Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/332

 322 Southern Historical Society Papers.

lished at No. 7, I withdrew this regiment also to the west side of the creek. The new Une now held by our forces was the chord of the arc of the abandoned works. I also brought in and sent to the ord- nance officer two field-pieces, spiked, that had been abandoned by our troops the day before.

The enemy shelled our position furiously during the day, and the skirmishers were constantly engaged. They ostentatiously formed for battle several times during the day, beyond musket range, there being no artillery on our portion of the line, and about dark a feeble effort at assault was made upon my centre, none getting nearer than seventy-five yards to our line. It was kept up for an hour or more, but they were kept at bay without trouble, and finally retired.

Captains Hopkins and Palmer and Adjutant Gelling, of the Twenty-seventh regiment, were killed by the same shell, and several enlisted men were killed and wounded during the day. Lieutenant Alleming was wounded, and has since died. I grieve to add the names of these gallant officers to the bloody record of the last two months. In this short time the best and bravest of my command have been laid beneath the soil of Virginia.

On the 17th nothing occurred with me except pretty heavy shell- ing from the enemy. Having no artillery to reply to them, their practice was very accurate, and inflicted some loss upon us. Our earthworks were diligently strengthened, and assumed a respectable profile.

At 1:30 A. M. on the i8th I received orders to withdraw to a line some eight hundred yards in rear of our position, which had been partially prepared for occupation. This new line rested upon the Appomattox some two hundred yards west of the house of the younger Hare, and ran nearly at right angles to the river, passing over the western end of the eminence upon which the elder Hare resides, known as Hare's Hill. I was to occupy again the extreme left. This movement was executed safely, and the troops again in position before daylight.

Shortly after daylight, the enemy advanced upon our old line and finding it abandoned, came on with vociferous cheers. As soon as these skirmishers encountered our new picket line, their line of bat- tle halted and heavy skirmishing commenced. This continued until about 2 P. M., the skirmishers alternately driving each other. We lost several killed and wounded and a (ew prisoners, but inflicting an equal or greater loss upon the enemy, and capturing between 25 and 30 prisoners.