The companies composing this regiment were organized and mustered into the Confederate service early in the war and were on duty in different localities in the vicinity of Portsmouth and Norfolk. In the winter of 1861-62, Colonel Samuel M. Wilson obtained authority from Governor Letcher to raise a regiment of heavy artillery for service in the fortifications around the harbor, and at his request, several companies applied to be assigned to it, and others were assigned without having made application, so that, when Portsmouth was evacuated, May 10, 1862, the regiment lacked only two companies of having a full complement. Company I was afterwards assigned to it, July 14, 1862 and Company K, August 28, 1862, thus making ten companies.

These were:

Company A, Jackson Grays, of Norfolk County, Captain William H. Stewart.  More information

Company B, Wilson Guards, of Norfolk County, Captain John W. M. Hopkins. Company B had a number of North Carolinians from Currituck County, near the Norfolk County line.

Company C, Blanchard Grays, of Norfolk County, Captain Jno. G. Wallace. Company C had a number of North Carolinians from Currituck County, near the Norfolk County line.

Company D, Jackson Light Infantry, of Portsmouth, Captain V. O. Cassell.

Company E, Border Rifles of Norfolk County, Captain Jetson Jett.

Company F, --------- --------, of Isle of Wight County, Captain ------ Holland. Company F was partly from Southampton County.

Company G, ------- -------, of Greenville County, Captain R. E. Moseley. Company G contained a few men from Sussex County and also some from Northampton County, North Carolina, near the Greenville line, and among these latter was Captain Moseley.

Company H, Virginia Rangers, of Portsmouth and Norfolk County, Captain John H. Wright.

Company I, Bilisoly Blues, of Portsmouth, Captain Chas. R. McAlpine.

Company K, -------- --------, of Norfolk County, Captain Max. Herbert.

The Officers of the first eight companies held a meeting in Jarrett's Hotel, in Petersburg, about the middle of May, 1862 and elected field officers.

They were:

Colonel, Samuel M. Wilson.

Lieutenant-Colonel William F. Niemeyer.

Major, William H. Stewart.

Owing to the evacuation of Portsmouth and Norfolk by the Confederates, there was no longer a need for the services of the regiment as heavy artillery, and it was changed into an infantry regiment and numbered the 61st. Colonel Wilson failed to join the regiment after it was organized and the command devolved to Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer. It remained on Dunn's Hill, near Petersburg, doing provost duty in that city and picket duty on the Appomattox river as far down as Bermuda Hundred and City Point, until August 28th, when it was ordered to Richmond and went into camp on the Brook Turnpike. It remained there a very short time and early in September it was ordered to the Rapidan to guard the fords of that river, while the army of General Lee was in Maryland. Companies E and F were sent to Staunton to do provost duty and did not rejoin the regiment until after the Battle of Fredericksburg. The other companies were distributed at Warrenton, Culpepper, Rappahannock and other places.

William S. Wright, who was then serving as a private in the Old Dominion Guard, of Portsmouth, Company K, 9th Virginia Regiment was in the summer of 1862 appointed Adjutant of the 61st and shortly afterwards, while the regiment was at Warrenton, Colonel Virginius D. Groner of Norfolk City was elected Colonel and took command.

On the 17th of September, Major Stewart, with three companies of the regiment and a squadron of cavalry belonging to the 15th Virginia Calvary Regiment were at Bristoe Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, where he had been ordered for the purpose of getting up several locomotives which had been thrown from the track there, during the operations previous to the Battle of Second Manassas. That day, General Birney, who commanded the Federal forces near Fairfax Court House sent an officer with a flag of truce, ostensibly to obtain permission to bury or remove their dead, who had been killed in the battles of August 29th and 30th, but really to ascertain how much of a force was there. General Birney made a report to the authorities at Washington that his "flag of truce met a party of Confederates at Bristoe Station, under command of Major William H. Stewart, who stated that it would take three days to communicate with his general and declined to receive the flag" He further reported that "the force there was small and might be surprised and captured if he had authority to send a cavalry force against them." The necessary authority was given him and he made the attempt, but Major Stewart had succeeded by that time in getting the locomotives on the track, and, steam having been gotten up, the whole train moved off to the Rapidan, carrying the three companies of the 61st with it.

