Today in History:

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

Page 469 Chapter XXIII. BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG,VA.

and my aides-de-camp, Lieuts. William H. Lawrence and Joseph Abbott, who were with me throughout the day.

JOSEPH HOOKER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Captain CHAUNCEY McKEEVER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Army Corps.

[Addenda.]

Letter to Captain McKeever, inclosing dispatch dated "Front of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862, 11.20 a.m.," in regard to the contest during the morning.

MAY 7, 1862.

I send you herewith a dispatch which was addressed and sent you by me, as dated, under the impression that you were in the vicinity of General Sumner. The orderly went and returned by the Williamsburg and Yorktown road, and was not absent more than twenty minutes. You had left. General Sumner opened the note, read it, and returned on the envelope that he had done so. The envelope was destroyed by the rain. I request that you will have much to do in history hereafter.

Respectfully,

JOSEPH HOOKER,

Brigadier-General.

Captain McKEEWER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Corps.

[Inclosure.]

IN FRONT OF WILLIAMSBURG, May 5, 1862-11.20 a.m.

I have had a hard contest all the morning, but do not despair of success. My men are hard at work, but a good deal exhausted. It is reported to me that my communication with you by the Yorktown road is clear of the enemy. Batteries, cavalry, and infantry can take post by the side of mine to whip the enemy.

Very respectfully, you obedient servant,

JOSEPH HOOKER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain CHAUNCEY McKEEVER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. HOOKER'S DIVISION, THIRD ARMY CORPS, Camp near White Oak Swamp, Va., May 27, 1862.

CAPTAIN: My attention has been called to that part of Brigadier-General Kearny's official report of the battle of Williamsburg which states "and enabled Major Wainwright, of Hooker's division, to collect his artillerists and reopen fire from several pieces," and I give it my positive and emphatic denial. This statement admits of no application to any battery of mine except Smith's, and I deny that any men of his were driven from their pieces, or that the fire from his battery was suspended from the proximity or fire of the enemy's skirmishers at any


Page 469 Chapter XXIII. BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG,VA.