National Tribune Article: 60th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Around Petersburg
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON, D.C.
THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1926

WITH THE 60TH OHIO AROUND PETERSBURG

In the Campaign of 1864-65, Under Grant, From the Wilderness To the Fall of Lee -- Scenes and Incidents Around Petersburg -- The Terrible Fighting and Attack on Fort Stedman. First to Enter Petersburg and Place Flag on Courthouse. The Surrender.

By HEZEKIAH BRADDS, Co. C, 60th Ohio, Morrisville, Mo.

I was born in Rockbridge County, Va., in 1847; was reared in Green County, Ohio, until February, 1864. I volunteered in Co. C., 60th Ohio, Ninth Corps, First Division, Second Brigade.

I reckon I was a decent boy. I never was arrested or paid a fine in my life. I was reared in a nice Quaker neighborhood, and it is that same Holy Spirit that guides and cares for me today. My life has not been without its struggles, especially during my service in the Civil War.

Today I carry two sacred medals for my services in that great conflict. Very few know about the great forts, breastworks, pits, and ditches that were made around Petersburg and Richmond. Only those that were there know very much about these great works and about the struggles and trials.

Most of my service was around Petersburg, and I am one of those who helped to place our colors on the Courthouse in Petersburg April 2, 1865.

I went into camp at Washington City and drilled there until May, 1864. We then began a forced march to the Battle of the Wilderness, 40 miles or more away. Many of our strong men fell by the roadside during this march. I was just a boy and trotted along.

There were battles in that country, known as the Wilderness, the 6th and 7th of May, 1864 - many, many battles. I will drop these battles, for their desperateness can never be told. Most of my service was around Petersburg, where there was much hard work for us to do.

A Hard March.

There we made videt pits, dug ditches, and made bombproofs. One time we marched to Blackwater, N. C., to relieve the Fifth Corps. This march was almost as bad as a battle. It was a dark, fierce night. It was raining, freezing, and snowing. We were all cold thru and thru. In fact, we had waited all day in the cold, expecting to charge their works. Instead we had to make this march.

We marched in the rain and mud. The rain turned to snow and many of our boys had their feet frozen.

However, we arrived safe back to our works, near the Appomattox River, to await results. We did "relieve" a Virginia regiment. They were continually firing. I called to them to know why they were wasting so much good ammunition. Then I told them that the 60th Ohio had moved in. They then said they would not shoot if we would not. A glad cry went up along the lines, and there was peace and quiet for some time after that.

We exchanged coffee with them for some tobacco and papers. Our boys met theirs halfway between the lines. But this, of course, was an "unofficial" truce, and when the old cannon began to roar we all thought best to hunt our holes.

The old "Goose Neck," (that was the name we had given to an old cannon) stood in a fort across the river. It shot both shell and canister. I was the boy that caused peace at times. The second time, our boys were swimming with theirs. Some of their boys swam across the river and never went back. These boys had to keep their heads down for safety.

At Pegram�s Farm.

Another time we marched to battle south of Petersburg to the Weldon Railroad. Such desperateness as this battle was never seen. How quick a forest can be slashed in battle, and for a battle!

Another time, near Poplar Grove Church, near Pegram�s Farm quite an incident happened to me. Our regiment marched over Pegram�s Farm. We swung into line. The balls were flying fast. The right of our line was on higher ground than the other part. Orders came: "Every fellow down, right of line!" When they could see they raised up, fired and ran. Our Captain yelled, "Every fellow for himself!" Must be hellish good marksmen or kill our own men, we were so mixed up.

Captain Eddie and I didn�t know what had taken place. I rolled over in a ditch and stayed there until a heavy line of cavalry drew near me. I was thinking of Andersonville Prison. They had taken our skirmish line.

I arose and made a run for it, and I outran them. I got into the timber after jumping two fences, getting three bullet holes in my clothes. I also had my cap tilted to one side by a ball, and the third time it was shot off for good. My canteen was cut off and the point of my bayonet scabbard was hit by bullets. They came fast.

Night was coming on. It rained all night and next day. We built breastworks and I was put on picket duty that night. Oh, how dead for sleep I was! The next morning, with half a cup of coffee, I was put on skirmish line and advanced over the same ground to were our skirmish line had been taken two days before, and there halted behind a tree.

I remained there that day, and a great fort was built that day on Pegram�s Farm, on a good site. I had been without a bite to eat for four days and nights - our rations from City Point had not arrived in time.

So the forced march did not come for this occasion until arriving back to the old stand, Appomattox River, in the works in front of Petersburg to await results of next move.

I want to mention here that three of us boys were in a tent on top of the earthworks - Phillip Smith, Wilson, Penewate, and myself. Penewate could not see after night to do much good, so I often did his duty for him. We got back to camp with only the loss of Phillip Smith�s right forefinger tip. That was done at Fort Stedman, Gen. Lee�s last attempt to break our lines, and which he did for a time.

Now, most of our tents stood a little north of Fort Stedman, on a higher ground than the fort. There were many blazing shells bursting over us. I counted 11 shells going thru the air at once. I could see the sputtering fuses. That was March 25, 1865.

