104 Southern Historical Society Papers.
will be seen by the subjoined statement furnished by me in Septem- ber, 1890, for a description of that battle as published by Mr. George S. Bernard in his book of " War Talk of Confederate Veterans":
"At the Battle of the Crater, I commanded Company C of the brigade sharpshooters, which company was on the extreme right of the battalion. A portion of the works to be attacked by the Vir- ginia Brigade was taken and held, and the portion of the Georgia Brigade was expected to take was not recaptured by them, even after a second attack.
" I was desperately wounded in three places when within thirty feet of the breastworks, and at the first volley from a concentrated fire of several lines massed for a forward movement. The fire was not only from a direct front, but was also an enfilading fire, which came from those of the enemy in the crater, this being to our right. The proportion of wounded and killed in the sharpshooters was ex- ceedingly large, probably without a parallel. The battalion went into the fight with 104 men and officers, and of these ninety-four men and officers were killed and wounded; of the nine officers present eight were shot through the breast."
THEIR PRESENCE ACCIDENTAL.
The presence of the sharpshooters in this engagement was acci- dental, as they had to move with the brigade at once, and before the hour of going on picket duty, they therefore took in the brigade line the place of the right wing of the Sixth Regiment, which had re- lieved them the night before.
The wounds received in this battle prevented my return to the army until February, 1865, and I have x no personal knowledge of the service of the corps in the engagements at Ream's Station, Hatcher's Run and other minor affairs near Petersburg. The ranks having become so decimated, it was never restored to its original strength, nor were so many men needed, as the brigade was corres- pondingly reduced.
AT CHESTER.
In March, 1865, the brigade was moved to Chester, on the Rich- mond and Petersburg railroad, and relieved some of the troops of Pickett's Division, where they remained until the evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg.
When the troops were withdrawn, about 9 o'clock at night, I was
