Today in History:

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

Page 542 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.

killed, 13 wounded, 5 missing; privates, 6 killed, 70 wounded, 25 missing. Aggregate, 10 killed, 88 wounded, 31 missing.

The number of killed reported was small, from the fact that the report was made at the moment the contest was ended. A number of our wounded died that night and the next morning.

The enemy's los, so far as we could determine the facts with any certainty, was 120 killed on the field, 250 wounded, and 160 prisoners; aggregate, 530.

I transmit herewith the reports of all the commanding officers engaged, together with the statement of every staff officer by whom I sent messages to commanders or by whom I received orders. I merely transmit these last in order that justice may be done to every one and to get at this early day a record of all the facts, and thus to prevent misapprehensions hereafter caused by infirmity of memory or other circumstances.

The following persons have been especially named by their commanders for good conduct during the action:

Captain William A. Bugh, Fifth Wisconsin Volunteers, who commanded a company of skirmishers at the point where the enemy debouched, and opposed them with the greatest obstinacy and fell on the field, severely wounded, when he was captured by the enemy as they hurried on to assault our line, but was recovered by us after the action. Adjt. T. S. West and Lieuts. Enoch Totten and J. B. Oliver are named by the commander of the Fifth Wisconsin Volunteers as having displayed great coolness and gallantry during the engagement. Color-Sergt. George B. Madison, Company B, Fifth Wisconsin Volunteers, is also especially mentioned by his colonel for gallant conduct. Although severely wounded early in the action, he clung to his colors and carried the in safety to the crest. Private W. A. Sears, First New York Battery, is also especially commended by his commanding officer for his gallant conduct during the fight.

Colonel R. F. Taylor, of the Thirty-third New York Volunteers, also highly commends the conduct of First Sergt. Sylvester, Porter, Company H, of that regiment. Although cut off from the line of skirmishers by the enemy, he succeeded in bringing in his squad of 8 men, capturing four times their number of prisoners, one of whom was a captain of the Fifth North Carolina Regiment.

For the names of other officers particularly mentioned by their colonels for good conduct I would respectfully refer you to the reports of their regimental commanders, herewith transmitted. I also desire to mention Private John Malone, Company B, Sixth Maine Volunteers, my orderly bugler, for his gallantry on this occasion.

My thanks are due to Surg. T. Rush Spencer, medical director of Smith's division, for his attention to the wounded after the fight, and also to those off his assistants who were present during the contest, namely, Surgs. S. S. Mulford, Thirty-third New York; F. S. Holmes, Sixth Maine, and S. B. Hunter, Seventh Maine Volunteers, and Assistant Surgs. G. W. Martin, Sixth Maine; George D. Wilber and C. E. Crane, Fifth Wisconsin, D. E. Dickenson, Thirty-third New York Volunteers; John F. Huber, Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, and J. Theo. Riley, U. S. Army.

For the success of the day I am much indebted to the valuable staff officers of my own and other commands whom circumstances placed with me on this occasion. Their intelligence and promptness in carrying orders prevented any errors. Their names are as follows:

Captain L. D. H. Currie, assistant adjutant-general to General Smith;


Page 542 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.