battle was then formed, with the Second Brigade in our rear as a support. At half-past three o'clock, the enemy attacked in force the line of the First Division, but was again repulsed. A fierce fire was, however, kept up until dark.

During the day the enemy also attacked the line occupied by one of the regiments of our brigade. Without the loss of a man, they not only repulsed him, but captured one entire rebel regiment, the Fifty-ninth Alabama, with its colors, and one hundred and sixty-five officers and men. No determined attack was made upon any other portion of our brigade line, and our losses during the engagement were comparatively light.

In the evening we established a strong picket line in our front, and the remainder of the troops returned to camp.

On the morning of the twenty-seventh, we were again turned out under arms, by sharp and heavy firing on our right. It soon ceased, however, and we spent the remainder of the day in quiet.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE CAPTURE OF PETERSBURG AND RICHMOND,-BATTLES OF AMELIA SPRINGS AND LITTLE SAILOR'S CREEK,- -SURRENDER OF GENERAL LEE.

RDERS were received during the evening of Tuesday, March twenty-eighth, 1865, to hold the command in readiness to move at six o'clock on the following morning, at which time we broke camp, fell into line,

and were soon on our way.

The plans of General Grant had been carefully matured, and the hour had come to strike the death-blow of rebellion, and extinguish the demoralized remnant of Lee's army. The Second Corps crossing Hatcher's Run, advanced, by the Vaughan Road, in the direction of the Boydton Plank Road, upon which rested the right of the rebel army. The Fifth Corps connected with the Second, and the cavalry of Sheridan was massed still farther to the left, in readiness at the proper time to strike the right flank and rear of Lee's

army. The day was spent in taking positions, and advancing slowly in the direction of the enemy's line. We halted at dark, and throwing up a hasty line of breastworks, sent out our skirmishers, and remained on the alert through the night.

At six o'clock on the following morning, we advanced in line of battle more than a mile, through a dense swamp, and encountered the enemy's skirmishers within sight of his main line of works. At our approach the enemy opened upon us with artillery, with but little effect, however. We were again halted, in order to enable the left of the line to get into position, and threw up another line of rifle pits.

At two o'clock, A. M., of Friday, the thirty-first, we marched to the left, halting on the right of the Boydton Road, and near the scene of our battle of October twenty-seventh. The Fifth Corps and the cavalry were engaged during the day, but it was comparatively quiet in our front.

Major Mattocks, who had been a prisoner in the hands of the enemy since the battle of the Wilderness, rejoined the regiment, and reported for duty at this place, "just in time for Lannigan's Ball."

During the night there was an incessant cannonade on the lines in front of Petersburg, and severe musketry on our left. We made no forward or offensive movement on the first of April; but during the night orders were received for the Ninth and Sixth Corps, and

the Second Division of the Second Corps to attack the enemy at half-past four on the following morning.

At the appointed hour" the ball opened," commencing on the right. The cannonading along the entire line was terrific and continuous, and the musketry was very fierce. Soon the rebel lines were pierced, and the Sixth Corps pressed forward, sweeping the astonished and panic-stricken foe before them.

A reconnoissance in our front, developed the fact, that he was hastily leaving his works, and we accordingly advanced and occupied them without opposition, taking many prisoners. We continued our advance up the Boydton Plank Road and in the direction of Petersburg. On the outskirts of the city, the enemy had constructed and held menacingly a strong line of entrenchments. Connecting with the Sixth Corps, we built breastworks and remained quiet during the night.

We were under quite severe shelling during the day, but with our telescopic rifles we soon succeeded in silencing the batteries that annoyed us.

On the morning of Monday, April third, there was no enemy to be seen in our front, and we learned, to our joy, that the Ninth Corps had taken posession of the city of Petersburg. The men were very jubilant over the good news, and signified their delight in various ways. We marched twenty miles during the day, and the soldiers seemed to think that they were

for once in a fair way to tie up that famous " Bag," which the army of the Potomac had so long been preparing for the reception of Lee's army.

Official intelligence was also received during the day, that the negro soldiers had taken possession of the long coveted city of Richmond. The joy that gladdened the hearts of all, at the intelligence of the fall of the proud and arrogant head-quarters of treason, was not diminished by the fact, that the pride of the great southern metropolis had been humbled, and that it had been reserved for the colored soldiers to capture the rebel capital.

Large numbers of deserters came into our lines, and the number of voluntary prisoners was large. They were most thoroughly disheartened, and seemed to regard the last days of the Southern Confederacy near at hand.

On the fourth. the regiment, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hobson, with two others from the brigade, was sent back a short distance to corduroy the roads.

On Wednesday, the fifth, we marched nearly all day, taking position on the left of the Fifth Corps.

On the following day, we marched to Amelia Springs. Soon after passing the springs, we formed in line of battle, the Seventeenth being assigned temporarily to the First Brigade, and forming a support to the left of the brigade line.