Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 19.djvu/111

 Battle of Drewry's Bluff. 105

Mr. T. Griffin, a member of the Twenty-third Massachusetts, in a recent letter to me, writes that Colonel Stancel, of the Forty- first Ala- bama (which was the left of Gracie's brigade), wrote him that " they (the Forty-first) passed up the road and forced the enemy's right, capturing a portion of the Ninth New Jersey regiment."

General Gracie, seeing that he could not make headway, now turned to General William R. Terry, commanding Kemper's, his supporting brigade, for assistance. General Terry, in a recent con- versation with me, stated, as to what occurred, that General Gracie came up to him (probably after speaking to Colonel Maury), with the request : " General, let me have one of your regiments," stating that part of his line had given away. To which General Terry replied : " You can have two," thinking that the men might just as well be in action as to remain where they were then halted, exposed as they were. After a second's pause, General Terry added, " General Gra- cie, let your men lie down, and let me have the front." To which Gracie replied : "Very well; you are entitled to it."

Mr. E. T. Witherby, of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts, now of Shelby, Alabama, in a letter to me writes that, " in conversation with Lieutenant-Colonel Troy, of the Sixtieth Alabama, he was informed that while the Sixtieth was lying down east of the road some troops passed them and went into the road ahead, and these troops, he af- terwards learned, were Kemper's men."

THE "OLD FIRST" ADVANCES.

Colonel R. L. Maury, commanding the Twenty-fourth Virginia (who was severely wounded in that fight) says that General Gracie came to him, desiring his support, saying, as he understood it, that two of his regiments had given away, whereupon he (Colonel Maury) at once ordered his regiment to advance without even waiting for General Terry's orders. Then the Eleventh was-sent forward on the left of the Twenty-fourth. Next our turn came, and the " Old First" advanced down towards the creek. The right of the line coming in front of the swamp or pond and the left meeting with the tangled undergrowth in the creek, on the left of the road, the men crowded together in the road. Passing over the position vacated by the Ninth New Jersey, and following our colors, carried by the gallant John Q. F igg, we advanced down the road, meeting neither friend nor foe, while now on our left, now our rear, the battle din continued una- bated.