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267 Series I Volume LI-I Serial 107 - Supplements Part I

Page 267 Chapter LXIII. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.

dictated the withdrawal of the batteries. At 1 p. m., in obedience to orders from General Hinks, the Fifth Regiment, which had suffered considerably, was withdrawn, two companies being left to continue the demonstration and to guard our left flank.

A double line of battle was then formed in the field before mentioned in the following order: The Fourth Regiment on the right and the Twenty-second on the left of the first line, and the Fifth on the right and the Sixth on the left of the second line. The First Regiment U. S. Colored Troops, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Wright, connected with the left of the first line. The lines when formed were advanced 500 yards to the crest in Jordan's field, which had been partially occupied by the skirmishers of the First Regiment.

This was a work of great difficulty owing to the riple fire of the enemy, which had previously prevented the planting of our batteries, and which was now directed with increasing rapidity and with great accuracy upon all our movements. In this advance our batteries, placed well in the rear, were used with effect, drawing off somewhat the fire that would otherwise have been directed upon our infantry lines.

It was 2 p. m. when the crest was gained and the right of the brigade connected with General Brooks' left. Here we lay five hours, suffering much from the well-directed fire of the enemy, which he never remitted.

At 5.30 p. m. the skirmish line was re-enforced, three companies of the Fourth, under Major Boernstein, and four companies of the Twenty-second, under Major Cook, being used for this purpose. These officers were instructed to push their skirmishers well to the front and to charge the works as soon as the charge should begin to their right. The order was promptly obeyed. The enemy's sharpshooters were driven in by repeated advances of our skirmish line, and when at 7 p. m. General Brooks moved forward to the assault our skirmishers charged gallantly through a very heavy fire upon the works immediately before them, carrying them with loud cheers and capturing one iron gun and two 12-pounders in Battery Numbers 7. The honor of this capture is claimed by both the Fourth and the Twenty-second Regiments. As the work was near the middle of our line it is probable that men from both regiments entered it, but in the absence of any formal investigation into the question I incline to the opinion that the work was first entered by men of the Twenty-second Regiment, and that to this regiment belongs the chief credit of this affair, so far as any portion of the line can appropriate to itself the credit, where all behaved so gallantly and success depended so greatly upon the mutual support of all the parts. As soon as the works were carried the reserves of the Fourth and the Twenty-second Regiments, which had been kept back out of canister range, were ordered forward under their respective commanders to support the skirmishers in such movement against the remaining defenses as circumstances might warrant.

Colonel Kiddoo, passing into the works at Battery Numbers 7, hastily reformed his command, and supported by the First Regiment pushed gallantly on against Battery Numbers 8, a strong work advantageously posted on a considerable elevation behind a difficult ravine. This, after heavy resistance and considerable loss, he turned and carried, capturing one gun.

Lieutenant-Colonel Rogers, meanwhile, having reformed his regiment, moved, by command of Major-General Smith, against Battery Numbers 8, but finding it already held by our forces passed in front of it


Page 267 Chapter LXIII. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.