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front, and his guns trained on
Wagner.
A powerful calcium light was arranged to illumine the enemy's work, that our fire might be continuous and effective.
Changes were also made in the regiments furnishing permanent details in the trenches and advanced works, and an important part, requiring courage and constancy, was now assigned to our regiment.
It is indicated in the following order:β
Special orders no. 131.
II.
The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers,
Col. M. S. Littlefield, Fourth South Carolina Volunteers, commanding, are hereby detailed for special duty in the trenches under the direction of
Maj. T. B. Brooks, A. D. C. and
Assistant Engineer.
The whole of the available force of the regiment will be divided into four equal reliefs, which will relieve each other at intervals of eight hours each.
The first relief will report to
Major Brooks at the second parallel at 8 A. M. this day. No other details will be made from the regiment until further orders.
By order of
Brig.-Gen. A. H. Terry.
Major Brooks, in his journal of the siege under date of August 31, thus writes,β
βThe Third United States Colored Troops, who have been on fatigue duty in the advance trenches since the 20th inst., were relieved to-day by the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers (colored), it being desirable to have older troops for the important and hazardous duty required at this period.β
Throughout the whole siege the First New York Engineers held the post of honor.
Their sapping brigades took
