WE LEAVE YORKTOWN.
On the afternoon of the 4th we went aboard the boats and
dropped anchor at Fortress Monroe at dusk. The next morning we started up the
James river. The river was alive with boats, schooners, tugs, gunboats,
monitors and everything that could float, all loaded to their fullest capacity with
troops, horses, artillery and all the paraphernalia of war. We passed
Jamestown in the afternoon. Nothing now remains to mark the spot
where the first settlement in Virginia was made, but a pile of bricks which
composed a part of one of the buildings. We reached City Point just before
night. Gen. Heckman's brigade landed on the Bermuda Hundred side and bivouacked
a short distance from the landing, all the other troops remaining aboard the
boats. The gunboats and monitors commenced fishing for torpedoes and working
their way up the James and Appomatox rivers.
The next morning, the 6th, the troops commenced to land and
Heckman's brigade was ordered to advance. We marched up the country six or
seven miles, getting on to high ground and what is called Cobb's Hill. From
here the spires of the churches in Petersburg can be seen, while in front of us
is a kind of valley. At this point the Appomatax river turns in a southwesterly
direction. On the banks between us and Petersburg was a battery. This is called
a good position and here we halted. We sat here under a burning sun, watching
the long lines of troops come up and file off to the right into the woods
towards the James river until past the middle of the afternoon, at which time
the whole of the 18th and 10th corps, comprising the army of the James, under
Gen. B. F. Butler, had arrived.
HECKMAN'S BRIGADE LEADS OFF THE DANCE.
About 4 p. m., Gen. Heckman is ordered to make a
reconnoisance towards the Petersburg and Richmond railroad. We moved down the
valley in a southwesterly direction, and when about three miles out the 27th
Massachusetts were advanced as skirmishers. A mile or two farther on we began
to hear scattering shots, indicating that our skirmishers had found game. We
hurried on and found the enemy in a shallow cut, on a branch railroad running
from Port Walthal to the Petersburg and Richmond road. A sharp skirmish ensued,
lasting till near dark, when Heckman withdrew, having accomplished his purpose
of finding the enemy. In this skirmish the 25th lost four killed and several
wounded.
The next morning, the 7th, we moved on them in force, Gen.
Brooks' division moving directly on the Petersburg and Richmond railroad.
Heckman's brigade, with a section of a battery, were ordered to occupy the ground
of the night before. The enemy were in strong force and opened on us with
artillery. Heckman paid no attention to that, but moved his battalions into
line on the field in columns by division, and ordered them to lie down. The
25th were partially covered by a slight roll of ground in our front, while the
27th Massachusetts on our left were badly exposed to the enemy's fire and were
suffering severely. Heckman saw the situation and ordered Col. Lee to move his
regiment to the rear of us. He then ordered forward his artillery, placing them
in battery in our front and set them to work. They made the rail fences and
dust fly right smart. After a few shots had been fired a loud explosion was
heard, followed by a big cloud of smoke, dust and debris in the enemy's line.
One of their caissons had blown up, and our boys rose up and gave rousing
cheers. Our guns continued shelling them, but got no return fire, their
ammunition was probably exhausted and their guns perhaps disabled.
There was no infantry firing on either side, we simply
holding our line and watching events. Heavy firing was heard over on the
railroad. Brooks was at them and a fight for the railroad was going on. We were
masters of the situation here and were able to protect his flank. About noon
the enemy got an old gun into position and commenced throwing chunks of
railroad iron at us. This caused considerable sport among the boys and they
would cheer them lustily every time they fired, but a few shots from our guns,
put a quietus on that sport. I have often read and heard of that kind of
practice, but never saw any of it until
In the afternoon a battery of four 20-pounder parrott guns
drove up, taking positions on a roll of ground some 20 rods in our rear and
commenced firing. I at first thought they were shelling the enemy in front of
us, and was a little surprised at it as all was quiet on both sides. But I soon
noticed they were not. I got permission from Capt. Emery and went up there. Here
was a signal officer, and nearly half a mile away to the northwest was a group
of men signaling to this battery. The guns were at quite an elevation, and they
would train them a little to the right or left, as directed by the signal
officer. They were throwing shells over the woods and dropping them among the enemy
on the railroad, some two miles away. Those shells were reported to be very
annoying to the enemy and of great service to Brooks. It was splendid artillery
practice and I was greatly interested in it. While watching them shy those
shells over the woods I wondered where those devils over there thought they
came from.
Towards night it was signaled that Brooks had accomplished
his purpose, tearing up several miles of road and was drawing back to our line.
The day's work was over and we drew back to Cobb's Hill. In this day's fight
the 27th Massachusetts sustained the greatest loss, while the 25th suffered the
worst in last night's affair. The heat was intense, and the men suffered
severely, many of them being prostrated and carried back in ambulances.
SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass.
Volunteer Infantry, p. 138-40