In the fall of 1862 a Federal spy, acting under orders from General Seigel went to Staunton, and in his report, dated November 13th, says, "Staunton with its manufactories of boots, shoes and clothing for the enemy, its extensive hospital preparations for thousands of sick, the general supply depot, the place of safe keeping of all the captured Harper's Ferry plunder, is defended by one company of the 61st Virginia Infantry, twenty-four field pieces, and a mixture of cavalry and artillery, though small in numbers." This was Company F. Company E was doing provost duty on the Valley Turnpike.

Early in November the Secretary of War seems to have become alarmed for the safety of Richmond and on the 5th of November, he sent orders to General Lee to send the 61st Virginia Regiment and the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues to that city. General Lee replied on the 10th that he had not obeyed the order because he had not been able to supply their places on the upper Rappahannock.

Brigadier General  Roger A. Pryor

On the 10th of November, three Florida Regiments in General Roger A. Pryor's Brigade were 
organized into a separate brigade and placed under command of General Perry, of that State, and General Pryor, by order of General Lee, was relieved from duty with the Army of Northern Virginia and ordered to report to the Secretary of War, in Richmond, who, on the 12th issued an order to General Lee to send the 1st and 61st Virginia Regiments to Richmond, to be forwarded to Petersburg, as the nucleus of a new brigade for General Pryor; but, having need for them on the Rappahannock, General Lee did not comply with the order. General Pryor became impatient at the delay in sending those two regiments to him and wrote to General Lee, November 23rd, asking that they be sent at once to him, as he wished them to operate in the vicinity of the Blackwater River. General Lee sent him the following reply.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA

November 25, 1862
 
 

Brig. Gen. R. A. Pryor, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL—Your letter of the 23rd inst. has been received. I regret my inability to detach from this army the two regiments you desire to constitute a brigade, to operate on the Blackwater, under your command. As far as I am able to judge, troops are more wanted here than there, and it might be better to bring the troops which it is contemplated to unite with those in question, to this army. I regretted, at the time, the breaking up of your former brigade, but you are aware that the circumstances, which produced it, were beyond my control. The 61st Virginia has, in accordance with the desire of the colonel of the regiment, been attached to Mahone's Brigade, which was organized from the section of country from which it came. I hope it will not be long before you will be again in the field, that the country may derive the benefit of your zeal and activity. I thought, and still think, that your services would be more valuable to the country south of the James River, after your brigade was dismembered, and that troops could be organized in that region sufficient to form your command.

I have the honor to be, very respectful, your obedient servant.,

R. E. Lee, General 

On the 15th of November General Burnside started with his army from Warrenton towards Fredericksburg, and General Lee ordered the 61st Virginia and the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues to that town. The advance of Burnside's army, Sumner's Corps reached Falmouth on the afternoon on the 17th, and an attempt was made as if to cross the river. According to the official report of General Lee it was checked by the 15th Virginia Cavalry, four companies of Mississippi infantry and Lewis' Battery of light artillery. General Sumner says he made no attempt to cross, that his batteries drove Lewis' men from their guns, and he was anxious to cross and take possession of them, but was prevented by positive orders from General Burnside. The 61st Regiment reached Federicksburg on the morning of the 18th, and found a large force of the enemy on the opposite side of the river. Colonel Groner, in order to create the impression upon their minds that a large Confederate force was present, had large fires built all along the heights and burned up nearly every fence rail in the vicinity. The ruse was successful and the enemy waited for reinforcements and to establish his communications before attempting to cross. In the meantime General Lee's army began to arrive from Culpepper and Orange Court House, and continued coming in, until he had collected an effective force of 72,564 men for duty, including infantry, artillery and cavalry.

General Lee was apprehensive that Fredericksburg would be occupied by the enemy before the 61st Regiment could reach there, and gave Colonel Groner orders how to proceed in that event. The commander of that cavalry operating on the river was ordered to keep Colonel Groner advised as to the movements of the enemy so as to guard against surprise. Shortly after the army reached Fredericksburg, the 61st Regiment was attached to Mahone's Brigade which was then composed of the 6th, 12th, 16th, 41st and 61st Virginia Regiments, and was a part of Anderson's Division.

