Unknown to Judge-Advocate, September 8, 1864

September 8, 1864. The Court met pursuant to adjournment. Present, Major-General Hancock, president, Brigadier-Generals Ayres and Miles, and Colonel Schriver, judge-advocate.

Lieut. A. A. SHEDD, Forty-third U. S. Colored Troops, being duly sworn, says to JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. Were you at the assault on the 30th of July, and in what capacity?

Answer. As aide-de-camp to Colonel Sigfried, commanding First Brigade, Fourth Division, Ninth Corps.

Question. Were you in the crater at any time?

Question. Were any of your troops there?

Answer. They were; they went in under Colonel Sigfried; they were no¢ all in. Question. If they halted there, why did they so?

Answer. There were so many troops in before they came; that is one reason.

oe What efforts were made to push them forward beyond the crater

Answer. The colonel (Bates) of the Thirtieth Regiment Colored Troops led his through; that is the only one I saw go through the crater.

Question. Was Colonel Sigfried present with his troops in the front all the time?

Answer. He was. He came out when the troops did, about 10 to 11 o’clock.

Capt. E. T. RayMonD, Thirty-sixth Massachusetts Volunteers, duly sworn, Says to JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. Were you at the assault on the 30th of July, and in what capacity ?

Answer. I was, as brigade inspector, First Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Corps.

. pene What was your general position on the field on that occasion

Answer. In the crater a portion of the time; part near the right of our brigade in our works.

Question. Under whose immediate orders were you serving?

Answer. Col. Z. R. Bliss, Seventh Rhode Island Volunteers, commanding the brigade.

Question. Was he with his troops all the time?

Answer. He was. At 7 o’clock we moved down the covered way from in rear of our batteries in front of our reserve camp. Three regiments went into the crater, the remainder of the brigade stopped in the works. About 8 o’clock I was sent into the crater by Colonel Bliss to ascertain why the three regiments in front did not charge, he remaining in the works with four regiments of the brigade. I went, and found the three regiments were formed in the covered way beyond the crater toward Cemetery Hill.

Question. Where did the covered way strike the enemy’s pits to the left of the crater?

Answer. Facing their front, it led a little to our right of the crater, tending off a little to the right of Cemetery Hill.

Question. What efforts were made to bring up the regiments which were left in the works, by their commanders?

Answer. The three regiments which went forward were first to charge before the rear regiments were to move forward.

Question. With what part of the brigade was Colonel Bliss?

Answer. With the portion that was left behind; he remained with the last regiment, and did not go forward at all to my knowledge.

The Court, after discussion with closed doors, adjourned to meet at 10 o’clock on the 9th of September.