CHAPTER XLIV.

Spring of 1865. The Beginning of the End. - Petersburg. - Rebel Assault on Fort Stedman. Repulse. Service of the First Connecticut Artillery.— The Second Artillery and the Fourteenth on the Left. - The Tenth and Thirtieth. - The First Cavalry at Five Forks.-The Tenth at Fort Gregg. Unsurpassed Gallantry.— Advance of the Whole Line. - Lee evacuates Petersburg and Richmond. - The Retreat and Pursuit. - First Cavalry at Sailor's Creek. Lee surrounded. - The Surrender. In North Carolina. — The Capitulation of Johnston's Army.

work of it.

VERY sign was ominous of the speedy downfall of the Confederacy, when in March, 1865, Grant and Sherman met President Lincoln at City Point; and the three chiefs decided to launch the final blows fast and heavy, and make short

Before the middle of the month, Lee had determined to abandon Richmond and Petersburg. The Union lines had been constantly strengthened, while his own army had become weaker and weaker every month. Moreover, his right was hard pressed by Warren and Hancock, who had gradually extended their works so near the Cox and Boydton roads as to make them unsafe as a line of retreat.

In this dilemma, Lee ordered a sudden and impetuous assault on Fort Stedman near the Appomattox (where the gallant Gen. Stedman had fallen); hoping thereby at least to relieve his menaced right. On March 25, the blow was struck. The system of fortifications to be attacked consisted of a series of field-works, each capable of containing a battery of artillery and an infantry garrison of two or three hundred men. These works were closed at the gorge; well protected with abatis and palisading; supplied with numerous bombproofs; and placed, at intervals of about six hundred yards,

on such ground as to sweep the line in front with artilleryfire. They were connected by strong infantry parapets, and had obstructions in front. Gen. Abbot of the First thus reported the situation, "Hare Hill was located near the right of our Petersburg line, about a mile from the Appomattox River. It was protected by Fort Stedman, with Battery No. 10 on its right, and Batteries Nos. 11 and 12 on its left. The next work, closed at the gorge on the side of the Appomattox River, was Battery No. 9, situated near the foot of the hill. The next work on the left of Hare Hill and its collection of batteries was Fort Haskell, situated on another hill, with a small creek between. Fort Stedman was one of the weakest and most ill-conditioned works of the line; being unprotected by abatis in rear; being masked on its rightjust in rear of Battery No. 10-by numerous bomb-proofs, rendered necessary by the terrible fire which habitually took place in this vicinity; and being only about two hundred yards distant from the enemy's main line. The parapet had settled greatly during the winter; and, in fine, the work was much exposed to sudden assault. Company K, First Connecticut Artillery, served mortar batteries in Batteries 9 and 10; and Company L of the same regiment, in Battery 12 and in Fort Haskell."

Fort Stedinan was commanded by Major Randall of the 14th New-Jersey Artillery, acting as infantry with a light battery. Batteries 8 and 9 were commanded by Lieut. Azro Drown of East Haddam; Battery 10 by Capt. John M. Twiss of Hartford; Batteries 11 and 12 by Lieut. Robert Lewis of East Berlin-all of the First Connecticut. The 9th Corps was in the rear as supports.

At about four o'clock, A.M., three divisions of the enemy, under Gen. Gordon, made a desperate and well-arranged attack upon these defenses. It was a complete surprise, and was successful. Their columns simultaneously swept over the parapet between Stedman and Battery 9, over Battery 10 and over Battery 11, joined in rear of the fort, and carried it almost without opposition. From that time to daylight, a hand-to-hand fight raged among the bomb-proofs, and on the flanks of the enemy's position. As the rebels swarmed over

DESPERATE REBEL ASSAULT.

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the parapet of Battery No. 10, First Lieut. John Odell of New London shouted out, "Fall in to the guns, boys!" when a rebel shot him dead. He was a young officer, and noted for his bravery and good soldierly qualities, much loved and respected by all. Gen Abbot says, "Lieut. Odell was a natural soldier; possessed of bravery of the highest character, enthusiastic devotion to duty, and a fine power of command over men. He died as he would have wished, with his face to the enemy, bravely rallying his men to meet overwhelming odds." "It was so dark that a man could hardly distinguish friend from foe, and the enemy had nearly gained possession of the batteries before the men knew of the movement. At one time, the rebels were firing part of the mortars in Battery No. 10, and our men firing the rest. The enemy made a spirited charge on Batteries 8 and 9; but Lieut. Drown used his mortars with such effect, that they had to retreat, losing heavily. At one time, the rebels were within two hundred yards of Battery No. 9, and five hundred yards. of Battery No. 8. Their loss at this point was very heavy, while our loss was slight.'