Some of the Confederate Generals involved in the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862

Confederate Battle Flage		General Robert Edward Lee	General R. E. Lee Headquarters Flag
Gen. R.H. Anderson	Gen. Early	Gen. A.P. Hill	Gen. D.H. Hill	Gen Hood
Gen. Jackson	Gen. Kershaw	Gen. Longstreet	Gen. Mahone	Gen. McClaws

The Battle of Fredericksburg took place on the 13th of December, 1862, and its [PLEASE SEE ] DETAIlS are a part of the history of the war. On the 12th, General Burnside crossed one hundred thousand men over the river, and on the 13th attacked the right of General Lee's army, which was drawn up on the range of hills overlooking Fredericksburg, and about a mile or a mile and half back from the town. Jackson's Corps of three Divisions, A. P. Hill's, D. H. Hill's, and Ewell's—the last under command of General Early—held the right of the line, and Longstreet's Corps held the left, arranged in the following order by divisions: Hood on the right and joining Jackson's left, next Picket, next McLaws, next Ransom, and next Anderson, with his left resting on the river. The 61st Regiment was with Anderson as was exposed to the fire of the Federal artillery, but was not actively engaged in the battle. The attack on Jackson was repulsed after heavy fighting, with loss to the Federals. Then an assault was made upon the position held by Ransom's and McLaws' Divisions, but it was easily repulsed. The enemy advanced four times and were driven back with great slaughter. The attacking columns were composed of the 2nd Corps, General Couch, the 9th, General Wilcox, and three divisions of Hooker's Corps. Burnside's loss in the battle was 12,321, and that of the Confederates was 4,201, according to General Lee's official report.

After the Battle of Fredericksburg the 61st Regiment remained in camp near that town, enjoying rather a quiet time, until the latter part of April, 1863, when the Federal army again got into motion. General Hooker had been assigned to the command, relieving General Burnside. He had an army, according to United States official reports, present for duty of one hundred and twenty thousand infantry and artillery, twelve thousand cavalry and more than four hundred guns. General Lee had previously detached Hood's and Pickett's Divisions under Longstreet to Suffolk, and Ransom's Division to North Carolina, in February, and had left to oppose Hooker's advance, only fifty-seven thousand effectives. General Hooker left about thirty thousand men under General Sedgwick in his lines opposite Fredericksburg. These consisted of Sedgwick's own corps, the 6th, of twenty-two thousand men, as per his official report, and Gibbon's Division, of Couch's Corps, numbering between seven and eight thousand additional, and were designed to mask the real purpose, which was to cross the Rappahannock River higher up and turn General Lee's left. This movement was successfully accomplished, and General Hooker took up a position at Chancellorsville and began to fortify it. General Lee left Early's Division and Kershaw's Brigade, in all, about nine thousand men at Fredericksburg to oppose Sedgwick, and with the remainder of his army amounting to forty-eight thousand, including the artillery and the cavalry of Stewart, drew out of his works and marched to attach Hooker's main army. This was on the 1st of May, and the advance of the two armies met late in the afternoon near Chancellorsville. A Considerable engagement followed, during which Hooker withdrew to the position, which he had fortified. The next morning General Lee retained McLaws' and Anderson's Divisions to hold Hooker in check in front, and sent Jackson with his own corps, composed of the divisions of A. P. Hill, Trimble and Rodes, numbering twenty-two thousand men to make a detour and attack his right flank and rear. While Jackson was making his flanking march, Lee drew Hooker's attention from him by feints upon his front, with McLaw's and Anderson's Division. About 6 o'clock in the afternoon Jackson got into a position to strike, and sending forward Rodes' Division, overran the Eleventh Corps which formed Hooker's right, capturing prisoners, guns and wagons. Night terminated the battle for that day, and Jackson, riding through the Confederate lines with his staff to ascertain the position of the enemy, was, in the darkness, mistaken by his own men on his way back, for Federal cavalry, and fired upon. He received three wounds, one of which necessitated the amputation of his arm, and he died about a week after the battle. The next day, May 3rd, Stuart took command of Jackson's corps, and extending his right formed a connection with the left of Anderson's Division, near the Chancellor House, whereupon General Lee ordered a general advance of the whole army and Hooker was driven out of his works into a second line, which he had constructed across the angle formed by the junction of the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. General Lee was about to assault when his movements were arrested by news from Fredericksburg. Sedgwick had crossed the river at Fredericksburg, captured Marye Heights for General Early, who fell back before him, and was advancing in General Lee's rear towards Chancellorsville, to assist Hooker. General Lee sent back Mahone's Brigade, Wilcox's Brigade, and three of the brigades of McLaws' Division, the whole under command of General McLaws, to check him. They met near Salem Church and Sedgwick was driven back with a loss of five thousand men, including his loss in his attack upon Early. The next day General Early joined McLaws and General Lee sent Anderson with his three remaining brigades to assist. With these forces the attack was renewed and Sedgwick, overwhelmingly defeated, was saved from total destruction only by the approach of night, under cover of which he recrossed the river at Banks's Ford. This attach was made principally by Early's Division which assailed Sedgwick's left.

