History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

180 FIFTY-FIFTH REGIMENT. 1865
engaged in performing picket.and guard duty on the left bank of the James.
On the 10th of December, while stationed at the redoubt on Signal Hill, near
the extreme right of our lines, it was attacked by a portion of Longstreet's
Corps. The demonstrations were feebly made, and were easily repulsed. On
the 21st of December, upon the muster out of service of Lieutenant Colonel
Bennett, at the expiration of his term, Major Filler was promoted to succeed
him, and Captain James Metzger was promoted to Major.
On the 27th of March, 1865, the First and Second Divisions of the Twentyfourth Corps, and one division of the Twenty-fifth Corps, under command of
General Ord, broke camp, and crossing the James and the Appomattox, proceeded, by the rear of the army, to Hatcher's Run, and on the morning of the
29th relieved the Second Corps, which moved out still further to the left. During the 30th and 31st, a part of the regiment was on the picket line near the
run, and in the general advance which was made, skirmished with the enemy,
losing two men killed, and one commissioned officer and seventeen enlisted
men wounded.
On the morning of April 2d, in breaking through the enemy's lines, the
Fourth Brigade, to which the regiment belonged, commanded by General
Fairchild, with the balance of the division, charged Forts Gregg and Baldwin,
which, after a strong resistance, were carried, the Fifty-fifth being the first to
occupy the latter. The loss here was one commissioned officer killed, and
one commissioned officer and four enlisted men wounded. On the morning of
April 3d, having ascertained that the rebels had evacuated Petersburg during
the previous night, General Ord's column was pushed forward to cut off their
line of retreat at Burkesville Junction. By a forced march, along the South
Side Railroad, Ord reached the Junction on the evening of the 5th, a distance
of about sixty miles. Resuming the march on the following morning, it
hastened forward, seven miles further, to Rice's Station, the Fifty-fifth leading
the column as skirmishers, and losing nine men wounded. At the Station, Ord
held his position, cutting off the direct way of retreat to Danville, and forcing
the rebel column towards Lynchburg. At daylight on the 7th, Ord resumed
the march, with the design of again cutting the rebel line of retreat. He
reached Appomattox Court House, a distance of forty-two miles, early on the
morning of the 9th, in advance of Lee's columns, and with Sheridan's Cavalry,
held firmly the only avenue of escape. ~ Sheridan," says Greeley, "was with
his cavalry near the Court House, when the Army of Virginia made its last
charge. By his order, his troops, who were in line of battle, dismounted, gave
ground gradually, while showing a steady front, so as to allow our weary infantry time to form, and take position. This effected, the horsemen moved
swiftly to the right and dismounted, revealing lines of solid infantry in battle
array, before whose wall of gleaming bayonets, the astonished enemy recoiled
in blank despair, as Sheridan and his troopers, passing briskly around the rebel
left, prepared to charge the confused, reeling masses. A white flag was now
waved by the enemy, before General Custer, who held our cavalry advance,
with the information that they had concluded,to surrender."
The First and Second Divisions of the Twenty-fourth Corps remained at
Appomattox Court House until the 17th, when they proceeded to Richmond
via Farmville, Burkesville, and Amelia Court House, arriving on the 25th. The
regiment encamped on the outskirts of the city, and performed fatigue and
guard duty until the latter part of July, when it was ordered to report to Major