July 3rd
Sunday

By this time the project of Gen. Burnside to dig a mine under the advance position which Gen. Griffin had taken possession of in the charge of the 18th began to attract some attention; it had been somewhat ridiculed heretofore, but now since the 2nd and 6th Corps had failed in their advance toward the left, this seemed to be the only resource left in the way of making offensive movements against the enemy.

To take full advantage of the successful explosion of the mine it would be necessary to mass all the available force of the Army there, consisting of the 2nd and 6th Corps, then on our left; and holding a position of no importance.

It was determined that we should hold the flank of the Army by two or three detached redoubts of large dimensions, able to take care of themselves if the enemy should break in between them.

Before these were located the sense of the community was once more taken upon the advisability of a general assault against the lines, but the report of every general was unfavorable.

July 4th
Monday

Gen. Ayres' pickets were advanced a short distance along the old line of the enemy's works to take possession of an abandoned earthwork halfway between the lines. Gen. Hunt and Maj. Duane were out on our front examining it for the purpose of selecting sites for batteries to aid in the assault of Burnside; they were to comprise counter batteries and batteries to sweep the ground behind the enemy's lines and prevent their reinforcing their lines.

The present site of Fort Hell was considered a favorable place for a redoubt, as it would control the whole open country near the enemy's lines towards the Weldon R.R. Gen. Meade objected to having it done but the lines for it were marked out by a rifle pit after dark.

July 5th
Tuesday

The two redoubts were laid out today. Forts Davis and Prescott respectively; the former intended for 1500 men and 8 guns, and the latter for 500 men and guns; the completion of these redoubts would enable us to hold our left with a small force, and in case the enemy would turn them further south they would have to go so far around that we would get timely notice of it.

From this time until

July 11th, Monday inclusive

Everybody was busy on these redoubts; each Div. furnished large details, both day and night. 2000 men of the 2nd Corps also assisted.

On this day they were about ready to be occupied by our troops. On the 9th, the 6th Corps left for City Point, en route for Washington. The 2nd Corps took up part of their lines, and in consequence Crawford extended his left so as to take up part of the right of the 2nd Corps. There was a feeling of insecurity this day and all the troops were under orders to move at a moment's notice.

July 12th
Tuesday

The 2nd Corps moved away this day, going in reserve near the deserted house; they left one Brig. on picket (Col. Smith's). In consequence of this withdrawal the redoubts were fully occupied today, although the large one was still in an unfinished state. Col. Davis, 39th Mass. was killed today in the large redoubt by a shell bursting under the chair he was sitting on; the redoubt was named after him.

A connecting line between the two redoubts was also finished about this time; it was put up under the direction of Maj. Duane.

July 13th
Wednesday

The day was principally devoted to slashing timber on each side of the plank road by Carle's and Hays' Brigades. In consequence of the removal of the 2nd Corps, the Cavalry under Gen. Gregg and Ferrero's colored troops reported to gen. Warren; they covered the left flank and rear from the Jerusalem plank road to the Norfolk road.

All quiet on the lines.

July 14th
Thursday

Working on redoubts all day. In the afternoon rode along Ferrero's line, selecting the ground for a new picket line, and then continued around the picket line of Smyth's Brig. until we struck Crawford's. Arrangements were made while going along to have the new picket line of the colored troops occupied by them that afternoon, and also for Crawford to relieve Smyth's picket line of the 2nd Corps. All this was done in the afternoon and evening, Smyth rejoining the 2nd Corps that night.

July 15th
Friday

Nothing special occurred. Fort Hell nearly ready for guns if it were desirable to put any in. The usual work was going on in the lines. An explosion took place in one of the rebel batteries produced by a shell from a 9th Corps battery.

July 16th
Saturday

The work on the various batteries is gradually drawing to a close, with one or two exceptions near the mine. The little abandoned earthwork to which Ayres' pickets were advanced 2 weeks previous has been converted into a 16 gun battery for field pieces.

July 17th
Sunday

A number of deserters came in after dark stating that an attack would be made on our lines before daybreak; our lines were manned all night waiting for them, but nothing came of it.

July 18th-19th
Monday-Tuesday

Nothing of importance occurred.

The rear line where Ferrero is working is nearly finished. Work on batteries continued every night.

