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CHAPTER VII.

After the battles of the 18th and 19th of August on the Weldon Railroad the
brigade, or what was left of it, returned to Battery No. 37, and for weeks were
constantly engaged on the fortifications and in manning the trenches.

On September 2d the Second Maryland was withdrawn from the trenches and
placed three miles west of Petersburg, between the Weldon and Southside Rail-
roads, forming a part of the force designed to oppose movements of the enemy's
left. The battalion remained here for several weeks employed in building a series
of earthworks to cover the exposed left flank and rear of General Lee's army.
Among this series of works thus constructed was a strong hexagonal fort upon
the farm of Dr. Peebles, within a short distance of the Squirrel Level road. This
fort it was hoped the brigades of Archer and Walker were destined to man, and
the men felt confident of their ability to hold it against a much superior force. But
such was not to be the case, for on the 30TH of September Archer's Brigade was
ordered to the Star Fort, situated about half a mile to the right of Petersburg, at
which point Lee was concentrating troops in anticipation of an attack. And it
was made that day in overwhelming force. It was simultaneous on both flanks —
the expedition of Hancock north of the James, which resulted in the capture of
Fort Harrison, was followed by that of Warren; who attacked with four divisions
of infantry and one of cavalry, and they swept the handful of artillerists who had
been left in charge of the strong defenses built by Archer and Walker, and they
carried everything before them. The strong fort which had cost these brigades so
much labor was wrested in a moment, and with little defense. Hancock, the
splendid soldier that he was, continued his movement and made his success
complete. He had gained a strong position, from which he felt confident of dealing
sledge-hammer blows upon his antagonist, and in this he made no mistake.
Hancock had made these achievements before. He overrun Johnson's Division
at Spottsylvania, and achieved the only success that can be accredited to Grant's
" On to Richmond," though he was unfortunate at Cold Harbor, as were all of
the other subordinate commanders of General Grant.

When Warren's movements were made known to General Lee. Archer's
Brigade was ordered back to the position they had occupied, and General Heth
formed his command in the rear of the main line of Confederate works, with the
view of assaulting and recapturing the position the enemy had carried.

It might be well to describe the positions held by the opposing forces prior to
inaugurating a battle of unusual severity.

The two lines were almost parallel. Half way between the contending forces