IN WINTER QUARTERS.
During the latter part of November the Ninth Corps was ordered to
the right of the line to relieve the Second Corps, which had been on
duty in the trenches in front of Petersburg since the movement of the
Ninth Corps to the Weldon Railroad, in August. On the 29th the brigade
marched to the vicinity of Hancock Station, on the military railroad,
and was assigned to the main line of trenches, the Thirty-sixth being
detailed for duty in Fort Rice as its permanent garrison. Thus, after
an absence of nearly three months, the regiment was again on duty in
the old line, a little to the left of the position it occupied during
the summer months. Though in a new location all the scenes around
us were familiar. Immediately on our left stood the celebrated Fort
Sedgwick, better known in military histories as Fort "Hell,"--a name
given to it by the soldiers on account of its exposed situation, which
invited the fire of the enemy's artillery. It was frequently subjected
to terrific cannonading from the guns opposite.
In front of us stood the grim batteries in the enemy's main line of
defence. The principal battery in that portion of the line was in Fort
Mahone,--called by the rebel soldiers Fort "Damnation," for the same
reason which won for Fort Sedgwick its profane sobriquet. The brigade
extended from Fort Meikle on the right, held by the Fifty-eighth
Massachusetts, connecting with the left of the First Division, to
Fort Davis, about forty rods to the left of Fort Sedgwick, held by
the Seventeenth Vermont, Fifty-Sixth Massachusetts, and Thirty-first
Maine, which constituted the right of General Griffin's (Second)
brigade.
The principal duty devolving upon the regiment during the winter was
picket duty in the trenches. The picket line was an intrenched work
about one hundred and fifty yards in front of the fort, and about the
same distance from the rebel picket line. Little of an exciting nature
occurred during the day, but at night the picket-firing was kept up by
both sides. There was more or less artillery firing from the main lines
on each side, the shells going over our heads. When the enemy became
aware of the change of troops in their front, and the substitution of
the Ninth Corps for the Second, they supposed that the colored troops
still belonged to the Ninth Corps, and their firing was sharp and
continuous; but after being told that the colored regiments had been
transferred to another department they subsided into their usual round
of firing. At times the batteries indulged in lively duels. Almost
directly in front of the line occupied by the regiment was a battery
containing one or more eight-inch columbiads, which threw its shells to
a great distance in the rear of our main lines, and annoyed the signal
station at the Avery house, the range of which they had obtained. In
one of the artillery duels our guns in Fort Sedgwick poured such a
fierce fire into this battery as not only effectually to silence it,
but finally, by a lucky shot, to burst the gun which had caused so much
trouble.
During the raid which General Warren made with the Fifth Corps to
Nottaway, in December, the regiment was ordered to be in readiness to
march, but was not withdrawn from the fort; and again, in February,
during the movement to Hatcher's Run, it was expected that the regiment
would be ordered to the left; but the order to be prepared for movement
was not followed by orders to leave.
Now and then an incident transpired to enliven the spirits of the men.
On one occasion, after some days of extremely cold weather, firewood
became very scarce on the picket line, and one of our sergeants called
out to the enemy that he proposed to cut down a large tree which stood
midway between the picket lines. He accordingly went out, followed by
five men with axes; but before he could begin the work of chopping, he
was joined by a rebel lieutenant and four men with an axe, who had come
out for the same purpose. As each side claimed the tree it was agreed
that both parties should assist in cutting it down, and then divide
it as equally as possible. The top fell toward the enemy's lines, and
two men stood on the trunk, back to back,--they who had stood so often
face to face,--and cut through the trunk, our men taking the butt and
the enemy the branches. That night the blaze of the little fires in the
rear of each picket line added to the comfort of the men in their weary
watches.
On the 31st of January a truce was declared during the passage of
Vice-President Stephens and the Peace Commissioners from Petersburg
to City Point. Many of the men along the entire Petersburg front
crossed the lines to "confer with the enemy" in the peaceable exchange
of coffee and sugar for tobacco and such other commodities as the
"Johnnies" had.
During a portion of the month of January the regiment was commanded by
Captain Fairbank, in the absence on leave of Lieutenant-Colonel Barker.
Adjutant Haskell also received a leave of absence, and some of the
enlisted men were permitted to go home on furlough.
Once or twice battalion drill was ordered on the open ground in
rear of the fort; but, as the enemy had perfect range of the place,
they did not propose to allow any show or parade in force, and
their well-directed shots rendered any exposure for such a purpose
impracticable.
