umn, which, without
stopping, replied with a volley of Minie bullets.

"The long, dusky line, arm to arm, knee to knee."

[Illustration: PHALANX SOLDIERS AT WORK ON RIVER OBSTRUCTIONS.]

Then shells came crashing through the line, dealing death and shattering
the ranks; but on they went, with a wild cheer, running up the slope;
again a storm of cannister met them; a shower of musketry came down upon
the advancing column, whose bristling bayonets were to make the way
clear for their white comrades awaiting on the roadside. A hundred black
men went down under the fire; the ranks were quickly closed however, and
with another wild cheer the living hundreds went over the works with the
impetuosity of a cyclone; they seized the cannon and turned them upon
the fleeing foe, who, in consternation, stampeded toward Petersburg, to
their main line of intrenchments on the east. Thus the work of the 5th
and 22nd Phalanx regiments was completed and the road made clear for the
18th Corps.

Brooks now moved up simultaneously with Martindale, on the river road.
By noon the whole corps was in front of the enemy's main line of works,
Martindale on the right, Brooks in the center, the Phalanx and cavalry
on the left, sweeping down to the Jerusalem Plank Road on the southeast.
Hinks, with the Phalanx, in order to gain the position assigned him, had
necessarily to pass over an open space exposed to a direct and
cross-fire. Nevertheless, he prepared to occupy his post, and forming a
line of battle, he began the march. The division numbered about 3,000, a
portion of it being still at Wilson's Landing, Fort Powhatan, City Point
and Bermuda Hundreds. This was a march that veterans might falter in,
without criticism or censure. The steady black line advanced a few rods
at a time, when coming within range of the confederate guns they were
obliged to lie down and wait for another opportunity. Now a lull,--they
would rise, go forward, and again lie down. Thus they continued their
march, under a most galling, concentrated artillery fire until they
reached their position, from which they were to join in a general
assault; and here they lay, from one till five o'clock,--four long
hours,--exposed to ceaseless shelling by the enemy. Badeau says, in
speaking of the Phalanx in this ordeal:

"No worse strain on the nerves of troops is possible, for it
is harder to remain quiet under cannon fire, even though
comparatively harmless, th