the day passed in quiet in front of the Ninth Corps. On the left of our line there was some severe fighting, resulting in a loss to the enemy of nearly a thousand prisoners and an equal number of killed and wounded, for which he had previously gained no compensative advantage.

General Meade, on the 27th, issued a congratulatory order, in which he spoke in complimentary terms of the promptness of General Parke, "the firm bearing of the troops of the Ninth Corps in the adjacent positions of the line held by the enemy, and the conspicuous gallantry of the third division, together with the energy and skill displayed by General Hartranft." He had at first reflected severely upon "the want of vigilance of the third brigade of the first division." But on subsequent information, he was convinced that he had spoken wrongly and hastily, and therefore cancelled the order. It was said by some that the enemy contemplated making an attack upon Fort Sedgwick, but our line there was too strongly guarded. .He therefore tried the experiment further down towards the river. Whether this was so or not, the movement was skilfully made and nearly proved a success. Under the orders that were given from headquarters, respecting the reception of deserters, it was possible at almost any point, and the wonder is that it was not tried before.

No further opportunity for such a surprise occurred. The enemy had not won the victory which he had hoped. Our troops were put more vigilantly on their guard, and prepared with greater eagerness for the decisive movement which every one felt to be momentarily approaching. Every indication now pointed to General Lee's speedy retreat from Petersburg and Richmond. General Grant prepared his army to strike the final blow before his enemy could escape. General Sheridan, with his cavalry, was hurried to the extreme left, and the entire Army of the Potomac, on the 27th of March, was ordered to be ready to move at a moment's notice. On the 29th, the march commenced. General Sheridan had the advance. General Warren's corps followed, with General

Humphreys in support. The sixth and Ninth Corps held the lines in front of Petersburg, and portions of the Army of the James were brought from the north side of the river to aid in the contemplated attack. It is not needful to follow the magnificent manœuvres and brilliant fighting which, for the next few days, proved to General Lee that the hour of his defeat had come. Still, until the last moment, he tenaciously held upon his fortified positions at Petersburg and Richmond. General Grant found it necessary to attack in front as well as on the flank.

The enemy's line, from the Appomattox to the front of Fort Sedgwick, was the old interior line which had been so often attacked in vain. The line held by the Ninth Corps extended as far as Fort Davis, and fronted the enemy's strong position. On the 30th of March, General Parke received orders to assault on the next morning at four o'clock. The point of attack was left to his discretion. The front of Fort Sedgwick was thought to be the most available for the attempt. The divisions of Generals Potter and Hartranft were concentrated in rear of the fort, ready for the movement. The assault, however, was suspended, by order of General Meade. The operations on the left had not been developed sufficiently to insure success. The troops were therefore ordered back to their old position. At last the time came. On the 1st of April, orders were again issued for attack. About ten o'clock that night our artillery opened and our skirmishers were sent forward. General S. G. Griffin found a weak place in front of his brigade, between Forts Hayes and Howard, rushed in, carried the picket line, and captured two hundred and fifty prisoners; but, finding the enemy's main line fully armed, again withdrew. During the night, the troops were concentrated. General Hartranft's

division was massed in front of Fort Sedgwick. Colonel Samuel Harriman's brigade of General Willcox's division, was formed on General Hartranft's right. The 51st Pennsylvania held the brigade line in the works. General Potter's division was massed on General Hartranft's left, to the left of the Jeru

salem plank road. At three o'clock on the morning of the 2d of April, Geral Parke established his headquarters at Fort Rice. At the same time, Generals Hartranft and Potter formed their assaulting columns. General Hartranft put the 207th Pennsylvania in advance, and in its immediate rear the 205th, 211th and 208th Pennsylania. The 200th and 209th Pennsylvania were held in reserve. Colonel Harriman's brigade was posted on the right. General Potter formed his column with General Griffin's brigade in advance, immediately supported by General Curtin's. The attacking forces were very skilfully arranged. Storming parties, pioneers with axes, and troops equipped as engineers, and details of artillerists to work any guns that might be captured, accompanied each column. The plan of attack was for General Willcox to make a feint in front of Fort Stedman, while Generals Potter and Hartranft assaulted the enemy's works.

At four o'clock, our artillery opened along the entire line. General Willcox promptly and vigorously pushed out his skirmishers, and was everywhere successful. The 51st Pennsylvania, under Colonel Bolton, captured the enemy's line near the crater. Colonel Ely's brigade carried the picket line and two hundred yards of the main works near the Appomattox. The enemy concentrated a considerable force upon these troops, as was anticipated, and gave an opportunity for the columns on the left. At half-past four, the signal was given, and the troops designed for the main attack sprung away from their place of formation with the greatest alacrity and enthusiasm. Eager to avenge the repulse which they had experienced on almost the same ground, eight months before, they charged the enemy's line with the utmost vigor and resolution. They were received with a storm of grape, canister and musketry, but through the deadly tempest they advanced with an intrepidity which showed that the Ninth had not lost the ancient daring. They plunged through the ditch, tore away the abatis, scaled the walls, swept over the parapets and carried the works. Hartranft's column was successful in capturing

twelve guns, a number of colors, and eight hundred prisoners. Harriman's column made a gallant charge upon the right, and carried all that part of the enemy's line which was known as Miller's salient.

General Potter's division advanced upon the left, in the face of a terrific fire, which made dreadful rents in the attacking column. The enemy's line in the part which General Potter assailed was heavily fortified, and it was necessary to drive him from traverse to traverse in a hand to hand conflict. The 6th New Hampshire captured a battery of four guns, and turned them on the enemy. The 56th Massachusetts, assisted by the 5th Massachusetts battery, took and held the line of rebel works on the Jerusalem plank road. The enemy was very tenacious, and fought with great resolution, but was finally obliged to yield before the progress of our troops. For a quarter of a mile, he was borne back into an interior line of works, where he was strongly reënforced, and was enabled to check the advancing columns. A very daring but unsuccessful attempt was made to carry this inner position, in the midst of which General Potter fell, very severely wounded. General Griffin succeeded to the command of the division, and very ably directed its movements for the remainder of its term of service. For his brave and faithful conduct on this day, he was brevetted Major General.

It was now full daylight. The operations thus far had been very successful. The enemy's line, to the distance of four hundred yards on each side of the Jerusalem plank road, including several forts and redans, had been taken by our troops. Meanwhile, the sixth, second, and portions of the twentyfourth and twenty-fifth corps had attacked from the left, and succeeded in carrying a part of the opposing lines in their front, with two thousand prisoners and at least fifteen pieces of artillery. The enemy resisted strenuously, but, after an obstinate struggle, was compelled to give way, with the loss of his commanding General A. P. Hill. The sixth corps particularly distinguished itself in this day's battle. Trained under Sheri