Today in History:

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

Page 505 Chapter LIV. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.

general, Captain E. J. Trull, acting brigade inspector, and Lieutenant I. F. R. Hosea, commanding pioneer corps. Lieutenant A. Leavitt, acting aide-de-camp, was captured, but made his escape, and bringing into our lines a number of prisoners. It was with difficulty that Colonel Lyle, commanding brigade, made his escape, having to abandon his horse in the attempt. With all these losses, however, the remnant of the brigade was rallied, and with the aid of other troops advanced again into the woods, and late in the evening reoccupied the line of the afternoon. All these operations of the afternoon took place during a rain-storm, and the men were wet to the skin and greatly exhausted.

On the 20th the brigade was relieved from duty in the front line and took position in the open field on the right of the railroad, again connecting with the Second division and in support of the Ninth Massachusetts Battery, when the men threw up a line of intrenchments during the afternoon fronting the northeast. There were indications of an attack of the enemy during the night, and on the morning of the 21st the indications were still more striking and apparent. At 9 o'clock the enemy opened their batteries, and soon after their columns of infantry advanced against the left flank and front of our line. Their repeated attempts to advance upon the works were repulsed, and after about an hour's fighting they retired in disorder, leaving many prisoners in our hands and the ground strewn with their dead and wounded. Our loss in this engagement was comparatively small, which may be attributed to our men fighting behind breast-works. The artillery on our part of the line did the greater part of the fighting. Some prisoners were turned over to Colonel Lyle that were taken in our front. there was no further fighting during the day. The wounded rebels were carried from the field and well cared for by our surgeon. On Monday, 22nd, the dead were buried. On the 23rd the division under General Hancock's corps was heavily engaged with a large force of the enemy. At this period in the movements of the brigade, Colonel Lyle, who had been in command since the battles of the Wilderness, to the great satisfaction of the officers and men, was compelled by severe illness to relinquish the command to the undersigned. I immediately assumed command and marched the column to the Yellow House, when I received an order from Brigadier-General Crawford, commanding the division, to report with my command to Brigadier-General Bragg, which I did at once and moved under his direction toward Reams' Station. Having marched about one mile, orders were received to counter march the command and go into camp for the night. On the following day, the 26th, we were again ordered to change camp and throw up a line of works southeast of the Yellow House. September 2, instant, the brigade, with the division, was supporting the cavalry under General Gregg in a reconnaissance, since which time, with little interruption, it has remained quietly in camp near the Gurley house.

It affords me pleasure to state that the One hundred and ninetieth and One hundred and ninety-first regiments Pennsylvania Volunteers, formerly composing the Third Brigade of the Third Division, have been transferred to this brigade, and have composed a part of it since the


Page 505 Chapter LIV. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.