back over our rifle-pits. At this moment a panic commenced. The black and white troops came pouring back together. A few, more gallant than the rest, without organization, but guided by a soldier's instinct, remained on the side of the pits nearest our line and held the enemy at bay some ten or fifteen minutes, until they were nearly all shot away. The Nineteenth U. S. Colored Troops being in rear was unable to enter the line, but moved up until it rested. The left and right flanks of the right and left wings rested on the line, and its own line ran to the right of the exploded fort. They remained there unable to strike a blow, but received heavy losses. About 100 of the men of this regiment, with some of the officers, went into the crater and remained there for hours, expending all their own ammunition and all they could take from the cartridge-boxes of the wounded and dead men that lay thick together in the bottom of this pit. After the repulse the brigade was reformed just in rear of our (now) front line and lay there until 2.30 p. m. It was then filed around to the right by a little hill, and there lay until sunset, when we marched to and reoccupied the ground we had left in the morning. Whether we fought well or not, the scores of our dead lying as thick as if mowed down by the hand of some mighty reaper and the terrible loss of officers can best attest. Nearly all the officers who came under my eye were fighting with bravery and coolness. My staff did good service. Captain Dempey, acting assistant adjutant-general, was conspicuous, brave, and hard at work throughout the whole affair. It would be invidious to mention individual cases of regimental commanders when all, so far as I could see, behaved admirably. I desire, however, to pay a passing tribute to Lieutenant-Colonel Bross, Twentyninth U. S. Colored Troops, who led the charge of this brigade. He was the first man to leap over the works, and bearing his colors in his own hands he fell never to rise again. I would also speak of the gal lant and genial Maj. Theodore H. Rockwood, Nineteenth U. S. Colored Troops, who, when the regiment was ordered forward, sprang upon the parapet, the first man, and fell cheering his regiment on. Such men cannot easily be replaced, nor the void they leave in our hearts readily filled. I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain HICKS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Fourth Division, Ninth Corps. No. 214. Report of Lieut. Col. J. Albert Monroe, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Chief of Artillery, of operations July 30. HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Before Petersburg, Va., August 5, 1864. CAPTAIN: I respectfully forward the following report of the oper ations of the artillery of this corps (the Ninth) during the assault upon the enemy's position July 30: The position of the batteries was as follows: Thomas' (Second Maine) battery on the right on the front of the First Division, Rogers' (Nineteenth New York) and Jones' (Eleventh Massachusetts) batteries on the front of the Second Division, and to the rear and left of the place No. 215. Reports of Capt. Albert F. Thomas, Second Maine Battery.* FIFTH EPOCH. At 6 p. m. of the 12th [June] left position and took up the line of march, crossing the Chickahominy on the morning of the 14th, and camping on the north bank of the James the following night. 15th, crossed the James and went into park, where we remained till the morning of the 16th, when we marched to near Petersburg, where we now remain. Here the battery has taken a part in all the principal engagements in which the Ninth Corps has been engaged. 19th, Corpl. W. Ott slightly wounded; 20th and 21st, had 5 horses killed; 27th, Private A. Peabody wounded; 28th, 2 horses killed; and on the 30th Private Thomas F. Simpson was killed by a sharpshooter. July 1, still in position, where we remained till the 5th, when we were relieved by the Eleventh Massachusetts Battery and went to the rear and went into camp, and there laid till the 24th, when the battery again took position, relieving the Twenty-seventh New York Battery, where it remained several days, engaging the enemy daily till the 30th, when, at daylight, we opened, according to orders, and kept up a brisk fire nearly all day, firing 550 rounds. When operations were over near the close of the day the fort on which I concentrated the fire from my battery could not show the slightest sign of an embrasure, we had so completely battered it down, while we received but slight injury, having but 5 men slightly wounded, not enough to excuse them from duty. Total amount of ammunition expended in my battery during the time herein specified, about 2,600 rounds. ALBERT F. THOMAS, Captain, Commanding Second Battery Maine Volunteers. SECOND MAINE BATTERY, Near Petersburg, Va., August 5, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to report that on the morning of July 30 I opened fire with my battery on the enemy's works at the explosion of the mine and continued firing at intervals all day, expending about 550rounds of ammunition. We received no material injury, having but 3 men slightly wounded. I am, sir, very respectfully, Lieutenant CHAPIN, ALBERT F. THOMAS, Captain, Commanding Second Maine Battery. Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Artillery, Ninth Army Corps. No. 216. Report of Capt. Ezekiel R. Mayo, Third Maine Battery, of operations July 30. HEADQUARTERS THIRD MAINE BATTERY, Before Petersburg, Va., August 3, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to report the following operations of this battery during the engagement last Saturday [July 30]: Opened with two sections in position to the right of Captain Roemer's battery, on the enemy's rifle-pits to the left of the crater, with appar *For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 5 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p. 921. |