New Years day 1865 found the 32nd Mass. living in their log huts on the Jerusalem plank road, one mile in rear of our line of works in front of Petersburg. Here we worked building and strengthening our works, taking turns so that the work went steadily on night and day. Thus we lived until late in the afternoon of Feb. 4th, when we received orders to move next morning at daybreak.
We imagined it was to be another railroad raid, and we left our huts standing, expecting to return to them; but in this we were mistaken. We started at daylight on the 5th, and marched all day, reaching Nottoway courthouse about sunset. Here we camped, and pickets were sent out, but were recalled at midnight, and we again took up our line of march, arriving early in the morning at a stream called Hatcher’s run, at a point where it crossed the Vaughn road, and where the Second corps had fought the rebels the day before, while we were marching to re-enforce them.
We were ordered into some rifle pits on the opposite side of the stream, out of which the enemy had been driven. I will try to describe my own experience in the battle that took place on February 6th, called by some historians the battle of Dabney’s Mills, but known to us by the name of Hatcher’s Run.
Our regiment was on the extreme right of the Fifth corps, connecting with the Second corps. About two o’clock in the afternoon, Crawford’s division advanced from our left across our front and engaged the enemy. Two hours later the veteran brigade was called upon to fill a gap in Crawford’s line.
We were in the rear, listening to the roar of battle, and pitying our comrades fighting so desperately in front of us, not knowing what moment our turn would come. General Warren sent an aid to General Griffin, our brigade commander, with orders to bring us to the front.
The bugle blew the fall-in call, and away we went into the storm of death. We marched left in front. When we reached the line engaged and passed through, the order came,
“File left! Right face!”
Bringing us into line of battle.
“Forward, double quick!”
On we went, not firing a shot. As our ranks were thinned by the sharp fire poured upon us,