Today in History:

436 Series I Volume XL-I Serial 80 - Richmond, Petersburg Part I

Page 436 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.

18th. On the evening of the 20th marched to the left and parked in rear of the Fifth Corps. On the morning of the 21st marched out to the left onto the Jerusalem plank road and parked near the Jones house. I reported, by order of Major-General Gibbon, with whom I was then serving, to Brigadier-General Pierce, and placed the battery in position in the work prepared by the pioneers for it at 3 a. m. of the morning of the 22d. Finding the works incomplete and defective in several particulars, I ordered my own men to commence work at once to strengthen and improve them, which they did, and remained steadily at work until 2 p. m., at the time of opening fire. At about 12 m. the enemy opened upon my position from an earth-work and fort to the right from four guns, bursting their projectiles in the battery with great accuracy, and also to the right and left of my position, as if endeavoring to elicit a reply from a battery if one was posted there. I immediately commenced changing my embrasures to the right in order to bear upon the enemy's guns. (These embrasures being made facing to the front before the battery was placed in position, and I being informed by officers on General Pierce's staff that the enemy would open a battery in our front if at all.) As soon as I commenced altering the works I reported the same to General Pierce, who ordered me to continue the work and open on the enemy's batteries as soon as possible. This order I complied with at about 2 p. m., and as soon as I opened the enemy replied with eight pieces of artillery and a very heavy musketry fire, their shot and shell falling and bursting with perfect accuracy in and about my works. After firing for the space of one hour the infantry support on our immediate left opened fire on the enemy, who were advancing in line of battle on our left front. The embrasure of the left gun was at once dug away in order to fire more to the left, and opened with canister, driving the enemy back with heavy loss. They fell back to their first line of battle, but rallied at once and again advanced full on our left flank. I was unable to open upon them to the left with more than one gun, as the embrasure for the remaining three guns faced the enemy's works to the right. At this time infantrymen came running in from the left, crying, "We are flanked on the left; the left has broken." I continued firing canister and case-shot without fuse until the entire left gave way and ran through the woods, leaving my left flank entirely unprotected; the enemy following immediately down the works from the left and planting their colors on the lunette of my left gun, ordered us to surrender. Up to this time none of my men had left their posts, nor did they do so until ordered by myself and officers. The order was given to fix prolonges, but the enemy poured into the works in such overwhelming numbers that it was apparent the further exertions to save the guns were useless, and my men fell back to the winding road running through the woods. My officers, First Lieutenant George K. Dauchy and First Lieutenant William S. Bull, nobly endeavored to rally the infantry to return and help draw off the pieces, and who, when asked by them, "Why do you fall back," replied "We did not fall back until ordered by the major commanding the brigade and by our officers." What few infantry remained in the road near the battery at this time were willing and desirous to return and help retake the guns, but not enough could be rallied at any one time to make an effective advance. During this time my chief of caissons, Second Lieutenant H. D. Brower, whom I had dispatched to the rear a few moments before, now came up and gallantly assisted Lieutenants Dauchy and Bull in endeavoring to rally the infantry. No infantry officers were seen at this point of the road by my officers. At


Page 436 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.