On the 5th General Lee got his army together again and made arrangements to renew the attack on Hooker on the morning of the 6th, but when his skirmishers advanced at day break, they found hooker had decamped across the river, leaving behind his wounded, twenty thousand stand of arms and fourteen guns. His loss was seventeen thousand one hundred and eighty-one.

The 61st Regiment, as a part of Anderson's Division, was actively engaged in every day's fighting and lost heavily. Major Stewart, Captain Cassell and Lieutenant Murdaugh were wounded as was also, Lieutenant Alex. Butt, of Portsmouth, adjutant of the 41st Regiment, who died from his wound. This was the first battle of importance in which the 61st was actively engage. It was ready at Fredericksburg, but was not called upon. At Chancellorsville, the men fought with the steadiness of veterans.

After Chancellorsville, General Lee began the invasion of Pennsylvania and on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of July fought the Battle of Gettysburg. The 61st Regiment took part in the battle of the 2nd and was held in reserve on the 3rd. It was, however, exposed to the fire of the enemy's artillery on that day and lost a number of men killed and wounded. It was heavily engaged on the 2nd and its losses were proportionate. The Confederates were successful in their attacks on the 1st and 2nd and the Federals were pushed back with heavy losses in killed, wounded and prisoners, but in falling back, General Meade secured an advantageous position on the night of the 2nd, from which General Lee failed to dislodge him. General Lee's losses in the Gettysburg campaign amounted to nineteen thousand men, killed, wounded and missing. General Meade's were somewhat larger. An account of the third day's fighting will be found in the history of the 9th Virginia Regiment, earlier in this work—Chapter XII. General Lee had present for duty at Gettysburg sixty-eight thousand three hundred and fifty-two men (of whom fifty-four thousand three hundred and fifty-six were infantry) including cavalry and artillery and official reports place the Federal army at one hundred and five thousand effectives.

Two days after the Battle of Gettysburg, General Lee fell back to the Potomac River. His march was slow and deliberate. He was anxious for General Meade to attack him. He was not strong enough to drive General Meade from his fortified position, but was very willing to be attached. He remained on the north bank of the river, hoping the enemy would attack him, but, finding he would not do so, and unable to remain any longer away from his base of supplies, he crossed over into Virginia, followed at a respectful distance by his antagonist.

During the fall of 1863, nothing of special importance was done on the Rapidan River. In October, General Lee endeavored to bring about an engagement, and chased Meade into Fairfax County. His advance overtook the rear of the retreating force at Bristoe Station, October 14th, and an engagement ensued, in which the Confederates were badly handled by the officers in command on the field, and the Federals, Warren's Corps, held their ground until night, when they retired into Fairfax County. The 61st Regiment was present in that affair. It had an opportunity at Mine Run the following month to repay the enemy two fold. General Lee had detached a portion of his army and General Meade thought himself strong enough to whip the remainder, but he was checked at Mine Run with the loss of upwards of two thousand men, while the Confederate loss was scarcely as many hundred.

After that the army remained in winter quarters near Culpepper Court House until the following May, 1864, when General Grant began his overland campaign towards Richmond. With an army of one hundred and forty thousand men, of all arms, and a wagon train consisting of upwards of four thousand wagons, he started out to overwhelm General Lee, who had with him an army composed of fifty-two thousand six hundred and twenty-six infantry, cavalry and artillery.

