University of Virginia Library

Affair at Walthal Junction.

Colonel Graham, with the companies he had moved with,
arrived at Petersburg and was pushed forward by General

[ILLUSTRATION]

Pickett to Walthal Junction, reaching the latter place a little
before 5 p. m. on the 6th May, and there found Lieutenant-Colonel
Dargan's detachment which had preceded him about an hour.
This raised his force to about 600 men, composed of his own regiment
and three companies of the Twenty-fifth under Major
Glover. As Graham's men jumped off the platform cars upon
which they were borne, the brigade of the enemy,[6] before alluded
to as thrown forward against the railroad, was in view some
thousand yards off across an open field, advancing in line of
battle and supported by artillery. Informed by a citizen of the
topography, Graham rapidly advanced his men to a sunken road,
running parallel to the railroad and some 300 yards nearer to the
enemy. In this natural trench he took position across the field,
his right resting upon a wood, and his left upon a ravine. A
brisk action ensued. The enemy made two direct attacks, and
after his second repulse, at nightfall, withdrew, leaving some of
his dead and wounded upon the field. Graham's loss was two
killed and thirty-one wounded.[7] He spoke well of the spirit and
steadiness of his men.

At 8 p. m. the same evening, General Hagood arrived at Petersburg
with the remaining seven companies of the Twenty-fifth,
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Pressley. After some delay
in rationing the men, he moved forward to re-enforce Graham.
Roger A. Pryor, formerly a brigadier of the Confederate Army,
but now a private trooper acting as guide and courier to General
Pickett, piloted him to the scene of action. Arrived at the Junction,
General Hagood found General Bushrod Johnson there,
who informed him that hearing Graham's firing he had marched
to his assistance from the direction of Drury's Bluff with a
brigade of 1,168 Tennesseeans and had arrived during the night.
Gaillard, with the Twenty-seventh regiment, joined Hagood at
daybreak and raised his command to an aggregate of 1,500 men.
General Johnson, having the senior commission, assumed the
command, and shortly after daylight General D. H. Hill arrived
upon the field. This officer, in consequence of some difficulty with
the President and General Bragg, under whom he had recently

served in Tennessee, was without a command at this time, but,
unwilling to be idle at a time when the country had so much need
of the services of her sons, had attached himself as aide to General
Beauregard's staff. Although General Johnson was in command
at the Junction, the ensuing operations of the day had their
inspiration and direction largely from General Hill.

After daylight on the 7th, it was ascertained that the enemy
had entirely withdrawn from our immediate front, and scouts
reported them in the vicinity of Warbottom Church, about three
miles off and somewhat to our left. About 10 a. m., General
Hagood was directed to move across Ashton Creek towards the
Church to feel and develop their strength and position. General
Hill accompanied him, and he was told that Johnson would
follow in support with his brigade. He moved in column of fours
along the narrow road through the woods, the Twenty-seventh
leading and skirmishers well advanced. In about a mile the
skirmishers encountered the enemy's cavalry[8] advancing, and fired
upon them, driving them back. The Twenty-seventh was at once
deployed to the right of the road, and the skirmish line strengthened.
A desultory skirmish ensued; and the enemy showing a
disposition to develop to our left, three companies of the Twenty-fifth
regiment were deployed on the line of the Twenty-seventh
and to the left of the road. It soon became evident that under
cover of this skirmish the enemy was moving masses of infantry
to our left, with a view of flanking us and striking the railroad,
and, upon General Hill's returning and reporting the fact to
Johnson, Hagood was directed to withdraw and take position
along the railroad at the Junction. This he did in column, using
the skirmish line deployed and slightly engaged, first as flankers
and afterward as a rear guard, as the direction of the road interposed
them between himself and the enemy. In the meanwhile
a force of the enemy had appeared south of Ashton Creek,
advancing over the ground of Graham's affair of the evening
before; and Johnson's brigade had not moved in support of
Hagood. A few discharges from Hanker's battery of field pieces
caused this force to retire. It was evident that an attack in force
was now about to be made. Our line was formed along the railroad
with Hagood's left resting where the turnpike crossed it

and Johnson's men prolonging the right toward and beyond
Craig's house. Hagood had the Twenty-first regiment in reserve
upon the turnpike. The artillery (six pieces) were placed by
General Johnson near Craig's house. He had two other pieces
sent him from Petersburg manned by uninstructed men (convalescents
and men on furlough of other arms picked up in the
city), who, when the action commenced, deserted their guns
without firing a shot. The enemy reappeared in front of Johnson
about 2 p. m. in their original force, estimated by him at four
regiments and a battery of artillery, which failed to engage him
except with artillery at long range, and was replied to by his
batteries. This demonstration had, however, the effect of neutralizing
Johnson's 1,168 men, who remained quietly watching it
during the action that ensued, and lost only seven men wounded
by shells.

At the same time (about 2 p. m.) the enemy appeared in two
strong lines of battle with skirmishers thrown out and supported
by artillery on Hagood's front. He approached from across the
valley of Ashton Creek, here without swamp or woods, and his
line was oblique to ours and tending to overlap it to the left.
After a half hour's brisk fighting, he retired his lines somewhat,
though still engaging us at longer range, and under cover of an
intermediate wood moved his second line by a flank across the
railroad, and it soon reappeared approaching upon Hagood's
left and rear, the left of this force being upon the prolongation
of our line of battle. The movement was concealed by woods
until the flanking party was within easy rifle range.

