The following letter written by Chaplin Hyde is an account of the fight at Ft. Gilmer on September 29, 1864. Published in the Jamestown Journal October 14, 1864.

Letter from Chaplin Hyde of the 112th.  Camp near Chapin's Bluff Sept. 30th, 1864

The sudden transitions to which we are subject in military life are proverbial.  And our experience of the last week will illustrate it. We had supposed that our position in the entrenchments near Petersburg was fixed until the return of our Brigade and Regimental commanders.  But on Saturday Col. Dagget, of the 117th N.Y.V. in temporary command of our Brigade, received orders to be ready as soon as dark to move his brigade to the rear of Gen. Birney's Head Quarters, about a mile and a half in rear of the fortifications.  We soon learned that the whole Corps in military parlance was to be "retired from the front" and made ready for a move.  There came the many rumors as to the nature of the approaching move, all of which were wide to the actual one.  We were going to South Carolina or North Carolina or the Shenandoah Valley.  The north side of the James was indeed mentioned, but only as improbable.  Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, curiosity was eager, speculations rife, but uncertainty everywhere.  Even Division Head Quarters were in the same blissful state of ignorance with the rest of the crowd.  On Tuesday there were twenty men at work at Corps Head Quarters making them comfortable for a winter sojourn.  Wednesday morning, orders came to be ready with two days rations to move at three o'clock P.M.  At that time Dame Rumor was almost certain that we were going to Wilmington or Newbern.  At three, the various divisions of the Corps were moving in their order with their immense trains following.  The progress was very slow and tedious and as we passed down the road leading to City Point or Bermuda Hundred, we were quite sure it was to the transports from one or the other place.  It was dark before we reached the pontoon bridge across the Appomatox.  After crossing the bridge, we began to think we might be moving toward Deep Bottom, still hope predominated that we were going out of Virginia away from the vicinity of the sanguinary battle fields of the army of the Potomac.  Soon however we came to the forks of the road where we must turn if at all to go to Bermuda Landing.  Instead of turning we passed into a gloomy piece of woods a road leading to Deep Bottom.  This settled the matter of our destination.  The 10th and 18th Corps were to make a demonstration toward Richmond.  The march was very tedious.  The train of the first division was in front of us and it was after two o'clock in the morning before we reached our place of rendezvous on the North side of the James.  We had just thrown ourselves down on the grass for a rest when an orderly came to notify us that the men must prepare their breakfast and be ready to move at 4 o'clock.  In spite of the warning that there was no time for sleep, the men and officers were soon sound asleep and got at least an hours repose before they were roused to prepare to march.  At four o'clock, the whole command was on the move.  It was a magnificent spectacle as the three divisions moved out from the side hill of our night's bivouac on different roads leading to the front.  After our division had reached its position, we saw the 3rd U.S. Colored troops deployed as skirmishers and moving cautiously toward a piece of woods about a half a mile in advance.  Soon firing became lively.  With a yell, the colored boys rushed forward.  They were lost to sight, the firing was rapid and we heard the cheers, they had carried the first line of the enemy's works but in doing it near one hundred of them bit the dust.  After this line was carried the whole command moved rapidly forward four miles, where the Rebs had fallen back behind formidable works.  We were now six miles from the city of Richmond.  In front of these works, both the 18th and 10th Corps were formed, the left of the 18th resting near the river and the 10th on the right.  Our brigade is the first in the second division of the 10th Army Corps and when the column was formed for a charge the 112th and 3d N.Y.(Please read an excerpt from the 3rd NY following this article) were in the first lines of our portion of the front and there were two other lines behind us.  The boys, when the order to charge was given, did not waver until they had swept over the enemy's works and had them in their possession.  So well and so quickly was this accomplished that we had but comparatively few casualties.  Maj. Ludwick, who commanded the regiment had his arm grazed by a piece of shell, but he bound it with one handkerchief and slung it with another and though suffering intense pain directed all the movements of the regiment refusing after the charge was over to go to the rear.  There was another and formidable earthworks, however, which must be taken or the line already gained would be untenable.  With this in our possession, Lee would be obliged to call off a large part of his forces from Petersburg or lose Richmond.  Twice the attempt was made to carry this work and the 112th was in the leading line of one of these charges.  Nothing could surpass the desperate gallantry of their charge.  They forced their way through sheets of fire and a storm of lead and iron, but it was in vain, when they had reached the parapet there were too few left to pass over it.  Had there been equally desperate men in following lines perhaps the line might have been carried at that hour. But we were compelled to fall back.  Our loss has been very severe and the hair breadth escape almost miraculous.  When the charge was made the wound on Maj. Ludwick's right arm was intensely painful, but drawing his sword with his left hand, he waved the boys on, and in the charge was struck in the same arm with a bullet.  The bone of the arm about the elbow was so badly shattered that amputation became necessary.  The work was done at Surgeon Washburn's office with great skill, by Surgeon Clark of the 39th Ill., one of the most accomplished operators in the army.  Lieut Kimberly, acting adjutant, than whom there is no one luckier, had nearly reached the fort when he was struck upon the shoulder a glancing blow from a shell, which knocked him over and stunned him.  When he came to his senses, he saw the force was falling back and immediatly began to crawl or drag himself along the ground.  It was a cornfield and he was sheltered somewhat by the winrows.  In this position, he threw up his left foot, which was then struck by a reb bullet.  After he was hit he crawled a forth of a mile until he came out where he could be borne away.  A most careful examination was made by several surgeons and it was ascertained that the bone was so crushed that his foot could not be saved.  His limb was also most skilfully amputated by the same surgeon who had operated upon the Major.  Corporal Skellie of Co. D was operated on by the same skilful hand.  The color guard suffered very severely.  Sergt. Ellis fell from sunstroke and every one of the guard was either killed or wounded.  As the colors fell from one hand, another was extended to grasp them.  Sergt. Frank Brazee caught the state colors after they had repeatedly fallen from the hands of the wounded and planted them upon them enemy's works.  The tattered flag pierced by bullets and its staff broken is being prepared to send to Jamestown.  Glorious old flag, it has traversed the length of our sea coast from New York to Florida, and the men who have fought beneath its folds have been true to their banner in every contest.  After the failure to carry the earthwork, our forces fell back a half mile to the position before carried which at this time writing they still hold.  What the next move is to be, you will know before this letter is published, from the city paper.  The sorrow of the boys at Maj. Ludwick's calamity, was intense.  As he lay upon the table they would come along suffering many of them from their own wounds and with unfeigned sorrow exclaim "Ah! I'd rather lose my own arm than have that man lose his!"  At present the regiment is under the command of Capt. A. Dunham who will in the future, as he ever has in the past, prove himself equal to any position he is called to fill.  And while the writer feels deep sadness as he thinks of so many of the bravest and best who have fallen or maimed for life by wounds yet cannot help reflecting with honest pride, upon their courage and patriotism, which led them to give even life to save their country from ruin.  The 112th has in this conflict as ever before covered herself with honorable fame.  I would like to state instances of individual bravery but my sheet is full.  Some of those wounded at Coal Harbor as the list will show are more seriously wounded now.   Truely & c.   H.