Note 17 — Chapter XVII · THE MOVEMENT ON PETERSBURG.

In "The Virginia Campaign of '64 and '65," page 217, note, General Humphreys, describing this action, quotes as follows, from a paper contributed to the Massachusetts Military Historical Society, by General S. G. Griffin, commanding Second Brigade:—

"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 rebels 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."

While this statement is doubtless correct with reference to that portion of the line attacked by General Griffin's brigade, it does not convey a true idea of the stubborn, though short, resistance encountered by Curtin's brigade. The fire at this point was very severe. The Second New York Rifles broke under it, leaving only the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania in the front line. Between the brow of the hill and the enemy's line the Thirty-sixth lost nineteen out of less than ninety men engaged, and the loss reported by the Forty-eighth Pennsylvania was seventy-five killed and wounded.