Report of Brig. Gen. William A. Pile, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade, of operations April 1-9.
Blakely, Ala., April 13, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the
part taken by my command in the investment and capture of
Blakely, Ala. :
The command arrived in the vicinity of Blakely on the evening of
April 1. During the succeeding night, in obedience to orders from
Major-General Steele, one of my regiments was sent to guard the
bridge on the Holyoke road. On the morning of April 2 I was
ordered to form my command in line of battle and advance,
connecting my right with the left of the Third Brigade and
conforming my movements to the movement of that brigade. This was
immediately done, and we soon met the enemy's skirmish line in
front of their works, steadily driving them and advancing until
within 900 yards of the works around Blakely. I then, in
obedience to orders from the division commander, halted, put my
men under the best available cover, and lay down to await the
shield of darkness to intrench. During the night of the 2d and
the morning of the 3d my first parallel line of intrenchments was
made. The regiment sent to the bridge returned during the night
and took position in the front line. The groun d in my front and
rear was a perfect plain, with a strip of low marsh running
obliquely across my line of works, affording no opportunity to
get my men sent out of the trenches to rest during the day, and
greatly increasing the labor necessary to construct approaches
and parallel lines. From April 3 to the morning of April 9 I was
constantly engaged in working my way up to the enemy's works.
April 4 the regiment on my right was relieved by the Second
Brigade, shortening my front line and enabling me to keep one
regiment in reserve. Two additional parallel lines, with
approaches, were constructed under an unceasing fire from the
enemy's sharpshooters and occasional fire from their gun-boats
and batteries, which annoyed me very much, killing and wounding
more or less of the command each day. During the night of the 8th
and the morning of the 9th I had pushed skirmish line forward and
constructed a new line of rifle-pits 140 yards in advance of the
command on my right and about 100 yards in advance of General
Andrews' line, on my left. The fire of the enemy's sharpshooters
and skirmish line occupying rifle-pits inside their first line of
abatis was very sharp and spiteful during the morning of April 9,
until about noon, when they suddenly became quiet. Word of this
change reached me by Lieutenant-Colonel Merriam, commanding
Seventy-third U. S. Colored Infantry, and the lamented Major
Mudgett, Eighty-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry (killed later in the
day), sending to me a statement of the fact and a sking
permission to feel the enemy. I immediately ordered one officer
and thirty select men from each of my regiments in readiness to
advance on the enemy's skirmish line. I also ordered the section
of the Fourth Massachusetts Battery stationed on my line to fire
a few shots with a view to ascertain if the enemy's guns were
still in position in my front. No reply was elicited from the
enemy. I was starting to the front intending to advance my
skirmish line supported by the selected men above referred to,
when Major-General Osterhaus, chief of staff to Major-General
Canby, came on to my lines and went forward with me. After
examining the ground he directed that half of the men already
selected get into a ravine immediately in front of my right
regiment, deploy, and advance to a crest held by my skirmish
line, and at a given signal they with the remainder of this
select party ( who were to spring out of their rifle-pits on the
left of my line) were to charge, and, if possible, capture the
enemy's skirmish line. This was done in the most gallant manner
by Captain Jenkins, Eighty-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry, and
Captain Brown, Seventy-third U. S. Colored Infantry (who was
mortally wounded), assisted by the skirmish line commanded by
Captain Greenwood, Eighty-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry. The enemy
immediately opening a heavy artillery and musketry fire on me, I
ordered five companies forward to support this advance and hold
the ground gained, with instructions to intrench immediately in
rear of the enemy's abatis. This movement on my part was followed
up by the Second Brigade on my right, and the work of intrenching
had been progressing under heavy fire forty minutes, when
cheering on my left notified me that General Andrews' division
was moving forward. Still ignorant of whether this was an assault
on the enemy's main works or merely a following up of the
movement made by me, I sent a staff officer to my left to report
if their advance continued beyond the first line of abatis and
parallel with my advance, who immediately signaled that General
Andrews' division was advancing to assault the main works. I
immediately ordered the entire brigade to charge. About the same
time the Second Brigade on my right advanced their entire line,
and the general assault commenced, resulting in the capture of
the enemy's entire line of works in my front, containing seven
pieces of artillery, many small-arms, and prisoners. To the
Seventy-third U. S. Colored Infantry belongs the honor of first
planting their colors on the enemy's parapet. Many of the enemy
garrisoning these works threw down their arms and ran toward
their right to the white troops to avoid capture by the colored
soldiers, fearing violence after surrender. All my officers and
men behaved splendidly. My staff officers discharged their
respective duties faithfully, promptly, and fearlessly. Sergt.
Edward Simon, Company I, Seventy-third U. S. Colored Infantry,
has been recommended by his regimental commander to be mentioned
in ord ers for his bravery. The Eighty-second Regiment U. S.
Colored Infantry, although in reserve and consequently late in
starting on the charge, preserved their regimental organization
throughout, the officers exhibiting both skill and bravery. A
list of the casualties has already been furnished by you.*
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
SOURCE: United States War Department. THE WAR OF THE REBELLION: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1880-1901.
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