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

Page 828 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.

without arms; two with arms; two who claim to be residents in the neighborhood; one with the New York State Volunteers uniform on, but could not account for himself satisfactorily, and some others of which I took no note. I did not take the names or interrogate any of them, sending them directly to you to be reported to General Sickles.

On the field within the lines of my command, as above mentioned, I found a large number of wounded of both the rebel army and our own, some in the field, some under tents, and some in a house and sheds adjoining on the right of the road. I immediately communicated directly to General Sickles the distressing condition of those wounded and asked that he would send ambulances and medical officers for their relief, and to which communication I am very thankful he gave such prompt attention, all of the wounded then within our lines being removed before night.

Soon after posting my command, as above-mentioned, a stage, or omnibus, was observed passing through the enemy's lines toward their advanced pickets. I immediately detailed three files of best marksmen and advanced in the skirt of the wood until nearly in range of the rebel pickets on the road, and there halted until the stage had passed their pickets and was about to turn back, when I hailed the drivers, and informed them that if they did not turn into the field I would fire on them. After a little hesitation they obeyed, not, however, until the person inside of the stage had jumped out and escaped, though fired upon. I sent Lieutenant Leigh in charge of the omnibus, and the two drivers to report to you, to be reported to General Sickles.

At "retreat" I was ordered to withdraw my command from the advance and rejoin my regiment,and as Company F (Captain Donaldson) filed out of the field where posted beyond the Saw-mill road the rebel forces filed in, but most unaccountably did not fire upon Company F, as they retired, though within short range as before observed.

Immediately after daybreak, June 2, I was ordered to take command of five companies and reoccupy the position of the evening previous. Companies A, C, E, F and H reported to me, and as we filed through the swamp the lines occupied by the enemy of the previous evening seemed to be abandoned. I posted my command same as the evening previous, finding that during the night the enemy had barricaded the side of the road in front of the field where Company F had been posted for some 600 yards; also had thrown up a barricade of timber and wood across the road. After finding their position abandoned I immediately sent report to General Sickles to that effect, and then, taking Company A from my reserve, advanced with it to the redoubt and line of earthworks occupied by the enemy the evening previous. I was here joined by Lieutenant Latta, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, who came up with some 6 mounted men. Scattered over the fields in tents, in the houses, and under sheds were large numbers of wounded men, both of the rebel arm and our own, in the most distressing condition, many having been since Saturday, May 31, without any food or attention. From the wounded we learned that the enemy had fallen back that morning, commencing the retreat about midnight, and that their rear had not been an hour gone; in fact, in a small house in the edge of the woods to the left we found a sergeant and a private, who were asleep and not aware of the retreat of their army until prisoners. These I sent to you to be reported, to General Sickles, with report of the number and condition of wounded, to which he promptly responded by sending ambulances and medical officers.

After advancing all of my command to the line of earthworks in


Page 828 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.