Grant crossed the Rapidan May 5, 1864, and launched his army forward into the region called the Wilderness, a thick, woody section of country in the northern part of Spotsylvania County, well grown up with underbrush and short pines with a view of turning the right flank of Lee's army and compelling his retreat towards Richmond. Lee, however, had no idea of retreating, but threw Ewell's and A. P. Hill's Corps across his front and ordered Longstreet, with his two divisions, Hood's and McLaw's to join the army at once. They were camped near Gordonsville. Pickett's Division of Longstreet's Corps was near Richmond and Petersburg. Ewell and Hill attacked the oncoming masses of the enemy, drove in their advance brigades and took up positions for the battle which, it was evident would be fought the next day. Anderson's Division, to which the 61st Regiment and Mahone's Brigade were attached, had not then come up, and did not reach the field until some time after the battle had been joined the next day. General Lee formed his line of battle with Hill's Corps on the right and Ewell's on the left. Longstreet's Corps, which was expected to arrive during the forenoon, was to form on Hill's right, but Grant began his attack on Hill's troops about daybreak, before either Anderson or Longstreet had gotten up, and by greatly superior numbers, forced Hill's line back. It gave ground stubbornly and slowly until about seven o'clock, when the arrival of Anderson's Division enabled Hill to successfully resist his assailants. Hancock commanded that wing of the Federal Army, and was reinforced to such an extent that he had under his command more than one half of Grant's forces, but he made no further headway. Hill held his ground, and soon Longstreet ordered an advance of his own and Hill's Corps and the Federal were beaten back in confusion and completely disorganized. Longstreet turned their left and doubled it back upon the center, and was preparing a grand movement by which he expected to destroy that entire wing of Grant's army. He had sent forward Mahone's Brigade as a flanking party and advanced, himself at the head of Jenkins' South Carolina Brigade, to renew the attack in front. His own and Jenkins' staff were mounted, and had with them several captured United States flags, and, coming near Mahone's Brigade, they were mistaken for Federal cavalrymen and fired upon. General Jenkins was killed and Longstreet was wounded and disabled, while a number of the members of their respective staffs were also killed or wounded. This put a stop to the flanking movement and the Federals fell back and began entrenching themselves, and, after some sharp fighting, the Confederates also began building works. On the left of the Confederate line, theenemy made several unsuccessful attacks upon Ewell's Corps, and, after repulsing these, Ewell turned the right of the Federal army, broke completely two of its divisions, and captured a number of prisoners.

Grant made several attempts on the 7th to carry the Confederate lines by assault, but without success, and on the night of that day drew out of his works and moved off to the left for the purpose of turning General Lee's right, but upon arriving at Spotsylvania Court House the next morning, found a portion of General Lee's army again posted across his front. An attack on the Confederate lines was repulsed and during the day both armies were getting into position. Upon the wounding of General Longstreet, General Anderson was assigned to the command of his corps and General Mahone was promoted to the command of Anderson's Division, which, from that time, was known as Mahone's Division.

On the 12th of May was fought the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, in which General Lee successfully repulsed every effort of General Grant to carry his lines and inflicted on him a very heavy punishment. Grant's losses in the two battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House, according to his official reports, exceeded forty thousand.

The 61st Virginia Regiment was in the thickest of the fight, its loss was severe. Colonel Groner was wounded, as was also Major Stewart, and Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer was killed. The fighting was nearly over at the time he was killed. The regiment, with the brigade, had charged and carried a line of breastworks defended by a thin line of the enemy, and Captain Chas. R. McAlpine of Company I, had captured a very fine horse, fully accoutered. Calling Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer to him he presented the horse to him, and as that officer accepted it, and was extending his hand to take it a minie ball from the enemy's skirmish line pierced a vital spot in his body and his young life passed out to the great unknown. He was just twenty-four years old and singularly, had a presentiment that morning that he would be killed during the day. He informed Major Stewart of his belief that morning and before night his presentiment had become verified. His remains were carried to Richmond and interred. The funeral ceremonies took place in the Broad Street Methodist Church.

The death of Lieutenant-Colonel Niemeyer occasioned the promotion of Major William H. Stewart to that position and Captain Charles R. McAlpine was promoted to Major. In the fall of 1863, Adjutant William S. Wright died with a congestive chill, and in March, 1864, W. A. S. Taylor, of Norfolk, was appointed by Colonel Groner to fill the vacancy.

Grant remained in position in front of Spotsylvania Court House until the night of the 20th, when, finding himself powerless to force Lee's position, he once more moved off to the left, but Lee interposed again between him and Richmond, at Hanover Court House and Cold Harbor, and each time took heavy toll. There was constant fighting from the 24 of May to the 13th of June, in all of which the 61st Regiment and Mahone's Brigade took part. The principle assault on the Confederate lines at Cold Harbor was made on the 3rd of June, between daylight and sunrise. Grant ordered an attack all along the lines. The battle lasted scarcely ten minutes, and in those ten minutes more than thirteen thousand Federal soldiers were killed or wounded. The Confederate loss barely exceeded one hundred.

On the 13th General Grant again moved off to the left, but had already made his nearest approach to Richmond, and further movements in that direction were carrying him away from the city. He reached the James River and crossed over on the 15th and 16th, at Wilcox's landing, below City Point. Official reports from his corps commanders mad his losses from the Wilderness until he reached the James River, more than sixty thousand men, a number greater than General Lee's army.

