Numbers 272. Report of Brigadier General James H. Lane, C. S. Army.

APPOMATTOX COURT-HOUSE, April 10, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that on the night of the 1st of April four regiments of my brigade, with intervals between the men varying from six to ten paces, were stretched along the works between Battery Gregg and Hatcher's Run in the following order from right to left: Twenty-eighth, Thirty-seventh, Eighteenth, Thirty-third [North Carolina Infantry], the right of the Twenty-eighth resting near the brown house in front of General MacRae's winter quarters, and the left of the Thirty-third on the branch near Mrs. Banks.'

The enemy commenced shelling my line from several batteries about 9 o'clock that night; the picket-lines in my front opened fire at a quarter to 2 the following morning. The skirmishers from McGowan's brigade, who covered the works held by my command, were driven in at a quarter to 5 o'clock. My line was pierced by the enemy in strong force at the ravine in front of the right of the Thirty-seventh, near General McGowan's headquarters. The Twenty-eighth, enfiladed on the left by this force and on the right by the force that had previously broken the troops to our right, was forced to fall back to the plank road. The enemy on its left took possession of this road, and forced it to fall still farther back to the Cox road, where it skirmished with the enemy and supported a battery of artillery, by order of Brigadier-General Pendleton. The other regiments fought the enemy between McGowan's winter quarters and those occupied by my brigade, and were driven back. They then made a stand in the winter quarters of the right regiment of my command, but were again broken, a part retreating along the works to the left and the remainder going to the rear. These flats, under Colonel Cowan, made a stand on the hill to the right of Mrs. Banks', but were forced back to the plank road, along which they skirmished for some time, and then fell back to the Corx road, where they supported a battery of artillery, by order of Lieutenant-General Longstreet. That portion of my command which retreated along the works to the left made two more unsuccessful attempts to resist the enemy, the last stand being made in the Church road leading to the Jones house. It then fell back to Battery Gregg and the battery to its left, but under Major Wooten and assisted by a part of Thomas' brigade it soon after charged the enemy, by order of Major-General Wilcox, and cleared the works as far as the branch on which the left of the Thirty-third rested the night previous. Here we were rejoined by Colonel Cowan, and we deployed as skirmishers to the left of the Church road and perpendicular to the works, but did not hold this position long, as we were attacked by a strong line of skirmishers, supported by two strong lines of battle. A part of us retreated to Battery Gregg, and the rest to the new line of works near the dam. Battery Gregg was subsequently attacked by an immense force, and fell after the most gallant and desperate defense. Our men bayoneted many of the enemy as they mounted the parapet. After the fall of this battery the rest of my command along the new line was attacked in front and flank, and driven back to the old line of works running northwest from Battery 45, where it remained until the evacuation of Petersburg. We were here rejoined by the Twenty-eighth, under Captain Linebarger.

On the afternoon of the 3rd we crossed the Appomattox at Goode's Bridge, bivouacked at Amelia Court-House on the 4th, and on the 5th