CIVIL WAR U.S.COLORED TROOPS-9th Corps,4th Div. PATRIOTIC & LETTER-Detailed Acc

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CIVIL WAR U.S.COLORED TROOPS-9th Corps,4th Div. PATRIOTIC & LETTER-Detailed Account,BATTLE of the CRATER(Petersburg Va)Wash DC AUG/7/1864, EXHIBIT ITEM, A PRICELESS PIECE of HISTORY, a full transcript of the letter follows after the description >>>>>>>>>>>>>Near Petersburg,Va August 5th 1864 Friend Henry I am writing to you this morning seated in a bombproof-a very secure , though not very comfortable place. The habitature is simply what civilized people would call a cellar. It is of convenient height eight by twelve in dimensions and has a roof made of railroad iron and cross ties covered by several feet of earth. It is well ventilated and remains moderately cool during these excessivively hot days. There is an attraction too about the place which but few could resist, not so much on account of its own inviting nature, as on account of its uninviting surroundings. We are lying on the front line where we have been since the assault of the 30th and firing never ceases here. Night and day it continues without interruption, so you see it requires considerable ingenuity to navigate outside of one's own contracted sphere. But so it does all through life Henry. ...........I suppose of the part we took in the engagement on the 30th. The whole affair was badly arranged and the failure was due not to the men, but to the higher powers. After a terrific cannonading on the morning of the 30th the fort was blown up and the first line advanced with little opposition and took possession of it, as well as the rifle pits running parrallel to ours. The Rebs, however had another line further on and from there they poured a pretty severe fire. The COLORED DIV. was now ordered forward, and forward we went with a vim. I never saw men more eager for the fray. We advanced by the flank, that is, four abreast, from our line of rifle pits toward the fort. This was a very exposed place and the dead and wounded lay so thick I could not help but step on many a poor fellow. Arrived at the fort, which looked just like a funnel or crater. We filed to the right in rear of the captured pits. The rifle pits themselves remember were filled by our first line. This brought us into line facing the Rebs and we were ordered to be down. We dared not fire on account of our men a few feet in front and the little mound od dirt about one foot high the rifle pits afforded us very little protection. -END OF 1st FOUR PAGE LETTERSHEET We were so much advanced also that they had an enfilading fire along our line and from two forts, one on each side they pluniged their shell among us unmercifully. Had the order now been given been given I have not the last doubt but we would have carried the works in front of us. But there we lay and for almost half an hour were merely targets for the enemy.Three officers were wounded within six feet of me, my Captain while lying close beside me, and any numbers of men. I was never before in so hot a fire and I have been in some very warm places. The balls whistled over and among us just like a swarm of bees, and vollies of canister would pass along like a flock of birds. In fact before we had lain there twenty one were all "cut to pieces" to use a common term. The 2nd Brig. of C. TROOPS and our first line of white troops were in the pits in front of us all crowded together, but I declare of the whole Division that had advanced I do not believe there was more than 500 white soldiers there. The rest had all mysteriously disappeared. The order was now given to charge, but the white troops could not be moved. They simply lay in their pits and yelled. The colored troops did get out and advanced about half way towards the enemy's works, but they (the Rebs)had reinforced their line and immediately charged in turn. Back came the darkies helter skelter and the white troops followed suit. In one confused mass they ran right over our line and soon all was broken. But I saw brave deeds done there Henry. Many of our men stood until the Rebs were right upon them and fought hand to hand. My orderly was badly injured by a blow from a musket in the ha... read more

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