July 20th-26th (Wednesday-Tuesday) incl.

Burnside quietly boring away at his mine; our men busily working at batteries including the two heavy mortar batteries; the nightly details furnished by our Corps average from 1000 to 1500 men regularly.

The 2nd Corps crossed the James over to Deep Bottom. Weather very hot.

July 27th Wednesday

A force of the enemy's infantry appeared at the Gurley house in front of our cavalry pickets, making no offensive demonstration, however; 2nd Brig. of Gen. White's Div. 9th Corps were sent around to our left to help in case of attack.

There was an unusual commotion in the rebel lines the night previous. It is surmised that the force at the Gurley house was there looking for Hancock, whose whereabouts was unknown to them.

Preparations were made to relieve Gen. Ayres' Div. from the line, by letting the reserve Brig. of Gen. Griffin hold the most of his line. The batteries took up so much room now as to materially shorten the infantry line. Many deserters come in nowadays.

July 28th-29th Thursday-Friday

As the mine was to be exploded on the morning of the 30th, these two days were spent in busy preparations, many of which were only finished on the morning of the 30th. The night of the 29th was busily employed getting the 10" and 8" mortars in position, putting shell and powder into the magazines. Before daylight on the 30th, the whole of Div. of Gen. Ayres was massed in the railroad cut, ready to go in after Burnside's men had all gone in.

July 30th
Saturday

I went down to the neighborhood of the mine in the evening before the explosion to look at the arrangements. One single narrow and very crooked covered way led to the ground near the mouth of the mine, where the charging columns formed previous to the assault, the space here was very limited and entirely inadequate for assembling a large body of men for making a rush. The greater part of this covered way was exposed to the enemy's fire, especially where it descended and emerged from the railroad cut; owing to the place d'armes being so small, the progress of the column coming down the covered way would necessarily be very slow, leaving them exposed to the enemy's fire so much longer.

In addition to Gen. Ayres' Div. the 9th Corps were supported by the 18th Corps under Gen. Ord; the 2nd Corps also came back in course of the morning from deep bottom; almost the entire Army was therefore at hand. Owing to a defect in the fuze the mine did not explode at 4 o'clock, but an hour later. The charge, I think, was 8000 pounds; depth of ground 25'. As no one present had ever seen that much powder exploded at once, the most extravagant expectations were indulged in as to the effect. When it did take place everyone was disappointed. There was a solid column of smoke, flame and dirt say 200' wide and 200' high, visible for perhaps 15 seconds, then everything subsided, and a heavy cloud of black smoke floated off. The whole mass of earth had settled down again into the hole, of course thoroughly shaken up and with everything on top turned upside down, or partially buried; there was a small crater in the centre of the mine. The charge of powder had not been sufficient to throw the earth far, and no damage at all was done to the enemy's lines immediately adjacent to the mine. The location of the mine was also short of the proper point, as the enemy's covered way remained intact, behind the edge of the crater.

Immediately after the explosion, all our guns opened, firing at first almost nothing at all. We had about 52 field guns in position, 16 heavy mortars, and 20 rifled 32". I went over to Gen. Burnside's HdQrs to ascertain how he was getting along and how soon he would need our cooperation. His men had been lying for several hours waiting for the explosion, and were pretty well scared when it did take place; moreover for weeks previous their minds had been wrought up about it. The result was that for half an hour the men refused to go forward, and the most favorable opportunity was lost for taking advantage of the surprise.

The plan had been that our troops should march right through the opening caused by the explosion, and mass on the crest beyond, overlooking the town, instead of rolling up the enemy's line right and left by the flank.

