414 Southern Historical Society Papers.
[IX.] NEAR PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, October u, 1864.
- * * Last Sunday I had an Episcopal minister with me, who
comes from North Carolina not only to preach, but to visit the North Carolina hospitals, and give clothing to the sick and wounded from the " Old North State." At 2 o'clock that night we were all aroused from our sweet slumbers, and shivering with cold, were soon march- ing for Petersburg where an attack was expected. We reached the second line of works, near Reeve's salient, at daylight and lay in reserve all day long, subjected a part of the time to a shelling from mortars and rifle guns. We moved out of the works after dark and are now bivouacing near Battery 45. I was amused yesterday during the shelling to see some of our artillerists running out and picking up the fragments of shells. They collect large quantities of these and dispose of them to the founderies, getting eight cents a pound for the iron and ten for the lead. Five or six passed me during the day loaded down with fragments. The shelling of yesterday, where we were, was brought on by one of our Whitworth guns opening upon the Yankee train as it came in sight about three and a half miles distant. On the right the Yankees have destroyed all of the houses in front of their lines. * * * *
[X.] NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., October 12, 1864*
- * * Many of the Yankees in their flight in the recent fight
cut the straps to their knapsacks and let them drop as they heeled it back. The battle-field was a rich one, and my brigade bears me out in the assertion, as they have a great many sugar-loaf hats, blue overcoats, oil- cloths, shelter-tents, &c., &c. It is said that one green Rebel went up to a dying Yankee, and stooping over him said, " Mis- ter, may. I have your coat?" All of the dead that had on passable clothes were stripped; but the Yankee account about their bodies being mangled and beaten is a lie. I couldn't help laughing when I saw one of my little fellows with a Burnside hat on, many sizes too large for him, I could hardly see his head, as the brim of his hat nearly rested upon his shoulders. It is amusing to see a great many of them and to hear their remarks after such a fight. * *
- See Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume IX, page 355. History
of Lane's North Carolina brigade.
