On the 16th General Hancock was placed in command of all the troops on the south side of the river. During the day we made several reconnoissances, and in the evening at 6 o'clock we made a charge down the hill and through an old rebel camp, but were obliged to fall back to our first position.
On the morning of the 17th Birney's division pushed forward across Harrison's creek, and at night we built a line of works on the west side of the creek.
Early on the 18th, with General Birney in command of the 2d corps, we moved up to, and in, the Prince George Court House road, in front of the Hare house, and from there we made a charge on the enemy's works, which ran across a field about two hundred yards in our front and almost parallel with the before mentioned road. Our line advanced about one hundred yards, when the enemy's fire became so severe that we were obliged to fall back to the road and seek cover. During the day we made three different charges on the enemy's works, but they were so formidable and well manned that we failed to reach them. In the third attempt the 57th reached a ditch, where we lay down and let them fire over us from both sides until about 6 o'clock in the evening, when we were recalled, and then returned to the main line in the Prince George road. We were then relieved by the 1st Maine heavy artillery (acting as infantry), when we moved back to the rear of the road. The Maine regiment made a gallant charge, but were also repulsed with great loss. While they were making this charge, a minie ball from the enemy's lines pierced the flag staff of our regimental colors about eight inches above the color sergeant's head.
During the night of the 18th we moved out in front of the Hare house, and built a line of breast-works, which position remained substantially the same during the entire siege. We remained in these works during the 19th and 20th. On the 21st we moved to the left of the Jerusalem plank road and took a position on the left of the 5th corps, and there built another line of works.
It was during these first days of the fighting around Petersburg that our adjutant, Clark M. Lyons, was killed, as was also Henry M. Adams, second lieutenant of Company I. Captain J. R. Lyons was severely wounded, and about twenty-five enlisted men were killed or wounded.
On the morning of the 22d we advanced about half a mile toward the rebel line, where we built a line of works, with nothing to work with but our bayonets and tin plates.
In the afternoon we had a hard fight with Mahone's division, which succeeded in making a flank movement, and getting on our left flank and rear, when we were compelled to fall back to our position of the 21st. In this action our brigade lost heavily in prisoners, our regiment losing about twenty, among them Lieut. James F. Ruger, of Company F. A brave and gallant sergeant of Company K, Pat. Dempsey, was also captured here, and died in Andersonville prison. In the evening we again advanced and retook our former position. It was between these two lines that Fort Alex. Hays was built afterward, and named in honor of our old brigade commander. We remained here for some time, doing picket duty and building entrenchments, for it was now decided that Petersburg must be besieged. This old Virginia town had, in 1860, a population of a little over eighteen thousand. It is situated on the south side of the Appomattox river about twenty-five miles from its mouth at City Point, and is twenty-three miles south of Richmond.
When we first reached the front of Petersburg, Lee's army depended for its supplies on two railroads, running south,—the Weldon railroad, and the Lynchburg (South Side) railroad. To encircle Petersburg as completely as a siege demanded, it was essential that these two roads should be covered by our army. The first was controlled by us, in the last week in August, but the South Side never, until the city fell.
Before the fall of the city our lines of investment extended from Appomattox, below Petersburg to Hatcher's Run, on the southwest, a distance of about twenty-five miles. To supply our army a railroad was constructed in rear of our lines, which connected with the Petersburg & City Point railroad near Broadway Landing. City Point at the confluence of the Appomattox with the James, was our depot of supplies, and was also the headquarters of General Grant. It was a very busy place in 1864, but in ordinary times it is but an unimportant hamlet. Our front line of works consisted of huge earthen forts, and redoubts in which were mounted heavy siege guns and mortars. The forts were connected by well constructed breastworks, in front of which was slashed timber or abattis. So strong were these works that with the aid of the artillery, they could be held by a small force of infantry, which enabled General Grant to detach largely from his forces for operations against the enemy's flanks, and elsewhere. Our cavalry was also kept busy raiding the enemy's communications and doing him as much damage as possible.
The enemy's works were on the same plan as ours and gave them the same opportunities.