Ledlie's Div. stopped in the crater, instead of going any further, glad to find shelter from the musketry fire the enemy was pouring in from each flank; the men were so disorganized when they got up there, after running the gauntlet for 150 yds. that nothing could be done with them. After this one Div. was out of the way, the colored troops rushed up and piled in on top of the white Div. lying in the crater; this only added to the confusion; some efforts were made to go farther, which only ended in the men plunging headlong into the covered way beyond; one gun of the enemy's played into this mass at short range; our guns could not silence this piece owing to the obstruction caused by a grove of trees in the 9th Corps' front which had not been cut down the night previous. The batteries on our own 5th Corps front had completely silenced the enemy's artillery and the musketry which at first sprang up, soon subsided. Our mortar practice, which at first was very poor, owing to defective powder, grew better, and caused several explosions in the salient at which it was principally directed. Some people were rather disappointed that the enemy did not fire more, so as to bring into play for at least a few hours that immense covered way which our army had been constructing for at least a month or longer. By this time, 6 A.M., our men had put up some flags on the crater, which became visible as the smoke ceased and our unnecessary cannonading slackened. It appeared then to us lookers on that we had at any rate effected a permanent lodgment there, if nothing more. Word was received about this time from Gen. Crawford that the enemy were striking their tents behind their lines towards the Leadworks, and moving off toward the mine; when this was communicated to Gen. Meade, he at once sent orders that Crawford should assault the enemy's lines in his front; and word was sent him by Gen. Warren to make a demonstration at least with Baxter's Brig. and part of Lyle's. Gen. Crawford did not think even this practicable and so nothing was done on the left.

At 8 A.M the niggers still held the crater, that one gun firing into them all the time. Gen. Ord attempted one or two assaults on the enemy's lines to the right of the mine, but they failed altogether. Gen. Ayres was now directed to examine the ground and approaches on the left of the mine for the purpose of making an attack, on the enemy's lines there and if possible capture that piece of the enemy. After this examination was made, and while Gen. Meade's approval was still awaited, a sudden stampede occurred among the colored troops at the crater; a black swarm of men was seen rushing for our lines, and presently everyone saw that it was all over for that day. A column of the enemy's reinforcements had been moving in a covered way were now seen and shelled by our batteries causing half of them to turn back, but the rest went to the mine, and then a slaughter commenced which lasted pretty much all day. Most of the white troops were captured and the niggers were pretty much all killed before night.

Our own loss was very trifling, 20 or 30. Gen. Ayres' Div. went back at once to their camps; orders were issued to have all the heavy guns and mortars removed that night.

Spectators amused themselves with looking at the crater and seeing the rebs hunt niggers and shoot them.

Every little while some fellow would run the gauntlet and get back to our lines, but many were shot on the way back.

Gen. Grant himself was present at one time in the morning, and saw what was going on. One great drawback to the success of the affair was our artillery fire which opened as soon as the mine exploded, covering the whole filed with a pall of smoke and frightening our men more than the rebel fire did, especially as a great many of our shells burst short; most frequently from the battery near the Avery house.

July 31st
Sunday

The Div. of Gen. Cutler was moved from its place in the line and took up position on the rear line where the colored troops had been, picketing the whole line from the Jerusalem road to the plank road. The 2nd Corps were at that time massed around the Norfolk road, Gibbon being close to Cutler. At the same time we relieved a small force of the 2nd Corps who had been garrisoning one or two of the rear redoubts for a few days. Two batteries of Maj. Hazard's remained yet for a day or two until ours could be taken away from the main line.

August 1st
Monday

Nothing particular occurred. Some 300 men were at work changing the line a little to the west of Fort Hell. All quiet. Flag of truce to bury the dead at the mine. The wounded had all died by this time from thirst and the intense heat. Musketry firing was still kept up at the mine, night and day.

August 2nd
Tuesday

While paying a visit to Fort Hell, the officer commanding a regular battery there reported that suspicious sounds could be hear in one of the magazines, like the striking of a pickaxe under ground, indicating that the enemy might be mining the place. Both Gen. Warren and myself heard such sounds, and although not positively convinced that they arose from such a cause it was deemed best to take measures at once for counteracting any operation of the kind on the part of the rebels. Three pits were sunk in the ditch down to the water line, and two galleries were driven toward the enemy for a distance of 20 feet. These were intended chiefly as listening places, beside answering as the commencement of a countermine.

As nothing has ever happened there, it must be sent down as an illusion as far as the rebs are concerned, and affords an example of the distance that sounds can be conveyed under ground, the sound probably being produced somewhere inside of our own lines.

Work was still kept up at night on some of our batteries.

August 3rd
Wednesday

Nothing special occurred. Bartlett's pickets were advanced a little during the night, so as to get a view down the ravine in front of the enemy's salient but nothing special was discovered. Details at work during the night on fort in front of the 10 guns mortar battery and to the left of Fort Hell.

