brigade moved forward, driving the enemy across Hatcher's Run. The brigade then formed, and marched back toward the left of Petersburg, formed line of battle, and charge over a swamp toward a house, under a heavy artillery fire from the left and front. About 150 yards from the house, where the enemy's batteries were in front of, they opened on us with grape and canister, but a well directed musket fire from our men and from our right forced the enemy to leave the batteries; we followed up and drove him to the outskirts of Petersburg, at which place the day's fight closed.

The officers and men behaved bravely during the entire day; although it being a very hard day's work,the men kept up with a few exceptions.

Our entire loss is 4 officers and 15 men wounded; 1 officer and 1 enlisted man have died since of their wounds.

Very respectfully,

BERNHARD GESSLER,

Captain, Commanding Ninety-eighth Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers.

Captain EDWARD A. TODD,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First Brigade.


Numbers 126. Report of Major James McGregor, One hundred and thirty-ninth Pennsylvania Infantry.


HEADQUARTERS 139TH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS,

April 16, 1865

SIR: Agreeably to orders I have the honor to forward the following report of the part taken by the One hundred and thirty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers during the operations against Petersburg on the morning and during the day of April 2, 1865:

About 9 o'clock April 1 orders were received from brigade headquarters to have the regiment in readiness to move at 12 o'clock that night. At [that] hour orders were received to move out on the parade ground, and soon afterward the regiment, with the brigade, moved to the left and near Fort Welch, where arms were stacked and knapsacks were unsung and piled up and left in charge of a small guard. The regiment was then moved outside the works and massed with he brigade, preparatory to the assault which was to be made upon the enemy's works at 4 o'clock that morning, the One hundred and thirty-ninth Regiment being in the second line, the first line being held by the One hundred and second Pennsylvania Volunteers. At the signal gun the One hundred and second advanced to the assault, and after it had advanced about 75 to 100 paces, the One hundred and thirty-ninth was put in motion and soon reached the main body of the One hundred and second, which appeared to be in some confusion, although it did not appear that they had been repulsed. Perceiving the situation, and fearing that the One hundred and thirty-ninth would become so mixed


Page 965 Chapter LVIII. THE APPOMATTOX CAMPAIGN.