Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/488

476 Mississippi brigade, and that the defence was made by Lane's North Carolina brigade. The source or manner of his information he does not state, but advises "by all means" the publication of General Lane's official report. In the January number, 1877, page 19, appears the official report of Brig.-Gen'l J. H. Lane, accompanied by statements of several officers of his brigade. In the February number, 1877, page 82, is an extract from "A Soldier's Story of the War," by Napier Bartlett, giving an account of the defence of Fort Gregg. The July number, 1877, page 18, contains an account from the pen of Maj.-Gen'l C. M. Wilcox of "The defence of Battery Gregg and Evacuation of Petersburg."

As the defence of Battery Gregg, April 2d, 1865, has thus been made a matter of controversy, I shall now state facts from memoranda made in writing in the latter part of the year 1865.

On the night of April 1st, 1865, I received orders from Maj.-Gen'l Mahone, whose division occupied the lines between Swift Run Creek and the James river, to hold my command in readiness to move at a moment's warning.

About two o'clock A. M, of the 2d, received orders to move at once with my command to Petersburg, cross at the Upper Pontoon bridge, and report to General Lee. I arrived at Petersburg a little after sunrise, crossed at the bridge as directed, and found General Lee a short distance therefrom, mounted, with some of his staff around him; and reported as ordered. General Lee asked a staff officer who just then rode up, if Gordon wanted any help; the officer replied that Gordon directed him to say that he thought he could hold his lines without further aid. General Lee then ordered me to report to Major General Wilcox, near the Newman house on the Boydton plank road. I moved my command at quick time and found Gen'l Wilcox on the plank road, not far from the Newman house. As I approached I saw that the enemy had broken through his lines in heavy force, and was extending in line of battle across the open fields in the direction of the Southside railroad.

General Wilcox says (July No., 1877, page 16):