August 4th-8th, (Thursday-Monday)

Everything quiet; busy working on our forts every night. The enemy likewise was busy strengthening his lines, and working at his rear line on the plank road, and on some forts on the Weldon road by the Lead works. The enemy exploded a counter mine in front of the 18th Corps, but nothing came of it beyond some firing and keeping our men under arms for a short time. News came of capture of forts in Mobile harbor.

August 9th-12th incl. (Tuesday-Friday)

Tremendous explosion at City Point of an ordnance boat; considerable loss of life and limb, besides scaring Gen. Grant's HdQrs. (Al Baxter)

About this time the Investigating Committee on the "mine" was in full blast creating considerable stir.

Deserters from the enemy quite frequent.

Gen. Warren made a proposition to capture the enemy's picket line at the Jerusalem road—not acceded to. Private information received through deserters that Kershaw's Div. had gone North. Heavy details at work every night finishing the forts. Weather very hot. The enemy opened for the first time from a rifled 32 pdr. on the 2nd line on the Jerusalem road; shelled the nigger camps.

August 13th
Saturday

Working details began to be very heavy, causing much dissatisfaction.

A confidential note was rec'd from HdQrs to get ourselves prepared for a move at any time with 6 days rations and 4 days forage and 4 on the men.

The 2nd Corps moved again across the James River; Field's Div. of the enemy ditto.

In view of the circumstance the details were stopped and no more work was done on the fortifications. First heavy rain of the season.

August 14th
Sunday

Transportation manifests from Gen. Birney to carry off 4 guns and 2 mortars captured by him. Gregg went up the Charles City road to White's tavern 7m. from Richmond.

The main movement of Hancock was a failure, notwithstanding his embarking, and disembarking on seagoing transports.

All quiet on our front.

August 15th
Monday

During the previous night Gen. Parke relieved Griffin's Div. in the line; they retired massing near the Cheeves house; and Gen. Ferrero relieved Gen. Crawford's troops from the redoubts, the latter massing in the neighborhood of Ayres' Div. Everything quiet otherwise.

August 16th
Tuesday

Enormous details ordered for fatigue duty, but all countermanded.

Orders issued for a move to the Weldon R.R. via the Gurley house at 3 A.M. the next morning, but they were countermanded at night.

August 17th
Wednesday

Orders again issued for us to move the next day, with same instructions, moving via Gurley's or as much nearer as we could strike the R.R. I don't think that the order of Gen. Meade contemplated our remaining there; he intended it more as a reconnaissance in force for the purpose of destroying the railroad as much as possible; especially as it was supposed that we would strike entrenchments before reaching the r.r. Spear's cavalry was assigned to us.

In the afternoon I went around the Cavalry pickets via the road past Williams' returning by Temple's house; found that the latter would be the best road for moving out on.

It was pretty well ascertained that the greater part of Hampton's Cavalry had gone to the north side of the James after Gregg.

Lt. Gen. Grant expected us to accomplish rather more than Gen. Meade did. He reported Mahone's Div. as being also on the north side of the James, which did not turn out to be so.

Heavy rains during the night.

August 18th
Thursday

The troops got under way before daylight marching down on the east side of the Jerusalem road, under cover of the woods, so as to be out of sight. Griffin had the lead followed by Ayres, then Cutler and Crawford; 15 minutes were consumed repairing the bridge over 2nd swamp which enabled the column to close up. Turned into the narrow road by Temple's. The enemy's cavalry videttes were posted in edge of the woods beyond the fields around Gurley's. The three Brigs. of Gen. Griffin were formed in line of battle in the edge of the woods east of Gurley's and advanced rapidly, with skirmishers in advance, driving in the enemy's videttes with great rapidity and slight loss. By 9 o'clock Gen. Griffin's Div. was on the R.R. by the Yellow House, and commenced tearing up the track; the field east of the Gurley house was very muddy, impeding the march of the troops. Capt. Cope and myself went off to the right to examine the small roads leading into the woods in that direction. A small body of cavalry, perhaps a hundred, who went out with our advance, pushed forward at once, both up the R.R. and across the fields to the Flower house on the Vaughan road; they drove off a small body of the enemy's cavalry in the latter direction, who soon disappeared in the woods; up the r.r. the enemy's cavalry still showed themselves on the track this side of a white house surrounded by a high board fence; the R.R. took a bend in that direction, towards the east, preventing a further view up the road from the Yellow house. As fast as Gen. Ayres' Div. came up they formed in line across the R.R. at the Blick house: Gen. Hayes on the right of the road and the Md. Brig. on the left. Heavy's in reserve.

