far the assault had been crowned with success, the
greatest danger was still before us. Experience had taught that
the fate which one week before befell Gordon at Fort Stedman was
a common fate of troops who, in a necessarily broken state, gained
an entrance inside of an energetic enemy's lines. Our position
was not dissimilar to Gordon's after he had taken Fort Stedman.
To our left was a strong, closed star-fort, well manned and supplied
with cannon. It was impossible at once to restore order. Many of
our men passed, without orders, far to the north, some as far as
the Southside Railroad leading into Petersburg, which they began
to tear up.

One important incident must be mentioned.

Corporal John W. Mouk (138th Pennsylvania), with one comrade, having
penetrated in the early morning some distance in advance of our
other troops, was met by a Confederate general officer, accompanied
by his staff. The general demanded his surrender, whereupon the
corporal fired and killed him. He proved to be Lieutenant-General
A. P. Hill, then in command of Lee's right wing, and one of the
ablest officers the Confederacy produced. The corporal and his
comrade escaped, and Hill's staff bore his body away. It has been
claimed the corporal deceived Hill by pretending to surrender until
the General was in his power, then shot him. I investigated this
incident at the time and became convinced the corporal practised
no deception, and that his deliberate conduct--natural to him--led
Hill and his staff to assume he intended to surrender.

But to return to the captured works. I entered them on horseback,
with some of my staff, close after Colonel Prentiss. Up to this
time no general orders had been given, save those promulgated prior
to the assault. The ranks were much broken, regiments were
intermingled, and excitement prevailed. I was charged with the
duty of carrying the next fort to our left. The steady fire on us
from this fort helped to recall the troops to a sense of danger.
Day was just dawning. I ordered Major S. B. Larmoeaux (9th New
York Heavy Artillery) to man such of the captured artillery as was
available. He soon had four guns firing on the fort, under cover
of which I ordered a general rush of the still disordered Union
troops on the fort. This charge resulted in its capture with six
more guns and a number of prisoners. The real danger was still
not passed. It was soon discovered that a Confederate division