On the morning of the 16th Hancock directed Egan to assault Redan No. 12, which he carried in the most gallant manner. The two forces rested in close proximity to each other until late in the afternoon, when Meade arrived and, after examining the enemy's position, directed Hancock to make an attack, which he did about six o'clock p. m. He was supported by two brigades on his left of the Ninth Corps, and on his right by two of Smith's. On the left Redans 13 and 14 were carried, while No. 4, on the right, fell into our hands. Our losses were very heavy in that assault. Among the dead was numbered Col. Patrick Kelly, of the 88th New York, who fell gallantly leading his brigade. Colonel Beaver, of the 148th Pennsylvania, was severely wounded. He has since been Governor of the Keystone State and a prominent man in national affairs. That evening orders were given to advance at early dawn on the 17th. This important work was assigned to Griffin, who worked all night getting his command ready for the attack. It was executed in a most skillful manner. He says:

I then spent the entire night moving my troops through the felled timber, getting them in proper position, and preparing for attack. I placed my brigade on the left of the Second Corps in a ravine immediately in front of the Shade House, which the enemy held, and within one hundred yards of their lines, with Curtin on my left and a little further to the rear on account of the conformation of the ground. We were so near the enemy that all our movements had to be made with the utmost care and caution; canteens were placed in knapsacks to prevent rattling, and all commands were given in whispers. I formed my brigade in two lines * * * Colonel Curtin formed in the same way. * * My orders were

*

not to fire a shot, but to depend wholly on the bayonet in carrying the lines.

Just as the dawn began to light up in the east, I gave the command, "Forward." It passed along the lines in a whisper, the men sprang to their feet and both brigades moved forward at once in well-formed lines, sweeping directly over the enemy's works, taking them completely by surprise, and carrying all before us.

One gunner saw us approaching and fired his piece. That was all we heard from them, and almost the only shot fired on either

side. The Confederates were asleep with their arms in their hands, and many of them sprang up and ran away as we came over, others surrendered without resistance. We swept their lines for a mile from where my right rested, gathering in prisoners and abandoned arms and equipments all the way. Four pieces of artillery, with caissons and horses, a stand of colors, six hundred prisoners, fifteen hundred stand of arms, and some ammunition fell into our hands.

The enemy was pursued by Potter to Harrison's Creek, where he was found strongly posted on its west bank. Wilcox then made an attack on that part of the line, but was unable to carry it, although he was supported by Barlow on the right, who always fought with great intrepidity. Late in the day Colonel Gould, of the 59th Massachusetts, commanding Ledlie's division, was ordered to attack where Wilcox failed. Gould was supported on the left by Crawford and Barlow, and on the right with the assistance of all our artillery, while the advance of Gibbon and Birney to Harrison's Creek aided this movement. This effort of Gould's was partly successful. After a fearful loss he carried

a part of the enemy's works, but his men being out of ammunition, were driven back by Gracie's brigade. That ended the conflict for the day, with Beauregard clinging to the west side of Harrison's Creek to the Norfolk Railroad, and on the extreme right from the Appomattox to Redan No. 3.

Beauregard had been fighting heavily all day, and had stubbornly resisted the advance of the Union army over Harrison's Creek, yet Lee was not certain that Grant had crossed the James, so he sent his son, W. H. F. Lee, with a division of cavalry, to ascertain if it was a feint on Grant's part to induce him to vacate the Peninsula, and then march up the left bank of the James and capture Richmond. Beauregard was uncertain whether Lee would reënforce him or not, as he had practically turned a deaf ear to him for two days. It was evident that he could not long hold the line on the west side of Harrison's Creek, for he had been strained to the last extremity to withstand the attacks

of that day, and night did not come too soon for his safety, for the Fifth Corps had arrived and took a position to assist the Ninth Corps, and participated in the night attack on his lines. His line was too long for the troops he had, and Lee was astride of the James, not knowing until late in the afternoon of the 17th where Grant's army was, and then he did not telegraph Beauregard, but ordered Kershaw and Field, about three o'clock on the morning of the 18th, to march from in front of Bermuda Hundred to Petersburg.

In the mean time Beauregard had removed back to a position in advance of the Jerusalem plank road, which in all probability had been selected before in case of necessity. This line was much shorter, and as a consequence could be better defended with the same number of troops. It intersected the first line at Rives' house near the Jerusalem plank road where it turned west across the road. Lee had decided to transfer his headquarters to Petersburg, and arrived there with Kershaw and Field. Kershaw relieved Johnson's division while Field took position on the right of Kershaw. Hill coming up during the day extended the Confederate line still farther to the right. While the night attack of the 17th was not successful, yet it warranted Meade in the belief that the next morning with the Second, Ninth, and Fifth Corps, in line from right to left in the order named, he could successfully break Beauregard's line; but this movement was delayed until about noon. When the advance was made, it was discovered that only a strong skirmish line held Harrison's Creek, which rapidly retreated back on Beauregard's new position.

The Second Corps, on the right, under Birney (Hancock's wound having broken out, he was compelled to yield up the command of the Second), had a shorter distance to march, and were first to arrive in front of the new position. The Ninth Corps, in the center, struck the enemy at the Norfolk Railroad cut, which he was holding concealed in a ravine. Here Burnside met stubborn resistance. Warren, on his left, attempted to relieve him, but having

to march over a mile came under the same galling fire that Burnside had been subjected to from the railroad cut, and ' from ravines in his front. Finally that part of the Confederate line was forced into the works when Burnside got within 100 yards of them. Warren swung around and placed his line only a few feet from them, when Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain, in command of a newly organized brigade composed of Roy Stone's old brigade, the 121st Pennsylvania, and the 142d Pennsylvania of Rowley's brigade, with the 187th Pennsylvania, was severely wounded, or else it was quite probable that that brigade of seven regiments would have carried the works at that point. General Grant, learning of Chamberlain's great gallantry there, promoted him to brigadier general on the field, and requested his nomination to be sent immediately to the United States Senate for confirmation. Colonel Tilden of the 16th Maine assumed command of the brigade when Colonel Chamberlain fell.

Smith had returned to the Bermuda Hundred part of the line under Butler, with the exception of Martindale's division, which was temporarily detained to assist in the assault on the 18th. Advancing on the right of the Second Corps he succeeded in taking some rifle-pits immediately in front of the main line, but was unable to advance any farther.

A most gallant and persistent assault had been made all along the line by Martindale, Birney, Burnside, and Warren, but the enemy had been able to hold his position in the works, which had been made hastily in a few hours. General Grant studied over the situation, and deeming it wise to desist from further attack, directed the troops to be put under shelter, and given a much needed rest in a campaign which began at the Rapidan on the 4th of May and ended at Petersburg on the 18th of June.

The First Maine Heavy Artillery made a charge at five o'clock which was as distinguished as the Light Brigade at Balaklava. Although Colonel Chaplin carried the colors off the field, yet, in less than twenty minutes, he left 603