Today in History:

105 Series I Volume IX- Serial 9 - Roanoke

Page 105 Chapter XX. BATTLE OF ROANOKE ISLAND, N.C.

he marched his companies to the front and joined the companies I was bringing out of the morass. As soon as I could get five of my companies together I moved them forward,leaving orders for the remainder to follow under command of the major. The five companies that were thus left behind were ordered to garrison the battery and are still there.

As far as I have learned, but one man, a private of Company B, has been wounded.

I have every reason to be most pleased with the coolness and bravery of all my officers,and with the patience, bravery,and ready obedience upon the part of my men.

I have two men missing.

I have the honor, general,to be, very respectfully, yours,

J. F. HARTRANFT,

Colonel, Comdg. Fifty-first Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Brigadier General J. L. RENO.


No. 21. Report of Brigadier General John G. Parke, U. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRD BRIGADE, DEPT. OF NORTH CAROLINA, Pork Point Battery, Roanoke Island, February 9, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Third Brigade during the 7th and 8th instant from the moment the signal for landing was displayed:

The brigade is composed of the Fourth Rhode Island, Ninth New York, and Eighth Connecticut Regiments, and a battalion of the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment. On the signal being given one wing of the Fourth Rhode Island Regiment was transferred to the light-draught steamer Phoenix, and all the surf-boats, life-boats, and ships' boats belonging to the transports of my brigade filled with men from the Eighth Connecticut and Fifth Rhode Island Regiments, and attached in tow of the steamer. We then proceeded toward the shore as rapidly as safety to the small boats would permit. The steamer was run into the marsh between the steamers of Generals Foster and Reno,and the men immediately sprang into the marsh and were led by their respective commanders out to the firm ground, and there formed in line in the field to the left of Hammond's house. Captain John N. King brigade quartermaster, and Lieutenant M. A. Hill, aide-de-camp, returned to the transports to superintended the landing of the balance of the brigade.

Orders were the given the colones of the Fourth Rhode Island and the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts and Tenth Connecticut Regiments of the First Brigade to send out a force to occupy the woods surrounding the landing place with a continuous line of skirmishers. The commanding general soon appeared on the field, and I reported in person the disposition I had made of the force then on the ground. Brigadier-General Reno came up immediately after and assumed command of the portions of the three brigades then landed. My entire brigade was landed before 11 o'clock p.m. The men bivouacked on their arms.

Soon after daylight on the 8th instant I received orders from General Foster to have my command ready to support his and General Reno's


Page 105 Chapter XX. BATTLE OF ROANOKE ISLAND, N.C.