Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/284

 274 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Operations from the 6th to the nth of May, 1864 — Report of General B. R.

Johnson.

Headquarters Johnson's Brigade,

Drewry's Bluff, May 31, 1864.

Captai7i T. O. Chestney, A- A. G :

Sir, — I submit the following report of the operations of the troops under my command on the southside of James river from the 6th to the nth May, 1864, inclusive :

At 3 A. M. on the 6th instant I arrived at Drewry's Bluff from Chaffin's farm with my brigade, numbering in the aggregate 1,168 officers and men present, and occupied Fort Stevens. About 5 A. M. a part of the Twenty-first South Carolina regiment of Hagood's brigade under Lieutenant-Colonel Dargan, arrived, and was placed in position. While making a personal examination of the adjacent country a dispatch from Major-General Ransom, commanding de- partment, was received by my Assistant Adjutant- General, ordering Hagood's brigade to proceed immediately to Port Walthall junction, by rail, if there was a train to carry it. There being no train at the station, some three or four dispatches were exchanged in my ab- sence by my Assistant Adjutant-General ; during which correspond- ence the detachment of the Twenty-first South Carolina regiment marched for Port Walthall junction.

About II A. M. the following dispatch was handed to me in per- son :

Richmond, May 6, 1864.

Brigadier- General B. R. Johnson :

I am astonished Hagood's brigade is not now at Port Walthall junction. March it, and if necessary to stop the enemy, your own, too, as quickly as possible to that point. The railroad must not fall into the enemy's hands. Rapidity is necessary. Act at once. If the enemy be at Port Walthall dislodge him.

[Signed] R. Ransom, Major- General.

This was the first intimation I had that the enemy was threatening the railroad. I immediately put my brigade in motion, and had ad- vanced to within about two miles of the junction when I received the