424 Nort Carortina Troops, 1861-’65.

minutes or possibly half an hour. There was absolutely no
sign of life along the enemy’s lines. Their pickets lay just
in front of their abatis in their rifle pits. Away in the east
there was a band of white light in the sky which marked the
approach of day.

THE CAPTURE OF FORT STEADMAN.

Suddenly there rang out on the stillness the sharp crack of
a pistol. Instantly the enemy’s pickets fired and there was
a muffled sound of feet where Lieutenant Flemming’s party
was and along the line of the two regiments. Then came the
rush and the rapid sound of axes and the crash of falling
timber and the wild cheer from the axemen. The two regi-
ments were at their heels and followed rapidly. Instantly
there came a heavy fire of artillery and rifles from Fort
Steadman, but it was of short duration, for in another minute
the assaulting party mounted the enemy’s works, capturing
their guns and many prisoners. ‘The writer’s impression is
that Lieutenant Flemming was the first man upon the breast-
works, for he stood there when the line reached it and around
him stood some of his men with their axes still in their hands.
The enemy were pushed back, and through this gap the Con-
federate forees pushed in.

THE REGIMENT FORCED TO RETIRE.

On the right, however, at Fort Heiskel the attack had been
less fortunate and thus when the day broke the enemy com-
menced a furious cross fire and from the front Lewis’ Bri-
gade was ordered to assault an earthwork diagonally to the
left, the name of which is unknown to the writer. It was
heavily armed, however, and after a desperate struggle the
regiment was forced back after suffering very heavy loss.
The writer was among the wounded and the command of
the regiment devolved upon Captain Carpenter, a most gal-
lant and efficient officer, who had borne a part in-nearly every
struggle in. which the regiment had been engaged. Ullti-
mately the whole line was ordered back within the Confed-
erate lines and Captain Carpenter brought off the regiment
in as good order as possible under the murderous cross fire.

Firry-SEvENTH REGIMENT. 425

Next day Captain Beard returned and took command of the
regiment and was in command of it during the eventful
march from Petersburg to Appomattox.

After the bloody repulse at Hare’s Hill on 25 March the
Confederate line retired to its trenches before Petersburg
and lay there like a wounded lion at bay. Before it was the
magnificent Federal army commanded by General Grant—a
great captain of a great host. That army, infantry, artil-
lery and cavalry was armed, equipped and supplied with all
that money poured out in lavish abundance could supply.
Its ranks were fully recruited, its horses fresh, its caissons
and ordnance wagons loaded down with tons of ammunition,
its commissary trains abundantly suppplied—all in readiness
to receive the word from its great commander that would
launch it on its hapless foe. And that foe! It was but the
shadow of its former self, a remnant after the carnage of a
hundred battlefields and of four years of ceaseless marching
and fighting. Its ranks were thin, its guns were worn with
use, its ordnance and commissary stores but scant. The men
were but half clothed and were pinched from want and con-
stant exposure in the trenches. But there they stood! No
bugle could recall to their aid the thousands of their dead
comrades whom they had buried on the battlefield, but the
spirit of their noble dead abided with them and they feared
nothing but God and the shame of fear; and so they waited.

On 1 April the great tragedy began. General Sheridan
attacked our extreme right at Five Forks and drove back our
cavalry and infantry supports. By this movement our flank
was completely turned and the position at Petersburg ren-
dered untenable. On the 2d the Federals opened all along
the line, the fire was kept up during the entire day, and
repeated assaults were made at different points in overwhelm-
ing numbers. At some points they were repulsed, at others
they were successful, or partially so, but the result of it
all was that the immediate evacuation of Petersburg and
Richmond became necessary. By the morning of the 3d the
army had crossed to the Chesterfield side. Then commenced
the memorable march to Appomattox; and the Fifty-seventh
Regiment was in the midst of it all, still patient, obedient