In the meantime the other divisions were coming up slowly through the mud. The weather was severe on troops, short squalls, alternating with an hour or two of intense heat; many men were sunstruck or lagged behind on account of the heat. The attic of the Yellow House was used as a signal station; considerable commotion was seen around the White house up the track, mounted men riding to and fro across the track; they did not seem to be cavalry, but were field officers appropriate to an infantry force, but no infantry force was seen yet: an occasional cavalryman of the enemy's appeared off to our right, making his way to his own lines. The main body of Spear's Cavalry went down the Halifax road and Vaughan road, and but little was seen of them the rest of the day.

A little after 11 o'clock Gen. Ayres commenced to advance up the track with skirmishers well in front. Presently his skirmishers upon entering the woods became engaged with the enemy's skirmishers driving them slowly. Matters remained in this state for an hour without any advance of any account on our part. In fact valuable time was lost just now for half an hour.

A heavy rain storm set in at this time lasting and hour and cooling off the air, the heat being insufferable. At 1 o'clock the enemy opened with two rifled guns from the White house, on our skirmish line, doing but little damage, but they had a clean sweep of the R.R. and Halifax road. By 2 o'clock our skirmishers had got far enough through the woods to see that there was an open field beyond, on each side of the track with a thick growth of standing corn in which the enemy were concealed, and which at the same time prevented us from seeing what the force of the enemy was. On the right of the road the enemy's skirmishers still held the further edge of the woods, where it was reported they were entrenched.

At 2 P.M. Crawford's Div. was in line on the right of Ayres, and both Divs. commenced to advance, the Md. Brig. marching by the flank to cover Ayres' left. Our skirmishers had already driven the enemy's battery to a position further back, and a section of light 12's of ours went out on the Halifax road to the edge of the cornfield, firing rapidly for 10 minutes when the advancing enemy compelled them to retire. This advance of the enemy's infantry took place almost simultaneously with our own advance. The enemy came from the left from the Vaughan road where they probably formed under shelter of the corn; the location of the Vaughan road at that point was then unknown to us. They struck Ayres' line on the left where the Md. Brig. marching by the flank joined the left of Hayes' line. The Md. Brig. was just in the act of getting over a large rail fence running at right angles with the R.R. and pretty close to the edge of the field. I was at this point a few minutes before it happened, and noticed that the flankers on the left of the Md. Brig. were not far enough out in that direction, not far enough to give warning at any rate. The result was that in a few minutes the Md. Brig. gave way compelling the left of Hayes' line to fall back, and stopping the advance on our right. At least 200 of the Marylanders were taken prisoners; they fell back to the hither edge of the woods, where the 15th N.Y. Heavy's were in reserve; they stood their ground nobly, pouring rapid volleys into the enemy checking them at once and driving them speedily back to the shelter of their cornfield. They kept up this firing for half an hour after the enemy had left, and only with difficulty was their martial ardor abated. The enemy also made a weaker attack on the left of Crawford, but was repulsed after driving Crawford back a little. Before dark Crawford's right had penetrated the tangled underbrush, his skirmishers holding the edge of the woods in front of a very large field, beyond which the enemy's main line around Petersburg was visible in the direction of Fort Mahone. Opposite Hayes' Brig. our skirmishers were not through to the edge of the woods, which at that point were so thick that it was impossible to look 20 feet ahead. But before nightfall the enemy fell back from there, enabling our skirmishers to take up that line. Prisoners reported that they were entrenched a short distance in our advance. Crawford had all the reserves deployed as skirmishers with Lyle's and Coulter's Brigs. in line. As his right was open and exposed, Gen. Bragg's Brig. was sent to Crawford after dark; they stopped for the night in a filed on the present site of Ft. Howard. Gen. Crawford at first thought he could get along without Bragg. Our connection with the 9th Corps was kept up during the day by a line of cavalry videttes. I rode out before evening to Crawford's right and took a look at the field in his front. There was a tall growth of corn which prevented the pickets from seeing anything; there were no videttes on trees for lookouts. After dark Ayres and Crawford began to entrench and chop down timber; their line did not run at right angles with the R.R. on the east side of the R.R. but N. 30˚ E. from the point where the R.R. enters the woods, W. of the R.R. the line was at └

The troops were mostly in two lines behind it, and could easily have held a line double the length. Nothing but a thin skirmish line covered this line on the right and rear. In the evening word came that the 9th Corps would come over in the morning. Griffin maintained the same position on the R.R. south of yellow house all day. The enemy's force as far as developed during the day was say 6000 or one Div.

