The Army of the Potomac having now apparently had sufficient amusement
on this portion of its constituted "all summer route," again adopted
"Little Mc's" tactics, "sought water," and on the 12th of June began
its march towards the historic James.
On the 14th and 15th, by means of his pontoon bridges near Wilcox's
Landing, Grant crossed to the south side of the river. On the evening
of the 15th his advance made a feint demonstration against Petersburg,
and on the 16th made his attack in force. This attack was promptly met,
and successfully repulsed by our forces under Gen. Beauregard. Our
brigade, as yet, in the swamps of the Chickahominy, was almost daily
employed in skirmishes with the enemy's cavalry. On the 15th of June we
came across a large force of cavalry at Gary's farm. They had met a
small force of our cavalry and had been driving them. When we arrived
they dismounted and sent their horses to the rear, formed their lines
and showed fight. After a sharp struggle their lines gave way, and we
pursued them some distance through the woods. Their sharpshooters were
armed with seven shooters, and they used them against us on our advance
with telling effect. When they reached their horses they quickly
remounted and were soon beyond our reach. Orderly Sergeant William M.
Paisley and private Henry J. Coble were wounded.
We had advanced in line but a short distance, when Sergeant Paisley, at
the head and slightly in advance of his company, was shot by a
sharpshooter, and fell mortally wounded. He was carried from the field
and sent to the hospital in Richmond, there he suffered and lingered
until the 13th of July, when he died in the arms of his broken-hearted
father, who carried his remains to Guilford, and interred them at
Alamance church. He was among the first of Guilford's gallant boys who
went forth to do battle for truth and right. He kept his vows to his
God and his Southland sacred alike, and at his post, on the front line
in the fight, fell wounded to the death.
"On other brows let careless fame
Her fadeless wreath of laurel twine,
Enough for thee--thy epitaph!
First in the foremost line."
After this encounter we were granted a short respite until the 21st,
when our cavalry was routed by the enemy at Yellow Tavern, and our
brigade was ordered to their support. When we reached there, we found
in slowly retiring before the enemy in a dense woods. Gen. Cooke at
once ordered forward his sharpshooters, and very soon a spirited fight
began. Our regiment was thrown into line and we began to press them
back. As they had been driving our cavalry they were loth to retire,
and fought us obstinately. Cooke then ordered his whole brigade into
line. They, seeing now that they could not cope with us in fair fight,
set fire to the woods and leaves in our front, and we were forced to
advance through fire and smoke, our men suffering terribly from the
heat, the day, besides, being exceedingly hot. We had been in too many
hot places to be afraid of fire, so we made at them with a yell, and
soon had their lines broken and in rapid retreat, with our cavalry--who
had recovered--in pursuit of them. Our loss was not so great, but the
men experienced great thirst, and many were scorched by the fires; in
some instances the cartridges were exploded in their boxes.
About the 25th Gen. Butler, having pontooned the James River at Deep
Bottom, crossed a heavy force to the north side. Our brigade was
ordered to reconnoitre this force, and some fighting ensued. We found
them in force and strongly fortified, and an attack was deemed
inadvisable, so we were withdrawn and ordered to Petersburg. We reached
Petersburg on the 1st of July, and were placed on the lines a short
distance from the city, to the left of the Weldon Railroad.
On the 15th of July, private Daniel W. McConnell was appointed Orderly
Sergeant.
We remained near Petersburg comparatively quiet until the 26th of July,
when Grant crossed another corps at Deep Bottom, to attack our pontoons
at Drury's Bluff, and prevent Lee from sending re-enforcements to the
north side of the river. Our brigade was ordered back in haste to this
point, and, although the enemy had gained some partial success, we
drove him back and defeated the expedition. As events afterwards
proved, these movements were only feints to draw our troops from
Petersburg to better enable Grant to carry out his plans to make a
breach in our lines in front of Petersburg. Uniform failure had now
rendered him desperate, and Grant concluded the only wise thing now to
do, was to "blow us up." Burnside was duly appointed "blower."