Today in History:

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

Page 809 Chapter XXIII. BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, OR SEVEN PINES.

I regret to report the loss of 16 killed and 113 wounded, including 4 commissioned officers, * for details of which I refer to the reports and lists of Colonels Lee and Grosvenor and Major Richardson, commanding, which are herewith inclosed. Having been so unfortunate as to have my horse killed, I ask permission to retain a captured animal which I have now in possession until I can make other arrangements.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, &c.

N. J. T. DANA,

Brigadier-General.

Captain WILLIAM D. SEDGWICK,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

N. B.- I omitted to report above that many prisoners were captured by my brigade, and among them Brigadier-General Pettigrew and Lieutenant-Colonel Bull, by the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteers, and an aide of General Whiting's by the Seventh Michigan Volunteers.


Numbers 34. Report of Colonel W. Raymond Lee,

Twentieth Massachusetts Infantry.


HDQRS. TWENTIETH REGIMENT MASSACHUSETTS VOLS.,
Camp near Fair Oaks Station, June 3, 1862.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report for the information of Brigadier General N. J. T. Dana, commanding brigade, of Sedgwick's division, the operations of my regiment (the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteers) in connection with the combats with the insurgent forces on the 31st ultimo and 1st instant:

On the afternoon of the 31st ultimo I received your orders to get my regiment under arms for immediate movement in light marching order, with one day's rations and 60 rounds of ammunition per man. These orders were at once executed, and at 4 p.m. the regiment moved with the division as the rear battalion. Heavy firing in front was then audible. After crossing the Chickahominy River I received orders to take the advance of the New York Forty-second and to move forward with the greatest possible celerity. Between 5.30 and 6 o'clock p.m. the rifles were loaded by an order from Staff-Officer Pierson, and the march was continued at quick-step, soon changed to double-quick, at which step we came onto the battle-field few minutes before 6 p.m.

At this time our forces were fairly engaged with those of the enemy, the artillery and infantry both being in action. The regiment came under fire losing 2 or 3 men immediately upon filing from the road onto the field of action just in the rear of our line of battle. Conducted by a brigade staff officer we proceeded to the left, where the battalion came into line of battle forming on the right of the Michigan Seventh, which, with our own regiment, was the only portion of the brigade engaged on that day. The enemy's right was immediately in our front and we opened fire upon it. In a few minutes, in obedience to orders from General Dana, the two regiments-those of his brigade-moved rapidly forward to a ridge of the ground on which we were operating; the enemy's line its right only a short distance in front of our position, then came fully under view. It was curved, offering its concavity to

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*But see revised statement, p. 758.

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Page 809 Chapter XXIII. BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, OR SEVEN PINES.