Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/130

 120 Southern Historical Society Papers.^

distance of some three hundred yards and parallel to it. His posi- tion was well chosen in a sunken road, with his left resting upon a ravine and his right upon a wood. He succeeded in repulsing a con- siderably larger force than his own, accompanied by two pieces of artillery. From information received from prisoners the enemy were supposed to have been Hickman's brigade Our troops, both officers and men, must have behaved with distinguished gallantry, and I beg leave respectfully to refer for particulars to the reports of Colonel Graham, enclosed.

At dark on that night I arrived at Petersburg with the balance ot the Twenty-fifth regiment, and marched immediately from the cars to reinforce Colonel Graham. The Twenty-seventh arrived a little later and followed, the whole arriving at Port Walthal Junction before day. I found Brigadier-General Johnson also at that point with some eight hundred muskets. He informed me that hearing the firing of Gra- ham's action he had marched from the direction of Drewry's BluflTto reinforce him, arriving after the repulse of the enemy. The General ranking me, I reported to him for orders.

When day broke it was discovered that the enemy had in-the night retired from our front. I was ordered to take my three regiments and advance to feel for him. At lo A. M. I moved and found his line of pickets about a mile and a half on our left front. The morn- ing was spent in manoeuvering and skirmishing, and finally the press- ing of the enemy indicated an advance. I fell back under orders to the railroad, my left resting on the crossing of the turnpike and rail- road ; General Johnson's men on my right upon the railroad, and the Twenty-first regiment in reserve in rear of my centre and upon the turnpike.

The enemy appeared at 2 P. M., in two lines of battle witii skirm- ishers well thrown out, and warmly engaged us. His line was oblique to mine and tending to overlap my left. After some half hour's fight- ing his second line was moved under cover of an intervening wood by right and appeared within musket range, approaching square upon my left, the left of this force being upon the prolongation of my left. The Twenty- First regiment had been ordered up into line upon my left in the beginning of the fight, and I was now compelled under a cross fire from two brigades to change my front. This necessitated great ex- posure of officers in effecting, but was happily done. The lives of some of the best and bravest of my command, of all grades, paying for its accomplishment. Soon after my new line was taken, I ordered an advance and the flanking brigade was driven back, not again reap-