August 19th
Friday

There had been considerable rain in the night making the ground very sloppy and slippery; in the morning it was misty and foggy with frequent showers of rain, preventing any extensive view.

Matters were tolerably quiet at first.

Gen. Bragg's Brig. was ordered to deploy as a picket line to connect Crawford's right with the 9th Corps. The left of the 9th Corps picket line was then near the William's house, halfway between it and Aikens' house, and Bragg had already established a sort of a connection between that point and his camp of the night previous, but the picket line he was to take up now was intended to follow the edge of that open field on Crawford's right and extend from there due East through the woods where it was expected he would come out some place in Strong's clearing, perhaps half way between the site of the Strong house and Fort Davis.

Capt. Cope was sent out at daybreak to assist Gen. Bragg in doing this.

After breakfast I went out to see how the picket line was getting along. Met Capt. Paine who was guiding the 9th Corps and asked me where they should be massed; I told him to put them in the field next to the large body of timber, where they would be close to Bragg and within supporting distance. On my return I found they had been placed nearly ¾ m. to the rear of that point. Nothing particular was going on, but little picket firing; some of the reserves had taken a house in the middle of the field, half a mile east of the white Davis house. It was raining more or less all the time. Saw neither Gen. Crawford, Bragg nor Capt. Cope. Bragg’s picket line had not been changed yet. I returned to HdQrs. reporting that fact, and was sent back immediately with positive orders to have it advanced to a certain point of woods in the edge of that large cornfield on Crawford’s right, where there was no standing corn and a good view could be obtained. Before leaving HdQrs. reports came in from Ayres that the enemy was moving towards and massing on his left. It was now about 12 o’clock; going out I met Gen. Crawford; took him out to that point and showed him what was to be done; he might have done it himself; but preferred to have Gen. Bragg do it; as he had charge of it. We both started off to find him, soon becoming separated. I rode about in that large body of woods between Fort Howard and Strong’s farm for an hour and a half; the picket line on the right had been moved up, I found finally, and posted for about ¾ of the distance commencing from the right in place of the left where they ought to have started from.

About 1½ I found a little man in a blue overcoat wandering in the woods all alone about 500 yds. N.E. of Fort Howard; he asked me who I was, and I told him; he then stated that he was completely lost, and wanted me to show him where he was, which I did, and he went off. Before he was out of sight, an orderly came along; I asked him who that little man was, and much to my surprise, he told me it was Gen. Bragg, whom I did not know personally. I gave him his instructions at once, and he was glad to have my assistance. I found he had been working at random all the morning without a compass, had lost his horse and orderly, and was completely played out. He walked back to that field near Fort Howard where his HdQrs. were; the 6th Wisconsin was still there; this regt. was to be sent to that point at once, preparatory to going himself. While he was doing this I rode out a little wood road toward the picket line, striking it at the 7th Wis. The line was tolerably strong, with a vidette out a little way of the road, following; following the line I came back on another little road to the field where Gen. Bragg was; the 6th Wis. had already gone. The picket line in itself was good enough there and well connected, but at no point could they see more than 20 feet around them, and they were still a quarter of a mile to the rear of that particular point where it was designed to push it.

It had been raining hard most of this time.

Everything was perfectly still at this time. Gen. Bragg’s dinner was ready and we sat down to eat something before posting the men. We were just finishing when a couple of shots were heard in the direction of the 7th Wis. where I had just been; we did not think anything of them at the time; 3 or 4 minutes afterwards more shots were fired and presently a small volley, which told us what was the matter. The 6th Wis. was immediately sent for, and had quite a little fight in that field, holding the enemy for some little time, long enough to have given Lyle and Coulter a chance to make proper preparations. I rode back immediately to HdQrs. with the news; before getting out of the woods I met Gen. Crawford who understood the matter at once. Before reaching the Yellow house the musketry became quite heavy; it also opened in front of Ayres, showing that it was a concerted attack; several batteries opened from the White house. The first thing to be done now was to get the 9th Corps in line and advance them against the enemy before they got through that piece of woods into the field.

