Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/188

 182 Southern Historical Society Papert.

eral Hagood received a dispatch directing him to report to General Pickett at Petersburg. Before the end of the day we heard that our three companies, with Graham, had met Butler's forces.

Lieutenant-Colonel Dargan, with the part of the Twenty-first which first arrived at Petersburg, had been sent to Drewry's Bluff. He was soon ordered to leave that place and proceed at once to Walthall Junction, a station on the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad, about six miles from Petersburg. There, about 1:45 P. M., he was joined by Colonel Graham and the companies under his command. The colonel discovered that the enemy were in heavy force in his front, and at once selected a position and formed line of battle along a road on the edge of a field, about three hundred yards east of the railroad. I extract from the report of Colonel Graham as follows : " I had hardly formed my line of battle, when I was attacked by a force esti- mated to be at least two brigades with several pieces of artillery. They were driven back in confusion. They again formed for an attack and attempted to turn my left flank. Perceiving this, I sent all my force that could be spared to this point. They (the enemy) were met with such a deadly fire that they retreated in confusion from the field, leaving some of their dead and wounded on the field.

" I cannot fail to mention the gallant conduct of both officers and men. The right of the line was commanded by Lieutenant -Colonel Dargan and the left by Major Glover, Twenty-fifth South Carolina volunteers.

" I lost in this action thirty-five men (two killed and twenty-eight wounded of the Twenty- first South Carolina volunteers, and five wounded of the Twenty-fifth South Carolina volunteers)."

The train which bore us went into Petersburg and stopped in front of Jarratt's Hotel as the sun was setting. Both sides of the railroad were lined with men, women and children, who cheered us as we passed them. General Hagood went to report to General Pickett, and we were left to wait at the place where we disembarked. We had had nothing to eat since leaving Wilmington, except hardtack and raw bacon, and our appetites were unusually good even for sol diers. A genial gentleman came among the men inquiring for the officer in command. When he found me he told me that his supper was ready and that I was the person he was looking for. I told him that I could not go with him, as I was momentarily expecting the return of the general, and it would not do for me to be absent when he came back. He insisted, and upon his assurance that he would not detain me long, I found that inclination had so far mastered duty