Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 19.djvu/115

 Battle of Dreivry's Bluff. 109

Company D; A. Jeff. Vaughan, Company G, and T. R. Kelley, Company I, were captured. Of A. Jeff. Vaughan it is related that one of the Federals called his attention to his bringing them back to their men, when Jeff, told him "to mind his own business." On get- ting to the enemy's line he was challenged with " Who comes there?" and Jeff, replied, "None of your business; I belong to the Old First. Who are you ? " He was requested to come in.

With the charge of the Seventh Virginia, the fight on this part of the field ceased, but toward the turnpike (the right of the line) the fighting became hotter and hotter, and lasted for several hours, until the enemy was driven from his position, and the wedge which inter- posed between Richmond and Petersburg was removed.

But to return to my sketch. We were halted on the line we had taken, where our sadly thinned ranks were reformed, partly in the enemy's log works and partly in a line which we hastily threw up on higher ground in rear of the captured line.

Volunteers were called for by Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. Langley, commanding the First Virginia, to see and report what was in our front, and I was one of them. Going to that part of the field over which we came while on our flanking move, we found several wounded Federals, whom we made as comfortable as we could. I talked to one of them who was shot through the body, and he pointed to another, who was shot through the thigh, and informed me that he was his son. They lay about fifteen feet apart, both badly wounded and helpless. We, however, did not see a single wounded or dead Confederate on that part of the field, which was the route over which the Federals were driven. While looking around I found a small United States guide flag, which served me as a hand- kerchief for many days thereafter, and one of the wounded (a ser- geant) handed me his sword, which I retained until recently, when I presented it to Mr. H. A. White, of Leicester, Massachusetts, ser- geant of Company H, Twenty-fifth Massachusetts. With the excep- tion of some slight firing, which occurred soon after taking posses- sion of the line, we were not disturbed in our new position, but re- mained quietly resting there all day.

LOSSES OF THE BATTLE.

The losses of the battle, according to A. A. Humphrey's "In Vir- ginia Campaigns of 1864 and 1865," are given as follows : Butler's army killed, three hundred and ninety ; wounded, seventeen hun-