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Bryce
streetstories@juno.com

Our Confederate Column

The Hampton Legion, "Bravest of Brave"

Picket Duty on the James

The legion meanwhile had been ordered to do picket duty near the James River, some fifteen or twenty miles below Richmond, at localities known as Deep Bottom, Drill Shop, and Double Gates. Here the times were spent idly and without excitement, except now and then receiving a good
shelling from the enemy's gunboats when it ventured too near the river in reaping the grain in the rich bottoms which the farmers had been compelled to abandon on the approach of Grant. Both cavalry and infantry would reap at night and carry the grain away to some mill and provide
themselves with extra rations of flour. A venturesome ranger during the day would invariably provoke a bombardment. A daring cavalryman, angered at his being driven from the fields, secreted himself near the edge of
the river at daylight, and with his carbine "bushwacked" Uncle Sam's lookout on the topmast of the gunboat. Thereupon the whole country around was complimented with a bombardment, which did no damage beyond intimidating raw recruits.

For a month or two this picket duty on the James was kept up, when the regiment was stirred into activity by an attacking force of the enemy. The cavalry held them in check until the arrival of the infantry from the right, moving parallel from the south side with the advancing
Federals. On this occasion, being relieved by McGowan's Brigade, a ragged rebel wanted to know what regiment lay in front of them. When informed, he said

"Boys, the Hampton Legion will stick. I thought it was some cussed cavalry."

During this advance a Federal cavalry oficer, while reconoitering, rode up to the post of John Lyons, of Company H. Hiding behind a tree, Johnnie waited until the officer approached near enough, when, rushing upon
him at a "charge bayonet" he ordered his surrender in classical brogue. The capture was made and Lyons became the possesor of the officer's splendid charger. The event seemed to make a brave soldier of Johnnie, who was not previously noted for his fondness for fighting. Astride his glossy steed, he was afterwards always ready for duty and delighted when made a scouter. During a severe skirmish he was sent on a dangerous erand. His horse returned with an empty saddle and shoulders bespattered with blood, but Johnnie Lyons was never more heard of.

Legion Was Lucky

In this Deep Bottom fight, the Legion sustained few casualties. The enemy retired and we camped on New Market Heights. Here for a while we had light duty and perfect peace to be abruptly broken on a splendid morning by Grant's throwing a large attacking force suddenly on the north of the river. The whole line fought bravely against vast odds, but the overwhelming number of the enemy outlfanked and drove it back toward Richmond in a retreat of ten miles. In this engagement the legion was
was under the hottest fire since the East Tennessee campaign, but behind breastworks the loss was light. A rally was made as we neared the outer lines of the earthworks and bastions of Richmond with a morass of bog
and felled trees ? between us and the works.

At bay we turned upon our advancing ? and with desperate fighting broke their lines and shattered them. Amidst their confusion a passage and retreat across this "slough of despond" to the works was effected. The Yankees did not advance further, no doubt believing we were but an
outer line well supported. But for this last stand of Gary's Brigade, Richmond could have easily been entered. Many soldiers of the legion will remember the splendid precision that day of a battery of artillery, the
Richmond Howitzers, on our right, as it played upon the advancing line of blue, sending its shells with deadly effect into the column at the discharge of every gun. The anaconda like line of the enemy was thus drawn closer around the doomed city. Sharpshooting between the infantry
outposts on the right for several days kept us on the alert as did heavy picket duty to the left on the highways leading into the city. [Account of Oct. 7th] Determining to recover lost ground, orders were received from Lee to attack and turn the enemy's flank. Before day we were
on the move and by country roads got into position at right angles to Anderson's (Georgia) Brigade and to the infantry line. We waited until the infantry opened fire and then advanced. A battery of flying artillery fired three shells at us and limbered up in retreat. Two of these
missiles burst over us and severely wounded two men. - the third cut a pine top, which fell on the writer and several others, but without hurting us. For the only time during the war, as we pressed the Federals back, I was permitted to see the flashing of the muskets of two opposing lines for nearly a half mile ? The sight was grand indeed and
intensely exciting as the enemy gave way. I shall remember as long as life lasts the yell of victory as the boys in grey charged on the fleeing bluecoats. Gary's brigade turned the flank. The Legion captured the artillery and pursued the enemy until checked by the murderous fire of their double line of reinforcements.

