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Atif

288 Nortu Carortrna Troops, 1861-65.

had been run out of. The Twenty-fourth Regiment was led
by Major Love. This was a desperate struggle, it being nec-
essary to club the enemy out with the butts of our guns. It was
soon over, however, and our loss was light, considering the
situation. We remained here in this captured works until
just before day, the enemy’s dead and wounded in piles
among us, when we were moved to the right. This seh
day of the morning of the 23rd, and we were again ordere
to built breastworks which was again done during the day
with bayonets as our only tools. The enemy massed their
columns all day in a deep ravine in our front.

About sunset they advanced several columns deep. Our
lines were doubled also. On they came to within seventy-

five yards before we gave them the first fire ; still they came _

until the third round, when they weakened and fell back
down the hill, still firing but to no effect, as the balls passed
well over us. About 9 o’clock at night, we were relieved by
General Longstreet’s corps, and sent out near the reservoir
for rest, the first we had had for several days. On —
the works, we came in range of the enemy’s bullets and sutf-
fered considerable loss. The siege of Petersburg now began
by General Grant, and the line of breastworks built this day
by the Southern army was the line maintained and held by
them during the remaining nine months of the war. During
this nine months, there was scarcely a moment, and certainly
not an hour, but the sound of arms could be es some
portion of the lines. Time rolled on, Ransom s _—
cupying that portion of Lee’s line from the right bank 3) P
pomattox river to and beyond the iron railroad bridge, east 0
the city. Skirmishing was now an every day occurrence. :

In many places the two lines were not one hundred yards

apart. : , :

On 30 July, Grant sprung the mine, atterwards
known as the ‘‘Crater, or Blow-up at Petersburg.’ > The right
of the Twenty-fourth Regiment rested within a few paces of
the “Crater” at the time of this explosion, and was among the

first troops to engage in repelling “Burnside’s Negro Sol-

diers” from this bloody chasm. We remained here among
these dead negroes until they were buried, or partially so, for

Twenty-FourtH REGIMENT. 289

several days, the stench being unbearable under other cireum-
stances. This portion of the lines was ever after known as
Mortar Hill. Subsequently, the Twenty-fourth Regiment
was moved to the left, and occupied the line from the iron
bridge to the river as before stated. Here it was our daily oe-
cupation to watch the enemy through port holes made through
sand bags and to dodge mortar shells. At night we did picket
duty in the rifle pits between the two lines, in some places not
more than forty yards from the Yankee pickets. Often we
would meet and exchange tobacco and coffee, and have a social
chat with each other.

In October, the Regiment was recruited by conscripts from
Camp Holmes, which swelled our ranks somewhat, and many
of these men made good soldiers. Time moved on with its
many changes, in men and other things. The Yankees often
making desperate efforts to break our lines, but were as often
repulsed, and sometimes with heavy loss. About 15 March,
1865, Ransom’s Brigade was relieved and sent about
seven miles west of the city. Here we remained for a few
days in some houses or huts that had been built by the army.
About 24 March, at night, we were ordered to fall in
ranks, not knowing what was going to happen next. We took
up the line of march in the direction of Petersburg, which
place we reached after midnight. We were ordered to the
place we had left but a few days before, at the iron bridge.
It now became apparent that something had to be done. About
one hour to day, the Twenty-fourth Regiment was ordered
to mount the works and move as-quietly as possible on the
enemy’s works.

Moving on in the darkness we soon came in contact with
the enemy’s cheveaux de freise fastened together with wire.
Through this we soon made an opening, and entered the works
without firing a gun, the Yankees not expecting an assault.
As we brought them out in their night clothes we.would send
them to the rear. A moment later firing commenced to our
right, but the enemy was so completely taken by surprise that
their effort was but a feeble one, and we had their line for a
mile or more. For some unknown cause the advantage we

19