General Lee reported from Taylorsville on the 24th of May, to the Secretary of War, that Mahone had driven three regiments of the enemy across the river and captured a stand of colors and number of prisoners, among them an aide of General Ledlie.

Repeated assaults by the Federals upon the Confederate lines in front of Petersburg, from the 15th to the 20th of June, were defeated, and each time the assaulting columns suffered severely, their total losses amounted to about twelve thousand. On the 20th, Grant began regular siege operations. On the 22nd he undertook to extend his left, composed of the 2nd and 6th Corps, to envelop General Lee's right, but Hill's Corps attached them. Mahone's Brigade, with the 61st Regiment on the right, turned the flank of the Federal forces and captured two thousand prisoners, fifteen hundred stand of arms, four Blakely guns and eight stand of colors. The entire Federal losses that day exceeded four thousand, of whom twenty-five hundred were captured.

On the 23rd the brigade had another smart brush with the enemy, in which it carried off a number of prisoners. On the 28th, Wilson's Division of cavalrymen, returning from a raid against the Southside Railroad was headed off at Reams' Station, on the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad, and scattered. The Confederates captured one thousand prisoners, thirteen guns and the wagon train of the enemy.

The 61st Regiment was at the Battle of the Crater, July 30th. The Federals had excavated a culvert or mine from their lines to a point underneath the Confederate works, and placing therein two hundred barrels of gunpowder, exploded it about daybreak. The works immediately at that point were blown into the air and the guns and many of the artillerymen were buried beneath the falling debris. An attack was made by three divisions of white, Ledlie's, Potter's and Wilcox's and one division of colored troops, composing the whole of Burnside's Corps. These Confederate batteries on the right and left of the opening, which began playing upon them. Mahone's Division was the nearest available force which could be sent to repel the intruders, and three of its brigades—Mahone's Virginia, Wright's Georgia and Saunders' Alabama—were hurried there. Mahone's and Wright's arrived first, and, forming the line of battle, with Mahone's on the withering volley, which met them and fell back. Later its place was taken by Saunders's Brigade, which made a charge and dislodged the enemy from that portion of the field. The following account of the charge of Mahone's Brigade, then under command of General Weisiger, was written by Lieutenant Colonel William H. Stewart, who commanded the 61st Regiment, Colonel Groner being absent on account of his wound received at Spotsylvania Court House.

Battle of the Crater—Recollections of the Recapture of the Lines—Scenes and Incidents: As the wild wave of time rush on, our thoughts now and then run back over the rough billows to buried hopes and unfulfilled and oft we linger long and lovingly, as if standing beside the tomb of a cherished parent. Thus the faithful follower of the Southern Cross recalls the proud hopes that led him over long and weary marches and in bloody battles. These foot-sore journeys and hard contested fields are now bright jewels in his life around which the tenderest cords of his heart are closely entwined. The are moments of duty! They are sacred resting places for his baffled energies? They are rich mines from which the very humblest actor gathers the wealth of an approving conscience! The veteran of an hundred battles always points with greater pride to one as the crowning glory of the many achievements. So the soldiers of Mahone's Old Brigade look upon the great battle which I shall here attempt to describe.

My little fly tent, scarcely large enough for two persons to lie side by side, was stretched over a platform of rough boards, elevated about two feet above the ground, in that little grave yard on the Wilcox farm, near Petersburg. I was quietly sleeping within it, dreaming, perhaps, of home and all it dear associations (for only a soldier can properly appreciate these), when a deep rumbling sound, that seemed to rend the very earth in twain, started me from my slumbers, and in an instant I beheld a mountain of curling smoke ascending towards the heavens. The whole camp had been aroused, and all were wondering from whence came this mysterious explosion. It was the morning of Saturday, the 30th day of July 1864. The long talked of mine had been sprung, a battery blown up, and the enemy were already in possession of eight hundred yards of our entrenchments.

Two hundred cannon roared in one accord, as if every lanyard had been pulled by the same hand. The gray fog was floating over the fields and darkness covered the face of the earth, but the first bright streak of dawn was gently lifting the curtain of night.

After the explosiion - seen from the Federal  side

The fiery crests of the battlements shone out for miles to our left, and the nitrous vapors rose in huge billows from each line of battle, and sweeping together formed one vast range of gloom.

The sun rose brilliantly, and the great artillery duel still raged in all its grandeur and fury. An occasional shell from a Blakely gun would swoop down in our camp and ricochet down the line to our right, forcing us to hug closely the fortification.