From Horse to Engineers

Trusting to memory, it is impossible after so many years to detail accurately in succession the movements of the legion during a year's restless campaign of small fights. So the thread of the story will be continued as the events come to mind. Some time after this last victory at the close of a pleasant day, we went into camp, feeling assured of a
week or two of rest and quietude. At midnight we were aroused, horses and camp left in charge of a detail and hastily marched several miles, put in position on the line of the infantry, to the left of a body of woods, given picks and spades and commanded to throw up earthworks. Grant had made a sudden dash on Richmond and would attack in the morning. As this was the first time after the legion became cavalry that it was
ordered to do the fatiguing work of infantry, the murmurs and curses were loud and deep, the men averring that it was a false alarm and that no large force had crossed the James. Just before day, the work being finished, and the men resting and sleeping with guns and accoutrements
lying about carelessly on the ground, our videttes were driven in. Our old soldiers knew the import of the cracks of rifles in front and cartridge boxes and a hustling into the ditches, for it must be known that breastworks were made by Lee's veterans during the war by digging a ditch
about two feet deep and three feet wide, throwing the earth up about three feet in front. Here we stayed for three long days and foiled the enemy in an attempt to surprise us. The works were not charged by a scattering fire was kept up during this time at "long taw," the enemy evidently
being afraid to advance. The officer on command of company B, finding the ditch too crowded for comfort reclined on the ground just back of it. The sharp whir of a bullet above his head, at intervals, showed plainly that he was the mark of one elevated sharpshooter. A Cherokee
Indian named Bly in Company E, on our left, at last aspied him up a tree, and taking careful aim with his rifle sent a shot at him, the result of which was known by Bly's laconic "Me kill him" and there was no more sharp shooting. On this occasion Lieutnant Colonel Nicholson, the gallant veteran of many battles, was severely shot in the arm, his first and only wound during the war, from which he recovered.

After this the legion was in a fight near Fussell's Mill, and then with the brigade it aided a cavalry force under General Hampton to defeat a body of Federals near Samaria Church, driving them to the James River under cover of their gunboats. [October 27, 1864 Second Fair Oaks, Va.]
In one of Grant's attempts to capture Richmond, strong columns were simultaneously hurried by forced marches along the Charles City, Williamsburg and Nine Mile Roads towards the city.

On the first named road the legion held them at bay until relieved by infantry, then marching rapidly along the line of earthworks to the next road, reached it and got into position on either side of the artillery in the fort, just as a line of blue emerged from a body of woods several hundred yards distant and dashed for the works, supposing them to be held by the battery of artillery only. A well directed fire staggered and so demoralized them that they in panic broke their lines, some retreating to the woods while the greater number flung themselves into a ditch running across the open space in front of the Confederate works. At this juncture an officer in breathless haste ordered the legion to the Nine Mile Road. At the double quick we rushed diagnolly across a field for the works on that road, while a black and a blue column of Yankee negro troops moved on them in front. They were gallantly held at the time by two guns of the Palmetto Battery and sixty mounted cavalrymen, under command of General Gary. We gained the entrenchments and opened
a deadly fire on the negroes at twenty paces as we moved along the line on the attempt to place our flank opposite to theirs. The lines were in too close proximity and theirs was the longest. So we fought and drove them from in front of us, while their right turned our left and
captured the two guns. The legion fell back as the dusky mob swung round to the rear, but rallying to the flag, carried by Colonel Logan, it charged the howling horde and slew them like sheep. When our left was hard pressed two of Company A were captured and immediately bayoneted by
the blacks, who came over the works shouting "No quarter."

When they were retaken the men of the legion were so incensed that it was with difficulty that the officers retrained them from killing the prisoners taken. As it was poor Sirebocker and comrade were fully avenged. Thus Gary's Brigade once again saved Richmond.

This was the last formidable attempt to take the city on the north, and soon after the legion went into winter quarters near the battleground of Seven Pines. Here we pitched tents and built huts and managed to live a comparative comfort despite the severe picket duty on the White Oak swamp several miles distant, which was the service of the legion for the winter.

the Darbytown Road, where we were in line all day on our horses, shivering and suffering in the winter blast, to return to quarters at night, having had only a few shells to pass over our heads from the guns of the enemy

Richmond Times Dispatch
April 27, 1913