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

Page 818 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.

the right and moved forward into the works, driving the enemy in confusion from them. After following the enemy a few hundred yards across the road, the regiment, being again deployed, assembled on the left, and with the rest of the brigade moved toward Richmond, on the New Market road, and encamped for the night to the right of Fort Harrison. On the morning of the 30th the regiment moved to the right of the fort, refaced and repaired to earth-works adjacent to the fort. At 1 o'clock the enemy was seen making preparation for an attack. At 2 o'clock our pickets were driven in and five distinct lines of the enemy charged our line. The attack was general. The charging column was repulsed. A second time charged and second time repulsed. A counter-charge was then made by the Twenty-second, which added impetus to the already flying rebels. In this counter-charge the regiment encountered a strong [force] which was stationed under the lee of an isolated fort, and from which we received a volley of musketry which killed several men and wounded two officers (Major J. B. Cook and Captain Jacob F. Force), but they, too, were put [to] flight, and, as no other advantage could be gained, the regiment again took its position in line behind the breast-works. In all the maneuvering the most unflinching bravery was displayed by both officers and men.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ALBERT JANES,

Captain, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant D. L. PROUDFIT,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 1st Brigadier, 3rd Div., 18th Army Corps.


Numbers 332. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Ira C. Terry, Twenty-second U. S. Colored Troops, of operations October 27-28.


HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-SECOND U. S. COLORED TROOPS,
October 29, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report regarding the movements of the Twenty-second U. S. Colored Troops since the morning of the 27th of October, 1864:

The regiment moved from Cox's farm with the brigade to which it belonged at 5 a.m. October 27, 1864, taking the Kingsland road to the New Market; from thence to the Darbytown road, thence to the Charles City, thence to the Williamsburg road, where we arrived about 3 p.m. of the same day and took a position in column about half a mile west of the intersection of the route traversed by it on the road. Remaining a short time, we received orders to move over the West Point railroad and away parallel to it in the direction of Richmond. Out advance was undistinguished by anything of importance until we had gone about one mile up this road. At that point we were ordered to prepare to move on the rebel works in front. After some delay, occasioned by a misapprehension of the position of things, the regiment formed line; advanced through a dense belt of woods to a field, on the opposite of which the enemy was posted. From this point the regiment charged across, only to be repulsed. Some companies went to within a few yards of the enemy's works, so near that we could plainly see that they were not heavily manned. Had the regiment left its recruits behind I think we could have gone in. They kept firing their muskets while advancing, and in the midst of the excitement broke and ran, causing the worst of confusion. I will say in behalf of these recruits that they


Page 818 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.