Gen. Abbot reported, "The Confederates assaulted Fort Haskell again and again, but failed to carry it or Battery No. 9. As soon as the light would admit, all my own artillery from Batteries 4, 5, 8, 9, and Fort Haskell, and all the light artillery which Gen. Tidball, chief of artillery, 9th Corps, could concentrate upon the position, opened and maintained a terrible fire upon the enemy. No re-inforcements could join him from his own line, owing to this fire. His captured position was entailing deadly loss upon him. Our reserves were rapidly assembling; and finally, about eight, A.M., they made a gallant charge, which resulted in the recovery of our works, of all our artillery (even including my Coehorn mortars), and in the capture of over eighteen hundred prisoners. The following extracts from the rebel papers show the effects of our artillery-fire. It was found that the inclosed works in the rear, commanding the enemy's main line, could only be taken at a great sacrifice.' 'The enemy massed his artillery so heavily in the neighboring forts, and

1 Narrative of Private Walter F. Sage of Berlin.

was enabled to pour such a terrible enfilading fire upon our ranks, that it was deemed best to withdraw.' 'The enemy enfiladed us from right and left in the captured works to such an extent, that we could no longer hold them without the loss of many men,' &c."

"The rebels did not have time to spike or otherwise harm any of the guns or mortars. They now commenced retreating towards their own lines; but this was not so easy a matter for them, as some of our forces had got between them and their lines. Now commenced the real work of the fight. Our troops charged them, and they broke and scattered like sheep. They finally succeeded in their escape, but with only a remnant of their forces. A heavy and continuous fire was kept up on their columns as they retreated, doing great execution." 2

Gen. Abbot continues: "The loss in the two companies of the First Artillery was heavy, amounting to sixty-five men. Company L, after bravely fighting in Battery No. 12 (open at the gorge) until nearly surrounded, was then marched by Lieut. Lewis, commanding, to Fort Haskell, where it participated in the gallant defense of that work. When the charge was made to recover our lines, this company was the first to re-enter Battery No. 12; capturing one lieutenant and twelve privates of the 26th Georgia, with their battle-flag. The latter was taken by Private G. E. McDonald, who has received a medal of honor for its capture. Lieut. Lewis deserves great credit for handsomely commanding his company. He speaks in high terms of Lieut. Ansel H. Couch of Danbury, and Sergeant James B. McNamara of Killingworth, for coolness and decision during the engagement. Lieut. W. H. H. Birgham of East Haddam, commanding a detachment of the company permanently stationed in Fort Haskell, also merits commendation. I have received a letter from Capt. J. M. Deane, 29th Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers, written to call attention to the gallant conduct of Private James T. Murphy of Company L, who volunteered to serve a light gun in Fort Haskell when its officer and all but two of its detachment were killed or wounded, and the gun was

2 Narrative of Private Walter F. Sage of Berlin.

GALLANT DEEDS OF ARTILLERYMEN.

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silenced. Private Murphy served at the piece with gallantry during the rest of the fight. The loss of the company was two enlisted men killed, five wounded, and thirteen missing.3 The portion of Company K stationed in Battery No. 10 suffered severely. Capt. Twiss was wounded, and Lieut. Odell killed, while gallantly fighting against overwhelming odds. The command of the company devolving on Lieut. James H. Casey of East Haven, he bravely led the remnant forward with the charging column, and recovered his mortars. The loss of the company was one officer and four enlisted men killed, one officer and two enlisted men wounded, and thirty-six enlisted men missing. Lieut. Drown, commanding a detachment of the company in Battery No. 9, served his pieces with skill, causing great havoc among the columns of the enemy, distant about two hundred yards. Lieut. Frank D. Bangs of Derby, with Company E in Battery 5, maintained a well-directed fire upon the enemy in Fort Stedman, although himself subjected to a very severe concentric fire from the batteries around him. One shell exploded in the magazine, killing Private James Smith, but, fortunately, not igniting the barrels of powder."

Capt. William C. Faxon of Stonington, commanding in Fort Avery, Lieut. H. D. Patterson of Naugatuck, commanding in Fort Morton, and Sergeant Collins Richmond of Glastenbury, commanding in Battery No. 8, are mentioned for creditable participation in the fight.

The Third Connecticut Battery, Capt. Thomas S. Gilbert of Derby, occupied the following fortifications: Craig, two guns, Lieut. Henry Middlebrook commanding; Lewis O. Morris, two guns, Lieut. Nelson B. Gilbert commanding; Gould, two guns, Lieut. William C. Beecher commanding; Porter, two guns, Lieut. Richard E. Hayden commanding. Capt. Gilbert was instructed by Gen. Benham to hold all the redoubts in readiness to open fire in case the enemy made an irrup

3 "Two men of Company L, seeing that the guns of Battery Haskell were silent, took sole possession of the battery, and commenced firing one of the guns. They kept up a fire on the rebels all through the action; firing in all one hundred and twenty-five shots. When it is considered that it takes six men to work a gun, the difficulty of this feat will be seen. Their names are James Murphy and William Huntington, the latter from Hartford."- Narrative of Private W. F. Sage.