Owing from their being so far back from the place where they were needed, some 20 minutes were consumed before Wilcox’s Div. was in line and ready to advance; their left rested on Tilton’s right, for a start merely, near a little barn now gone. I did not find any Brig. Genls. About, and put the Div. in line myself, with the aid of Lt. Fisher of Wilcox’s staff. When the line was ready to advance, the flank of a rebel line of battle advancing west emerged from the woods and firing commenced at once, our line advancing slowly toward the woods. White was on Wilcox’s right and Potter over by the Aiken house. A very large number of our men came straggling out of the woods, behind Lyle’s and Coulter’s lines; some of our batteries which opened at this time on the rebs must have struck in the rear of Crawford’s line; at any rate it demoralized them considerably. All the rebs were quickly driven off hat field and some distance into the woods. Before reaching the woods the 9th Corps line halted, and would not enter the woods; had they done so at that time, many of our men might escaped capture; as it was the majority of our men were taken while the enemy was on his way back; had Lyle’s and Coulter’s men fought as they ought to have done, we might have captured a large number of the enemy without losing any of ours. In fact word was sent in several times that Lyle’s men had captured a brigade, but could not bring them off. Had the 9th Corps been in its proper place in the morning, the whole catastrophe might possibly have been avoided.

The force of the enemy breaking in our right was estimated at three brigades. Gen. White had quite a sharp fight in his front. Off to the left where Ayres was fighting, Tilton’s Brig. went in, also Hoffman’s Brig. Gen. Warren after a while succeeded in getting Wilcox’s line into the woods with the happiest effect, prisoners being taken in considerable quantities.

By nightfall the enemy had all left except in White’s front, where they could have been driven off had an effort been made; I rode around with our escort through Potter’s line by the Aiken house to find the left of the rebel line; found them huddled up in the field where Bragg has been in the morning, they seemed pretty much demoralized; reported it to Potter on my way back; he did not seem inclined to believe it, and at any rate took no steps to push the rebs. Our losses footed up very heavy for the day, at least 2500 prisoners; the whole of the reserves, half of Bragg, and numbers from Lyle, Coulter, and Hays.

Gen. hays was captured when Gen. Ayres’ line was falling back to avoid being taken in the rear; the regulars lost quite heavily as usual.

The 9th Corps fought quite well as far as it went. The night closed finding us still in secure possession of the Weldon R.R. and one Div. almost unengaged yet. We were still good for another fight.

The roads were horribly muddy, impeding the movements of supply trains and artillery. It was fully determined now that we should hold on to the Weldon R.R. at all hazards.

August 20th
Saturday

Weather clearing off somewhat. Matters tolerably quiet at daybreak; but little picket firing; the enemy had fallen back in front of the 9th Corps line; they were still present in force opposite Ayres especially sharpshooters. Went out to the lines.

Opposite Ayres the pickets were almost as far out as they ever were; the line there held the entrenched line we held yesterday morning. White moved in to connect with Col. Lyle’s right, but there was still a gap between White’s right and Potter. Quite a number of rebel stragglers were picked up, also a few prisoners; they all coincided in the opinion that the rebs would make another effort to drive us off the road.

About an hour was spent in straightening out the lines.

At this time Gen. Warren determined to withdraw our lines from the woods, and take up a new one in the middle of the large field, with a salient around the Blick house; this arrangement would enable our artillery to have full play, beside shortening our line to some extent, and giving full sweep to the musketry also,

The 9th Corps withdrew first—the two Divs. of White and Wilcox. Gen. Potter moved up from his position at the Aiken house to the field near Fort Howard and commenced a regular line, with slashing in front. After our batteries were placed in position, the infantry gradually came out of the woods leaving a strong skirmish line in the old place.

Orders were sent in the morning for White and Potter to send out scouting parties of 20 or 30 men out the little roads to see how far back the enemy’s pickets were, but none were sent that I know of. I started out myself, but met a party of Johnnies before I went out a hundred yards.

