The Grays were in winter quarters on the left side of Hatcher's Run, one mile and a half below Burgess' mill. While here we received orders at midnight on the 24th of March, to be in readiness to move in the direction of Petersburg. Leaving the sick and wounded to take care of the camp and the lines in our immediate front, we began our march, not knowing the cause of this seeming untimely order. After two hours rapid marching we reached Petersburg, and bivouacked near the water-works. About daylight we were quietly marched into our trenches in front of and to the right of Hare's Hill. The troops who had just occupied these trenches where we now were had been marched out, and were in readiness, under General Gordon, to make a prearranged sortie upon the Federal forts on Hare's Hill.

The attack was made in force about daylight. Our troops gained possession of the enemy's works, but were soon compelled to abandon them, owing to the superior force of the enemy and to the fact that our forces were bewildered in the darkness.

About two o'clock p.m. we were ordered back to our camp on Hatcher's Run. Before reaching it, however, we were informed that our sick and wounded had been routed, and that the enemy was in possession of our picket line. Gen. Cooke immediately ordered out his sharpshooters, and by a flank movement drove off the enemy and regained possession of his line. Next morning the sharpshooters were relieved by the regular pickets, under command of Capt. John A. Sloan of the Grays, who held the lines against repeated attacks until the first of April.

At midnight of the first of April our brigade was relieved by Davis' Mississippi brigade. Our brigade now crossed the creek and took position in Fort Evliss. As soon as day dawned the enemy, being on three sides of us, opened fire upon us with artillery and infantry. Although protected to some extent, some of our men were killed by their shells during the morning. In the meanwhile a desperate fight was going on between fort Evliss, the position we were occupying, and Petersburg. Our position in the fort was only tenable, provided the troops on our left held their position. Consequently, the issue of the fight was awaited by us with much anxiety. Just before sunrise a courier dashed into the fort with news that the lines had been broken and our troops were in retreat. We were, in consequence, immediately withdrawn from our works, and began our retreat from Petersburg. After retreating some five miles, being pressed sorely by the enemy, two regiments of our brigade were deployed as skirmishers.

Arriving now at Southerland's tavern, on the Southside road, we formed line of battle and awaited the enemy's advance. They soon came up flushed with success, and attacked with great confidence. But we repulsed them with heavy loss, capturing many prisoners. Reinforcements coming up we were flanked and compelled again to retreat. After following us cautiously for some hours, and night coming on, the enemy abandoned further pursuit.

We now endeavored to cross the river so as to join the main army, from which we had been separated by the break in the lines that morning. We followed up our retreat until two o'clock that night, when we halted and rested on our arms until morning. At sunrise we began our journeyings again, reaching Deep Creek, unmolested, about nine o'clock. We wandered up this creek about three miles, fording it at this point. We then endeavored to make Goode's bridge on the Appomattox, but night overtaking us, we camped at the cross-roads near Goode's bridge, At one o'clock at night we received marching orders. After three hours hard marching through fields, bog, and fen, we came upon the advance of the main army, which had just crossed the Appomattox on a pontoon bridge. We were delighted to meet our old comrades once more after a three days' separation. What added to the interest of the occasion in a private way was the fact that Major Webb had found a canteen full of something, and my ever faithful "Bill" had captured a hen's nest and scouped in half a dozen or more of eggs. We celebrated our deliverance and reunion.

At the suggestion of the officers of our regiment, it was agreed, there being only about seventy men for duty, that we should form a battalion of two companies, the officers giving up their rank temporarily, and the non-commissioned officers going into the ranks. Lieut.-Col. J. C. Webb commanded the battalion. Major Calvin Herring took command of the first company, and Capt. John A. Sloan took command of the second. This organization was maintained until the surrender.

On the night of the fourth we camped at Amelia Court-House, in the woods just outside of the town, and rested on our arms in line of battle. The next day was consumed in protecting our wagon trains from the frequent attacks of the enemy's cavalry. We now continued our march, fighting by day and retreating by night. Our provision train was burned by the enemy near Rice's station, and our rations that night consisted of one quart of corn per man in lieu of meal. The next day we passed through Farmville. Having been the rear guard for several days, we were now relieved by Scales' North Carolina brigade. Organization and discipline was now rapidly giving away. We were skirmishing and fighting to protect ourselves at every point in a kind of Guerrilla warfare, every man, for the most part, doing his fighting on his own hook.

Saturday night, April the 8th, we camped in about three miles of Appomattox Court-House. Before day next morning we were hastily ordered up and moved to the front. We were rapidly marched up the road filled with ambulances and wagons until we came within full view of Appomattox Court-House, where we could plainly see the Federal line of battle on the hills at and beyond the court-house. We were immediately thrown into line of battle on the right of the road and ordered to hold ourselves in readiness to advance at any moment. On the front line we awaited further orders.