Tidings of the steady and successful march of General Sherman's army
were frequently received, and information of the capture of Fort
Fisher, Wilmington, and Charleston was communicated to the enemy in
shotted salutes of one hundred guns from all the batteries in the main
line of works.
Toward the close of February there were many indications that the enemy
contemplated the evacuation of Petersburg, and attempt a junction
with the army of General Johnston in North Carolina. Desertions from
the troops along our front became very frequent, and the statements
made by these men tended to arouse the apprehension of the commanding
officers lest the enemy should elude our grasp. The pickets were kept
constantly alert, and on dark and foggy nights scouts were sent out to
ascertain if any movement was being made by the enemy. For the month
succeeding the 25th of February there were numerous indications of
changes in the enemy's position. These movements were accompanied with
much yelling and firing on the part of the confederates, and whenever
the scouts or skirmishers advanced they were followed to our lines
by large numbers of deserters. One night, early in March, we saw the
flames of an extensive fire in Petersburg, and heard distinctly the
ringing of the bells. The reserves were under arms, and moved up to the
main line, prepared to follow any withdrawal of the enemy. After the
excitement had subsided the rebel pickets informed us that the fire in
the city was accidental. Thus week by week, and month by month, the
winter passed away, and the warmer sun and opening ground and balmy
air proclaimed the approach of spring, that season for more active
and exciting work. Toward the middle of March enormous quantities
of supplies were forwarded to the left. The trains were loaded with
provisions, and the tops of cars covered with men returning to their
regiments from hospitals and convalescent camps.
Old soldiers needed not to be reminded that an active campaign would
soon be inaugurated, and with the proverbial instinct begotten of
experience began that personal preparation for effective work and rapid
marching in selecting what things to throw away. Inspections became
more frequent and exacting, and the fact of a speedy movement "was in
the air." Sutlers were ordered to City Point. The reserve division
was moved to the left of Fort Davis, to stake out and fortify a new
defensive line covering the left and rear of the Ninth-Corps line, and
in a few days had a strong line of intrenchments.
While these preparations were in progress, in fact, while the army
of the Potomac was under marching orders, the enemy suddenly and
unexpectedly assumed the offensive. On the night of the 24th of March,
the day General Grant issued his orders for a forward movement of his
armies, a strong force of the enemy, consisting of Gordon's corps and
Bushrod Johnson's division, the whole commanded by General Gordon, was
prepared for an attack on the right of the Ninth Corps. Before daylight
on the morning of the 25th three heavy columns of the enemy charged and
captured the main line on our right from Battery Nine to Fort Haskell,
including Fort Stedman, the principal work in that portion of the line.
The columns after reaching the works charged to the right and left
of the aperture, and advanced a heavy line to the rear to seize the
military railroad and sever connections with City Point. By this time
a portion of the Third Division, under General Hartranft, reached the
scene of action, and attacked the enemy with such vigor as to drive him
into Fort Stedman and the adjoining lines. With the reinforcements from
this division the troops on the right and left of the works held by the
enemy were enabled to form a line perpendicular to the main line, and
not only successfully resisted any attempt of the enemy to advance, but
confined him to that portion of the line already occupied.
Preparations were at once made to retake the captured line; and General
Hartranft's division, by a gallant charge, succeeded in reoccupying
the works, and captured more than nineteen hundred prisoners. While
this movement was in progress on the right, the troops of the Second
and Fifth Corps, on the left of the Ninth, attacked and captured the
enemy's strongly intrenched picket line in their front, gaining very
valuable ground, capturing nearly a thousand prisoners, repelling
several desperate attacks of the enemy to recapture the works.
In the action at Fort Stedman the regiment was represented by Captain
Hodgkins, who was serving on the staff of General Hartranft, commanding
Third Division. It was an action in which the Ninth Corps won deserved
credit, exacting from the enemy a bloody price for his temerity, and
fully avenging the disaster at the explosion of the mine eight months
before.
Comparative quiet was maintained by the enemy for a few days following
their repulse on the 25th. On the 27th General Sheridan and the Cavalry
Corps arrived in rear of our lines, and moved to the left. On the 29th
the surplus artillery of the army of the Potomac, two hundred pieces,
was sent to the Ninth Corps, and the several corps designated for the
turning movement on the left moved out. The operations of the army had
begun on a grand scale.