Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/147



At the death of General Chambliss, Colonel J. Lucius Davis assumed command of our brigade. On the night following we took the picket line, delighted to find ourselves near free, flowing water. We remained two days on this post, and on the evening of the last day our pickets in front were driven in, and a demonstration was made by us. We passed over a narrow causeway with an impassable marshy bog above and below, and formed a line on the farther side at the foot of a wooded hill. Our skirmish-line became engaged quickly with the enemy posted behind a line of breastworks on the brow of the hill. We made no attack, but were withdrawn, having had Sergeant Edwards, of Company K, killed, and Sergeant Lewis, of Company C, wounded.

On the following day we marched to the James river and crossed on a pontoon bridge, and proceeded to the south of Petersburg. We returned the day after to Swift Run, and halted for the night; and then moved to the immediate vicinity of Petersburg. On the 21st instant we were on the left flank of our infantry in a bloody assault made on the enemy near the line of the Weldon railroad. We were under the fire of sharpshooters for an hour or two, but escaped injury.