Today in History:

109 Series I Volume XI-I Serial 12 - Peninsular Campaign Part I

Page 109 GENERAL REPORTS. Chapter XXIII.

being in depot at Fort Monroe and the rest taken up by water to White House.

Thirty wagons for engineer tools were prepared, constraining the special tools required for engineer troops. Twenty of these accompanied the Engineer Brigade and ten accompanied the Engineer Battalion. Besides these tool-wagons were provided to carry intrenching tools sufficient for the engineer troops. For the general service of troops in intrenching or siege work tools were supplied by the Quartermaster's Department. The works prepared by the enemy to resist a landing at any point of the Peninsula south of Yorktown or an advance from Fort Monroe having been abandoned, the engineer operations the army commended with the siege of Yorktown. These works, however, such as that at Ship Point and others near the mouth of Wormley's Creek, were of considerable magnitude.

My special report of the siege of Yorktown (a copy which is furnished) will preclude the necessity of any further account in this place.

I should have mentioned that beside the engineer officers and troops already enumerated the following engineer officers accompanied the army:

Lieutenant Colonel (Aide-de-Camp) B. S. Alexander, First Lieutenant C. B. Comstock, First Lieutenant M. D. McAlester, and First Lieutenant W. E. Merrill.

Captain C. S. Stewart, Second Lieutenant F. U. Farquhar. These two officers were temporarily detached from their duties at Firt Monroe, and joined the army about the middle of April.

First Lieutenant H. L. Abbot, Topographical Engineers. This officer having been detailed for engineer duty on the defenses of Washington, accompanied me as an aide throughout the campaign.

At the commencement of the siege operations, Colonel Alexander (assisted by Lieutenant McAlester) was charged with the very important duty of constructions the roads through the various ravines of Wormley's Creek, which formed our main communication with the siege works. On the 20th April he was attached to the headquarters of Brigadier-General Franklin, whose division was then preparing for a landing on some point of the enemy's shores.

lieutenant Comstock during the siege acted most of the time under the immediate orders of Captain Duane, with whom he continued until after the battle of Fair Oaks. He was afterward attached to the headquarters of General Sumner.

Lieutenant McAlester was attached to the headquarters of General Heintzelman throughout the campaign.

Lieutenant Merrill was attached to the headquarters of General Keyes. At the action in front of the one-gun battery, April 16, he was severely wounded in the arm. He was hors de combat for the remainder of the campaign, and was brevetted for gallant services on that occasion.

Captain Stewart and Lieutenant Farquhar were attached to General Sumner's headquarters during the siege. On the advance of the army they accompanied the advance guard under Brigadier-General Stoneman, with whom they remained until the arrival on the Chickahominy, where Captain Stewart was taken sick from overexertion and was obliged to return to Fort Monroe. Lieutenant Farquhar was subsequently assigned to duty with General Sumner's headquarters.

I directed full plans of the works constituting the strong defensive line extending across the Peninsula at Wiliamsburg to be prepared, but they were never made. A sketch, however, showing the general character


Page 109 GENERAL REPORTS. Chapter XXIII.