The Struggle Across Poor Creek

The Struggle Across Poor Creek. . After the Union 9th Corps advanced, General John W. Turner's men from the 10th Corps moved into the Poor Creek bottom behind the Union picket line. This line came down the hill in front of you, crossed upstream (to the right) and up the ridge behind you., Some of these men, under fire from North Carolinian troops, moved across the stream and up the ridge in front of the Confederate works. Here they "attained a position in the undergrowth .. from which they kept up a sharp fire on the enemy," reported Turner. They had done this after seeing United States Colored Troops (USCT) capturing Confederate trenches atop the ridge., As Turners men were about to go up the hill, some of the USCTs, who had been in close-quarters combat with Confederates, retreated down the ridge. These troops came "dashing through my men with arms at trail and bayonets fixed," Col. Louis Bell reported, "Quite a number of my men were wounded by the bayonets of the retreating troops." Turner's men were forced back to the picket line where they had started., (captions) , These men fought across the ground before you. , Maj. Nathan Axtell 142nd N.Y. Inf. , Pvt. Robert Barrows 142nd N.Y. Inf. , Copl. John Mahoney 4th NH Inf. , Pvt. Tanner Smith 47h N.Y. Inf., Unidentified soldier, 76th Pennsylvania Infantry , This unit fought here July 30th 1864