UPR: Report of Lieutenant Colonel William Lee Davidson, 7th North Carolina, Lane’s Brigade, of operations September 30-October 1, 1864

Editor’s Note: Brett Schulte recently noticed this report transcribed online among the James H. Lane Papers at the Auburn University Archives web site.  Permission was asked for and granted by Auburn University Libraries, Department of Special Collections & University Archives to reproduce these transcriptions here at The Siege of Petersburg Online.  These transcriptions are copyrighted by Auburn University Libraries, Department of Special Collections & University Archives and may not be reproduced without their express written consent.  The transcription attribution reads as follows: “Transcriptions made by Terri Stout-Stevens, Pfafftown, NC, in 1997 and 1998.  Edited by Marty Olliff, Assistant Archivist, Auburn University, who takes all responsibility for any errors.”

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Unpublished Report of Lieutenant Colonel William Lee Davidson, 7th North Carolina, Lane’s Brigade, of operations September 30-October 1, 1864¹

Hd Qrs 7th Regt N.C. Troops
In the field Oct 6th, 1864

Capt E.A.T. Nicholson
A.A.A. Gen’l

Captain:

I have the honor very respectfully to submit the following as the operations of the regiment in the engagements of the 30th September and 1st of October 1864.  About two oclock on the afternoon of the 30th of September we left Battery 45 near Petersburg, moving west by the road a distance of about three miles from Petersburg where we left the road and formed line of battle on Jones’ Farm.

Soon after the line being formed we received orders to advance which we did rapidly, driving the enemy before us through fields and woods about a mile and a quarter to the Pegram House capturing a number of prisoners.

Here our line having been considerably scattered and the enemy having a strong position at the Pegram House we fell back about two hundred yards to a fence at the edge of the woods, and remained untill ordered to the rear for the night.

1st October. About an hour after sunrise we moved forward and reoccupied the ground we [left] the night previous. After remaining in this position about an hour we moved forward and occupied the enemy’s works from which our Skirmishers had dislodged them and which were about six hundred yards from Fort McRae.

Here we remained the entire day exposed to the fire of the enemys Sharpshooters and of the guns of Fort McRae, [the] shot from which frequently penetrated this breastworks wounding several men behind them.

About seven o’clock pm we received orders to return to our former position in the fortifications around Petersburg.

It is a source of gratification to be able to state that the entire command behaved with unusual gallantry.

I am Capt. Very Respectfully & etc.

W[illia]m. Lee Davidson
Lt. Col Comdg 7th NCT

Having already sent in a list of casualties I only add a recaputation

Killed 1 officer and One Enlisted man

Wounded 5 officers [and] 49 [Enlisted] men

Missing 1 Enlisted man

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