ore they came upon the heavy line of entrenchments covering the eastern approaches to the town.
First assault on Petersburg.
Shortly after that hour, Smith moved by the Baxter Road upon the works in front of Batteries 6 and 7, but the men of Wise's brigade resisted his repeated assaults with unsurpassed stubbornness --I use the exact language of Beauregard
For the Confederate operations from the 15th to the 19th June, Inclusive, I am greatly indebted to General Beauregard's Ms.
Report,, Cemetery Hill was naked of men. The officers of one battery, indeed, misbehaved, but these were promptly spurned aside, and the very spot of their defection made glorious by the heroic conduct of Hampton Gibbs of the artillery and Sam Preston of Wise's brigade, both of whom fell desperately wounded — while spurring hard from the hospital, with the fever still upon him, came Hampden Chamberlayne, a young artillery officer of Hill's corps, who so handled these abandoned guns that from that day t
hoped to win safety, but offering, in desperation, a seemingly bold front prepared for battle.
Informed by a negro, whose knowledge of the country notably expanded at sight of a six-shooter, that there was a blind-road leading in rear of Wilson's left, Fitz. Lee at once pushed forward with his dusky guide, and having assured himself by personal reconnoissance of the truth of the information, quickly made his dispositions.
Lomax's horsemen, dismounted, were formed across this road, with Wickham's mounted brigade in reserve, the latter being instructed to charge so soon as Lomax had shaken the enemy.
In a twinkling, as it seemed, the rattling fire of the carbines told that Lomax was hotly engaged, and on the instant the movement in front began — the infantry, under Mahone, advancing swiftly across the open field, pouring in a biting volley, Pegram firing rapidly for a few moments, then limbering up and going forward at a gallop to come into battery on a line with the infantry, whi