The Twenty-first regiment had been ordered up into line on
the left in the beginning of the action; and, upon suddenly receiving
this flank fire, broke. The men went back slowly, but their
organization was broken, and they were deaf to the expostulations
of those officers who tried to stop them. General Hagood, perceiving
the critical condition of things, proceeded at full speed
with his mounted staff to lend assistance in rallying the men.
The brave Lieutenant-Colonel Dargan was killed with the colors
in his hands, waving them and calling to his men to rally.
Graham was shot in the leg, while actively struggling against the
impending rout, and had to leave the field. The command of the
regiment then devolved upon Wilds, the senior captain, Major

McIver being absent. Captain Stoney, of the staff, fell from his
horse with a minnie ball through his lungs, while nobly doing
his duty. At length, by dint of entreaty, expostulation and
threats, the retrograde movement was checked. Captain Tracy,
volunteer aid-de-camp, seized the colors from the sergeant then
bearing them and planted them in the ground. Lieutenant Chappell,
commanding a company, rallied some dozen of his men upon
it; and at once the whole current of feeling in the regiment
seemed changed. The men formed right and left upon the colors,
under the hot fire of the advancing enemy, with something of the
precision of the dress parade. As they formed, General Hagood,
to steady them, made them lie down and return the enemy's fire
from that position. While this regiment was being rallied the
two remaining regiments were being bent back to conform to
the new position; and the result of the whole was to change our
position as if he had half changed front to the rear on the right
company of his right regiment. He now partially confronted
at once both the force which had first engaged him and that
approaching on the flank, both heavily pressing with fire, but the
latter only advancing. As soon as his new line was taken, General
Hagood ordered an advance. The brigade rushed forward
with enthusiasm, and drove back the flanking line—they not
again appearing in that direction. This advance regained us the
railroad, but the right of Hagood's brigade now rested at the
turnpike crossing, where his left had first been. The enemy
again massed heavily in Hagood's front and essayed an advance,
but his men, sheltered in the railroad cut, easily repelled this
attack with little loss to themselves.

Between 4 and 5 p. m. the engagements ceased, except the
firing of sharpshooters and artillery on both sides; and before dark
the enemy withdrew from the field unpursued and carrying off
most of his wounded. Hagood's force, as before stated, was 1,500
men and his loss during the day was 22 killed, 132 wounded, and
13 missing. The force of the enemy was five brigades of infantry,
under General Brooks,[9] with the usual proportion of artillery
and a regiment of cavalry. His loss was heavy. General Johnston
estimated it at 1,000; prisoners put it larger, but it was
probably not so great. During the action Hagood was assisted

at different times by two pieces of artillery sent to him from the
right, but they were of very little service, getting twice out of
ammunition after very few discharges and going half a mile to
the rear to replenish it. General Johnson replied to his call for
assistance, when the Twenty-first broke, that the enemy were too
threatening on his front to spare it.

The Eleventh regiment and Seventh battalion arrived upon
the field after the action. Pickets were thrown out and the sad
duty of burying the dead and caring for the wounded was performed
without distinction between friend and foe.

The brunt of this action fell upon Hagood's brigade; and in
the progress of the narrative it will be seen that it saved Petersburg.
By the time the enemy were again ready to advance sufficient
re-enforcements had arrived to hold the place. The citizens
appreciated the fact, and were enthusiastic in their gratitude. A
flag was voted the brigade by the ladies; the merchants would
take no pay from the men for their little purchases, and from at
least one pulpit thanks were offered for the "timely arrival of the
1,500 brave South Carolinians." The brigade did acquit itself
well. It was its first fight upon Virginia soil, and a creditable
letter of introduction to the battle-scarred veterans of Lee among
whom it was shortly merged.

Lieutenant-Colonel Pressley had his arm shattered by a rifle
bullet in the charge which decided the fortunes of the day, and
refused assistance, ordering back into the advancing ranks men
who stopped to aid him. The arm was resected at the shoulder
joint, and, though afterwards of some service to him, the colonel
was never again fit for the field. The brigade from this time lost
the valuable services of that meritorious officer. Glover succeeded
to the command of the regiment in the absence of Simonton,
who had remained upon detached duty at Charleston.

Private Vince Bellinger, a cripple from wounds received at
Secessionville and on light duty with the commissary, quit the
train when he heard the battle was going against us and came
upon the field. Picking up the rifle of a fallen man, he joined a
company and fought well during the balance of the day. Captain
Sellars, of the Twenty-fifth, was wounded and returned to the
fight after having the wound dressed. Lieutenants Moffett and
Due, Sergeant W. V. Izler and Private I. S. Shomaker, of the

Twenty-fifth, and Sergeants Pickens Butler Watts, J. B. Abney
and J. P. Gibbons, with Corporal J. Booser and Private
Aemiliers Irving, of the Twenty-seventh, were mentioned for
gallantry by their regimental commanders. No report of the
kind was received from the Twenty-first, in consequence of the
fall of its field officers and the succession of Captain Wilds to the
command late in the action. There were many instances, however,
of devotion in its ranks, and General Hagood often spoke
with admiration of the bearing of Lieutenant Chappell in rallying
the regiment. The services of the staff were invaluable in
restoring order in the Twenty-first. Moloney, Mazyck and
Martin did their duty with great intrepidity; and without these
and Tracy and Stoney it is doubtful if the Twenty-first regiment
could have been stopped. Tracy received promotion shortly after
in consequence of his services in this affair, and was assigned to
duty with General Earley in the Valley of Virginia. Stoney
lingered a long time between life and death, and nine months
afterward rejoined the brigade with one lung gone. Faithful
to the last, he endured the vicissitudes and hardships of the campaign
of '65; and shed bitter tears when the last hope of the
Cause he loved was buried with Johnston's surrender. The extent
to which the enemy had availed himself of foreign recruiting
was exhibited in the fact that among the twenty or thirty prisoners
taken by Hagood's brigade, there were men of six different
nationalities, some of whom could not even imperfectly speak
English.