Soon after, Captain Tom. Bernard, General Mahone's courier, came sweeping up the lines on his white charger to the headquarters of Brigadier General D. Weisiger. Then the drums commenced rolling off the signals, which were followed by "fall in" and hurried roll calls. We were required to drive back the Federals, who were then holding, and within the very gates of the City of Petersburg. It was startling news; but our soldiers faltered not, and moved off at quick step for the seat of war.

Wright's Georgia Brigade, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, and our Virginia Brigade, the latter numbering scarcely eight hundred muskets, constituted the force detailed to dislodge the enemy, who held the broken lines with more than fifteen thousand men, and these were closely supported by as many more. I remember that our regiment, the 61st, did not exceed two hundred men, including officers and privates, which I am quite sure was the strongest in the two brigades. I suppose we had marched the half of a mile when ordered to halt and strip off all baggage except ammunition and muskets. We then filed to the left a short distance to gain the banks of a small stream in order to be protected from the shells of the Federal batteries by placing a range of hills between. These the enemy were already viewing within four hundred yards with covetous eyes, and making dispositions to attempt their capture, for they were the very keys to the invested city. when nearly opposite the position of our works held by the Federal troops, we met several soldiers who were in the works at the time of the explosion. Our men began ridiculing them for going to the rear, when one of them remarked, "Ah, boys, you have hot work ahead, they are Negroes and show no quarter." This was the first intimation that we had to fight Negro troops, and it seemed to infuse the little band with impetuous daring, as they pressed onward to the fray. I never felt more like fighting in my life. Our comrades had been slaughtered in a most inhuman and brutal manner, and slaves were trampling over their mangled and bleeding corpses. Revenge must have fired every heart and strung every arm with nerves of steel for the Herculean task of blood. We filed up a ditch, which had been dug for ingress and egress to and from the earthworks, until we reached the vale between the elevation on which the breastworks were located and the one on the banks of the little stream just mentioned, within two hundred yards of the enemy. The ill-fated battery of six guns which had been demolished by the explosion of eight tons of gunpowder, projected from the line of earthworks for the infantry at an acute angle. It overlooked the enemy's line of works which were on the northeastern slope of the same elevation, distant about one hundred yards.

The "Crater," or excavation, caused by the explosion, was about twenty-five feet deep, one hundred and fifty feet long and fifty feet wide. About seventy-five feet in rear of the supporting earthworks there was a wide ditch with the bank thrown up on the side next the fortifications. This was constructed to protect parties carrying ammunitions and rations to the troops. Between this irregular and ungraded embankment and the main line the troops had constructed numerous caves, in which they slept at night to be protected from the mortar shells. The embankment from the bottom of the ditch was about ten feet high and commanded the outer or main line. The space from the outside of the fortifications to the inner edge of the ditch was more than one hundred feet wide.

The "Crater" and the space on both sides for some distance, were literally crammed with the enemy's troops. They were five lines deep, and must have numbered between fifteen and twenty-five thousand men. Their historian admit that their charge was made by the whole of the Ninth Corps, commanded by General A. E. Burnside, and that the fifth and a part of the Second Corps were massed in supporting distance.

Mahone's Old Brigade, after being deployed, covered their front from the center of the Crater to their right. Their silken banners proudly floating on the breezes, supported by countless bayonets glistening in the sunlight, might on an ordinary occasion have daunted our little band and made them forfeit a trail at arms; but they were desperate and determined, and reckoned not the host that confronted them. I recollect counting seven standards in front of our regiment alone. Our column was deployed in the valley before mentioned, in full view of these hostile thousands. As the soldiers filed into line, General Mahone walked from right to left, commanding the men to reserve their fire until they reached the brink of the ditch, and after delivering one volley to use the bayonet. Our line was hardly adjusted, and the Georgians had not commenced to deploy, when the division of Negroes, the advance line of the enemy, made an attempt to rise from the ditch and charge. Just at that instant General Mahone ordered a counter charge. The men rushed forward, officers in front, with uncovered heads and waving hats, and grandly and beautifully swept onward over the intervening space with muskets at trail. The enemy sent in the ranks a storm of bullets, and here and there a gallant fellow would fall; but the files would close, still pressing onward, unwavering, into the jaws of death.