Early that morning I was the first to give alarm, "Johnnies in our works!" They (the Johnnies) had taken about all of the 14th N. Y. regiment and had gotten all there were in the videt pits. They had also entered Fort Stedman.

I had chosen a place between two flankers. I ran to place and Sergt. Bulin furnished me with cartridges -- tossed them at my feet. Not a Johnnie got north of Fort Stedman. Five hundred of their bravest men were picked to take Romer�s Battery, nearly a mile away on a hill, but they failed, for a Pennsylvanian regiment moved into the fort, and when their force came they were badly worsted and retreated.

Lee�s reinforcement did not arrive in time and the retreating force was passing back, getting over our works. Their reinforcements arrived and the situation looked desperate to me.

A General on a gray horse got over their works and came in full tilt, waving sword to stop the fleeing force. At pull of trigger and crack of gun he fell. He always bore on my mind. That pull of trigger and crack of gun saved many lives - maybe 10,000.

Their reinforcements hadn�t arrived in time. I was in plain sight of all reinforcements and of the fleeing rebels. There were many carried off the field, and my last shot was necessary there. I then went down into Fort Stedman and found two Johnnies there badly wounded and inquiring what we were going to do with them. I consoled them the best I could.

Our colors and our flag were still waving over the fort. I said, "Don�t you like our colors better than your own?" They said, "We are not talking now."

Soon others began to arrive. Dead and wounded were carried off the field. Did I or many others that arrived home safe ever think of being killed while in the Army? I say, how often accidents happened in those days.

Once I was standing on top of our works behind some sandbags watching for a charge of the enemy, when a shell dropped under me, making the dirt fly. I lunged forward. The shell did not burst, or this would never have been written.

Wish I could forget many, many dread sights that I saw around Petersburg. Even while on dress parade having our guns inspected, looking down we could see legs and arms sticking out of the ground, where they were buried in shallow graves. What Gen. Sherman said about war is true; it is "hell!"

Now I begin to close my incidents of use of gun. Early in the morning of the night of April 1, 1865, I was detailed on picket duty in a videt pit, one I was never in before. It was north of Fort Stedman and at the right of the railroad cut.

There was no relief coming, so I was serving thribble time or more. Near day, hearing a racket down toward the Appomattox River, I left the pit and ran for our main lines. I didn�t see a living soul there, so I started toward Fort Stedman.

Our General, seeing me said, "Go back! Our boys are charging their works!"

Running back, I had gotten about halfway to them when a canister roared - �koo-bum!� Jumping on our works, I was so close I fired. They got one more shot, but I got in three; then they rolled back.

Joseph Wilson, an old schoolmate of mine, hung on the abatis, riddled. One of our Sergeants had both legs and arms off. He was carried on a stretcher. After making three shots and turning around I saw his stretcher was set down. I noticed a ring on one of his fingers. He told the boys to take this ring and send it to his wife.

This charge was to draw their fire so we could estimate their force from their right and our left, where our army was massed. There stood their main fort. Though we charged and charged again, their main fort stood. Their main fort was charged seven times.

We finally took and held their main fort. There were two of these forts in front of Petersburg. One was called "Fort Damnation" by our boys. When the other fort was taken, guns and cannons were placed around "Fort Damnation," which was believed to be tunneled.

The Johnnies would not believe that Lee had gone; but he had left Petersburg. With two others I carried our colors and placed them on the Courthouse in town April 2, 1865. There a Johnnie placed our colors, the second one, on the Courthouse, and I guarded his store until 3 o�clock in the afternoon.

After that we marched after Lee down southeast of Petersburg, and got orders to keep an eye on about 500 officers until paroled. Then we made to march to City Point - but this was no forced march.

Later we were convoyed to Washington City, and after the Grand Review there I did guard duty at the old Capitol Prison. I was on guard duty at the arsenal and fort where the Lincoln conspirators were hung. I was relieved of guard about five or ten minutes before they were hung.

Why were we permitted to arrive home safe? I believe it was because of many faithful prayers at home. Both of my comrades are gone long ago.

These are the engagements I was in 1864: Wilderness, May 6 and 7; Nye River, May 9 and 10; Spotsylvania, May 12; North Anna River, May 25; Bethesda Church, Va., June 1; Shady Grove Church, Va., June 1; Cold Harbor, June 3, 5, and 6; Gaines Mill, Va.,; before Petersburg, June 17 and 18; Weldon Railroad, Aug. 19; Yellow House, Va., Aug. 21; Poplar Grove Church, Sept. 30; Pegram Farm, Va., Sept. 30; Hatchers Run, Oct. 27; and at Fort Stedman, March 25, 1865.

I don�t think it is just or right to let any old soldier and family exist on $50 a month while our President and Congressmen draw such high salaries. Yet, if I were able, I would fight for the same cause again.

Bradds, Hezekiah. "With The 60th Around Petersburg." The National Tribune: Washington, D.C., Thursday, April 8, 1926.




This page belongs to The Völker Haus
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~volker
Created:  4 Jun 2001
Modified:  
Copyright © 2001, Jennifer Volker



Dreamcatcher Graphics