onfederate officer, who
was a prisoner. Looking up, General Grant quietly asked, "I assume you
have questioned him?" The officer replied, "Yes, but he does not tell
anything." Grant then remarked, "Ask him if he has a recent Richmond
paper." The Confederate officer said that he had and took one from his
haversack, giving it to the officer, who handed it to General Grant.
Grant nodded his head in acknowledgment, and remarking, "You may take
him back," opened the paper and began to read. Just then General
Sheridan rode up. Grant arose, greeted him warmly, and seemed deeply
interested as Sheridan began earnestly telling him, I assume, the
results of his recent movements. Receiving my instructions I then
returned to the regiment.

The crossing of the James River by the army on pontoon bridges, as is
known, was a memorable movement, the river being about two thousand feet
wide there. Our march from the James River to Petersburg was a very hard
one, since the roads were sandy and it seemed that at every two steps
forward we would slip one backward. However, towards evening, we reached
a position near Petersburg, when, tired as we were, it seemed to me a
favorable moment for us to advance and try to capture the town. We could
see trains of cars coming in, their infantry being hastily unloaded, and
everywhere were evidences that they were hurrying up forces to resist
us. The failure to attack that afternoon was a great disappointment to
General Grant, as one reading his _Memoirs_ can ascertain. The next day,
the 17th of June, was my last day of active service in the field.

About the 8th or 9th of June orders had been read out behind the
breastworks in which my appointment as captain was announced. Though I
had always been doing duty as a captain, I had never held the rank of a
first-lieutenant. Subsequently, Adjutant Hill having been wounded, I did
temporary duty as adjutant; and on the 17th of June was with the
regiment in the assault of the enemy's works near the Norfolk road, in
which it suffered so severely. My wound was not received in the assault
but immediately after, and under the following circumstances. The
assault had been unsuccessful because of the failure of some troops on
our right to support us properly, and the command had secured the
protection of a line of breastworks. Acting as adjutant that day I had
been carrying an order, when I noticed lying on the field Lieutenant
Randall, who was lying on his face, a