Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 25.djvu/227

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of the battle have been meagre, and that a Confederate statement

should supplement the Federal account of Mr. Alley.

II \(OOD*S BRIGADE.

The Confederate lines attacked at that time were held by Hagood's South Carolina Brigade, and were those to the north of Petersburg, commencing at the Appomattox river on the west, and extending \.udly across the Charles City dirt road and railroad north of and alongside of Hare's Race Course to the salient on the lines held by Colquitt's brigade. Hagood's, Colquitt's and Clingman's bri- gades comprised Hoke's division. Clingman's brigade did not come up until the igth. The extreme west of the line was held by a Vir- ginia battery on the banks of the Appomattox, and from there to the Charles City dirt road were the nth, 2ist, 2jth and 25th regi- ments. Between the dirt road and railroad was a fort, and to the east of the railroad was another fort. These forts were held by the 7th battalion, under Major James H. Rion. Colonel Nelson was absent, and did not return until the igth. He was killed five days afterwards, on nearly the same field. From Rion's forts to Col- quitt's salient there was a short gap. The forts were somewhat nearer to the Federal lines than the salient, but when on the igth the forts were abandoned and new lines established south of Hare's Race Course, in the old canal, then the gap was closed and Col- quitt's salient became nearer the Federal lines. Beyond Colquitt's salient to the east the lines ran to the salient, variously called Pe- gram's (who occupied it on the i8th of June), Elliott's (who there fought the mine fight in August) and Gracie's (who held it after the mine fight). None of these, however, were engaged on the i8th of June.

The attack of the Federals commenced on the i6th. From the Virginia battery, on the banks of the Appomattox, to the Colquitt salient, the Confederate lines were there held by General Wise's Virginia brigade and the Virginia reserves. The Federals came across the James river and advanced on Petersburg by the Charles City roads. They swept across Wise's lines, leaving no Confeder- ate position occupied except that of the Virginia battery at the Ap- pomattox. From that point to Colquitt's salient, the Confederate lines remained undefended until late in the evening and during the night, when they were re-occupied by the arrival of reinforcements of Hagood's brigade.