The Grays were in winter quarters on the left side of Hatcher's Run,
one mile and a half below Burgess' mill. While here we received orders
at midnight on the 24th of March, to be in readiness to move in the
direction of Petersburg. Leaving the sick and wounded to take care of
the camp and the lines in our immediate front, we began our march, not
knowing the cause of this seeming untimely order. After two hours rapid
marching we reached Petersburg, and bivouacked near the water-works.
About daylight we were quietly marched into our trenches in front of
and to the right of Hare's Hill. The troops who had just occupied these
trenches where we now were had been marched out, and were in readiness,
under General Gordon, to make a prearranged sortie upon the Federal
forts on Hare's Hill.
The attack was made in force about daylight. Our troops gained
possession of the enemy's works, but were soon compelled to abandon
them, owing to the superior force of the enemy and to the fact that our
forces were bewildered in the darkness.
About two o'clock p.m. we were ordered back to our camp on Hatcher's
Run. Before reaching it, however, we were informed that our sick and
wounded had been routed, and that the enemy was in possession of our
picket line. Gen. Cooke immediately ordered out his sharpshooters, and
by a flank movement drove off the enemy and regained possession of his
line. Next morning the sharpshooters were relieved by the regular
pickets, under command of Capt. John A. Sloan of the Grays, who held
the lines against repeated attacks until the first of April.
At midnight of the first of April our brigade was relieved by Davis'
Mississippi brigade. Our brigade now crossed the creek and took
position in Fort Evliss. As soon as day dawned the enemy, being on
three sides of us, opened fire upon us with artillery and infantry.
Although protected to some extent, some of our men were killed by their
shells during the morning. In the meanwhile a desperate fight was going
on between fort Evliss, the position we were occupying, and Petersburg.
Our position in the fort was only tenable, provided the troops on our
left held their position. Consequently, the issue of the fight was
awaited by us with much anxiety. Just before sunrise a courier dashed
into the fort with news that the lines had been broken and our troops
were in retreat. We were, in consequence, immediately withdrawn from
our works, and began our retreat from Petersburg. After retreating some
five miles, being pressed sorely by the enemy, two regiments of our
brigade were deployed as skirmishers.
Arriving now at Southerland's tavern, on the Southside road, we formed
line of battle and awaited the enemy's advance. They soon came up
flushed with success, and attacked with great confidence. But we
repulsed them with heavy loss, capturing many prisoners. Reinforcements
coming up we were flanked and compelled again to retreat. After
following us cautiously for some hours, and night coming on, the enemy
abandoned further pursuit.
We now endeavored to cross the river so as to join the main army, from
which we had been separated by the break in the lines that morning. We
followed up our retreat until two o'clock that night, when we halted
and rested on our arms until morning. At sunrise we began our
journeyings again, reaching Deep Creek, unmolested, about nine o'clock.
We wandered up this creek about three miles, fording it at this point.
We then endeavored to make Goode's bridge on the Appomattox, but night
overtaking us, we camped at the cross-roads near Goode's bridge, At one
o'clock at night we received marching orders. After three hours hard
marching through fields, bog, and fen, we came upon the advance of the
main army, which had just crossed the Appomattox on a pontoon bridge.
We were delighted to meet our old comrades once more after a three
days' separation. What added to the interest of the occasion in a
private way was the fact that Major Webb had found a canteen full of
_something_, and my ever faithful "Bill" had captured a hen's nest
and scouped in half a dozen or more of eggs. We celebrated our
deliverance and _reunion_.
At the suggestion of the officers of our regiment, it was agreed, there
being only about seventy men for duty, that we should form a battalion
of two companies, the officers giving up their rank temporarily, and
the non-commissioned officers going into the ranks. Lieut.-Col. J. C.
Webb commanded the battalion. Major Calvin Herring took command of the
first company, and Capt. John A. Sloan took command of the second. This
organization was maintained until the surrender.
On the night of the fourth we camped at Amelia Court-House, in the
woods just outside of the town, and rested on our arms in line of
battle. The next day was consumed in protecting our wagon trains from
the frequent attacks of the enemy's cavalry. We now continued our
march, fighting by day and retreating by night. Our provision train was
burned by the enemy near Rice's station, and our rations that night
consisted of one quart of corn per man in lieu of meal. The next day we
passed through Farmville. Having been the rear guard for several days,
we were now relieved by Scales' North Carolina brigade. Organization
and discipline was now rapidly giving away. We were skirmishing and
fighting to protect ourselves at every point in a kind of Guerrilla
warfare, every man, for the most part, doing his fighting on his own
hook.
Saturday night, April the 8th, we camped in about three miles of
Appomattox Court-House. Before day next morning we were hastily ordered
up and moved to the front. We were rapidly marched up the road filled
with ambulances and wagons until we came within full view of Appomattox
Court-House, where we could plainly see the Federal line of battle on
the hills at and beyond the court-house. We were immediately thrown
into line of battle on the right of the road and ordered to hold
ourselves in readiness to advance at any moment. On the front line we
awaited further orders.