The whole Corps was busy all day entrenching. Ayres advanced his skirmishers in the afternoon a short distance capturing some prisoners. Towards dark Tilden’s Brig. 1st Div. and Hoffman’s Brig. were withdrawn from the left of the R.R. retiring in line of battle in fine style. The enemy made no particular demonstration that evening.

Reports came in all day from the various signal stations that the enemy was moving troops toward us.

Hoffman’s and Bragg’s Brigs. were engaged all night throwing up a line south of the Blick house running parallel with the R.R. and a quarter of a mile west of it.

Nearly two Regts. of Bragg, that had been cut off in the fight of the day before, and taken refuge with Mott’s Div. returned to us this day.

Griffin’s line was entrenched along the R.R. for half a mile or more.

Enough work was done during the night to enable us to withstand any attack in the morning. All the old entrenchments were leveled in the edge of the woods.

One Brig. of Gregg’s Cavalry joined us today.

August 21st
Sunday

The entrenchments of Bragg and Hoffman were finished just before daylight; everything bid fair for a quiet day in the morning; about 8 o’clock I rode along Potter’s line to see how they were getting along, and then kept on to look at the connection between them and the2nd Corps; as soon as I came there heard heavy firing going on at our lines; rode back as fast as I could behind our lines, coming out on the open field behind the left of the 9th Corps line; there was not much musketry firing, but the air seemed to be alive with cannon balls coming from the direction of the Flower house; it required the utmost agility to dodge them, and as I went up toward Blick the fire was almost as heavy from the White house up the R.R. Our skirmishers were apparently all driven in, although they were still in place along Potter’s front; while riding behind Ayres’ right a thin line of rebs made their appearance in the edge of the woods opposite; our batteries opened on them after a little, driving them back very soon; there was so much powder smoke that I doubt whether many of our infantry saw them in time.

Around the Blick house it was very hot; the infantry were not firing much, keeping close under, but the batteries did their best, and it was by them that the severest proportional loss was experienced. The Blick house was at one time subjected to a fire equal to if not surpassing any at Gettysburg. We afterwards learned that the enemy had 16 guns at the Flower house and 12 at the White house (Davis’) all firing at one point. Many of the shots from the Davis house ricocheted, going past the Yellow house into Griffin’s line. Few of their shells burst, being used as solid shot. Our skirmishers had all been driven in from the Vaughan road and Flower house at the beginning, the enemy’s infantry passing down the Vaughan road toward our left.

The heavy cannonade ceased after half an hour, and was followed by an advance of their infantry line from a skirt of woods between us and the Flower house. They had evidently been massing and forming their infantry lines under cover of this shelling so as to strike our left flank as they supposed. Their main attack came upon Hoffman’s and Bragg’s Brigs. and Paddy Hart’s Battery; it was repulsed with ease; they did not even come near enough to be very severely punished, running back under cover of the woods after standing the fire for a few moments.

One Brig. of South Carolinians under Gen. Haywood took advantage of the cover afforded by a little stream; and got around the left flank of Cutler’s line, without the latter’s knowledge at first; but the rebs had got out of the frying pan into the fire, because here they were exposed to the full fire of Griffin’s line, which they did not expect to find. They stood for a moment irresolute and wavering; our men stopped firing and holloed to them to come in; many did come in at this time Capt. Daly of Cutler’s staff went down to them with a dozen men to receive the surrender. Daly seized a flag in the hands of Haywood; the latter did not exactly see it in that light, but shot Daly in the side with a pistol, giving the word at the same time to his men to put, which they did; our men poured parting volley into them, likewise the Battery, killing 20 or 30. The majority of them got away. Some of the rebels got clear around Griffin’s left on the R.R.; they were quickly dislodged by a few regiments sent down from Tilden’s Brig. This ended substantially the fighting for the day. Their sharp shooters kept busy all the afternoon, and became quite annoying. At night the enemy retired.

This day’s work was a clear victory for us, achieved with trivial loss.

Haywood accuses Roger Pryor of having brought him into that scrape; the latter, a scout, having reported that the left flank of the Yankees was opposite the Yellow house where Haywood went in and was trapped.

(Table of casualties)