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406 Series I Volume XLII-I Serial 87 - Richmond-Fort Fisher Part I

Page 406 Chapter LIV. OPERATIONS IN SE, VA. AND N. C.

at that time the troops had but just commanded to disembark. The Third Division was advanced during the day and occupied the line of works thrown up by our troops when the corps made the demonstration at this point in July, near the Pottery. Battery F, First Pennsylvania placed in position near the old Pottery, and were engaged several times by the enemy's artillery, but had no difficulty in silencing it at any time. Meantime the First and Second Divisions had swung around on the right and occupied the New Market road, and the Eleventh New York. Captain Burton, and a section of the Sixth Maine, under Lieutenant Rogers, were brought up and placed in position on the left of the First Division, where they did excellent service in silencing one of the enemy's batteries, which was seriously annoying our troops. At dark these guns were withdrawn.

On the following day (15th) the Tenth were thrown to our right and front, and on the 16th attacked the enemy's position near Fussell's Mill. By direction of Major-General Hancock, I sent Batteries K, Fourth United States, Lieutenant Roder, and G, First New York, Captain Ames, to report to Major-General Birney, commanding Tenth Corps McGilvery, chief of artillery, Tenth Corps, on an elevated piece of ground near the mill, about 550 or 600 yards from the enemy's position and commenced firing at once with good effect, rendering excellent service to the assaulting columns. Their losses in this engagement were slight, K, Fourth United States, losing 2 men wounded and 3 horses. At dusk they were ordered to rejoin their corps. In the afternoon of the same day a section of the Sixth Maine, under the command of Lieutenant Rogers, was placed in position on the right of the Second Corps line to silence the fire of a section of a rebel battery, which enfiladed the attacking party of the Tenth Corps, and accomplished the object satisfactorily. The batteries of the corps near the pontoon bridge meantime were placed in position to repel any flank attack by the enemy's cavalry either by the Malvern Hill of river road. On the 18th the Third Division, with Batteries F, First Pennsylvania, and B, First New Jersey, marched back to Petersburg and took position in the line of works previously occupied by the Fifth Corps. The Eleventh New York, Captain Burton, and Sixth Maine, Captain Dow,

took the position left by the above batteries. One the 19th Battery K, Fourth United States, was placed in position on the New Market road, on the right of General Miles' line of battle, but was not engaged, No change of any moment occurred until the night of the 20th, when the remaining division and batteries of the corps recrossed the James River and marched back to their old camps in front of Petersburg. On the morning of the 21st marched about one mile and a half to the left and took position near the Jones house, on the west side of and nearly parallel to the Jerusalem plank road. On the 22nd the division marched to the left and massed near the Gurley house. The batteries which had been with the First and Second Divisions were now relieved and ordered into camp near the Southall house, and the Tenth Massachusetts, Captain Sleeper, and A and B, First Rhode Island, Captain Brown, reported to the First Division; C, First New Jersey, Captain Woerner, and Twelfth New York, Lieutenant Dauchy, reporting to the Second Division.

On the morning of the 23rd these divisions with the batteries marched back to and there miles down the plank road and bivouacked until 4


Page 406 Chapter LIV. OPERATIONS IN SE, VA. AND N. C.