The orders of Major-General Mahone were obeyed to the very letter, the brink of the ditch was gained before a musket was discharged, the "No quarter!" greeted us, the one volley responded, and the bayonet plied with such irresistible vigor as insured success in the shortest space of time. Men fell dead in heaps, and human gore ran in streams that made the very earth mire beneath the tread of the victorious soldiers. The rear ditch being ours, the men mounted the rugged embankment and hurled their foes from the front line up to the very mouth of the Crater.

In the meantime, the Georgia Brigade had charged, but were repulsed; and soon after it was reformed in column of regiments and again charged, but was met by such a withering fire that is again recoiled with heavy slaughter.

Our bloody work was all done so quickly that I had scarcely an idea of the time it required to accomplish it, some say it was twenty minutes. It was over I am sure about noon, and then for the first time we realized the oppression of the scorching rays of that July sun, and many almost sank from exhaustion. The brigade captured fifteen battle flags, and our own regiment owned five of the seven that I had counted in its front. How many men rallied to each of these captured flags I have no means of ascertaining; but the Ninth Corps had been recently recruited, and its regiments must have been well up towards the thousands, and from these captured flags alone the reader may form an idea of the numbers we had overcome. In that supreme moment, when exulting over a great victory, how great I shall leave to other to judge, as our eyes fell upon the bleeding comrades around us, our hearts sickened within, for more than half our members lay dead, dying, wounded and writhing in agonies around us.

The wonderful triumph had been won at the price of the blood of the bravest and the best and truest. Old Company F, of Norfolk, had carried in twelve men, all of whom were killed or wounded. The Sixth Regiment, to which it was attached, carried in ninety-eight men, and mustered ten for duty at this time. The Sharpshooters carried in eighty men, and sixteen remained for duty. Nearly half of our own regiment had fallen, and the 12th, 41st and 16th Regiments suffered in like proportion. Up to this time only an inconsiderable number of prisoners had been captured.

Mention of special acts of bravery would, perhaps, be out of place here, for all who marched from that vale crowned themselves heroes, and need no encomiums from my feeble pen.

During the charge, about fifty yards from the ditch, Captain John G. Wallace, of Company C, 61st Virginia Regiment, was stricken down with a broken thigh. He lay upon his back, refusing to allow his men to take him from the field till the battle was over, waving his hat and urging his men to "go on; go forward."

Lieutenant St. Julien Wilson, of the same company, was mortally wounded, and died the next day. He was a young officer, generally admired for his gallant conduct on the field and manly Christian virtues in camp.

Captain John T. West, of Company A, encountered two burly Negroes at the brink of the ditch, and while parrying their thrusts with his sword, was bayoneted in his shoulder by one of his own men, who was too eager to assist him. Privates’ Henry James Butt, Jeremiah Casteen and Dorustus A. Williams, three of the bravest of the brave, from the same company, were instantly killed.

Private John Shepherd, a noble soldier of Company D, was slain just before reaching the main line of breastworks.

Although our principal task was completed, yet more heavy work remained to be done to fully reestablish our lines. Brigadier-General Bartlet, with about five hundred men, were cooped up in the Crater, and their capture was the crowing event of the bloody drama. Our wounded were sent to the rear as fast as possible, and after piling the enemy's dead on each side of the trenches, to make a pass way, our ranks were closed up in proper order. We were then ordered to keep up a sharp fire on the enemy's works in front to keep them close, and on the Crater to our right to prevent Bartlet's escape, as our position commanded his rear, while Saunders' Alabama Brigade formed in the valley and charged, The Alabamians made a grand charge under a terrible fire, reaching the crest of the Crater without faltering, and here a short struggle ensued. They tumbled muskets, clubs, clods of earth and cannon balls into the excavation on the heads of the enemy with telling effect. This novel warfare, as before stated, lasted only a few minutes, when Barlet ordered up the white flag, and about five hundred prisoners marched to our rear. The Negroes among them were very much alarmed, and vociferously implored for their lives. One old cornfield chap exclaimed, " My God, massa, I nebber pinted a gun at a white man in all my life; dem nasty, stinking Yankees fotch us here, and we didn't want to come fus!

The appearance of this rough, irregular hole beggars description. It was estimated that it contained six hundred bodies. The importance of reconstructing this broken line of earthworks at once, prevented the removal of these bodies, therefore, they were buried as they had fallen, in one indiscriminate heap. Spades were brought in, and the earth thrown from the side of the Crater until they were covered a sufficient depth. By 3 o'clock in the afternoon all was over, and we were enjoying a welcome truce.

Text contributed by Jean S. Spencer