Today in History:

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

Page 839 Chapter XXIII. BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, OR SEVEN PINES.

Second Lieutenant D. C. Crawford, Company E; Second Lieutenant Joseph Mason, Company G.

Total officers killed and wounded, 10.

Enlisted men killed, 31; wounded, 111; missing, 14.

Total loss, 166.*

One company of 50 picked marksmen lost its captain killed, its lieutenants wounded, and 26 men. I take pleasure in particularizing Colonel S. G. Champlin, wounded, Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Stevens, Major Pierce, and Capts. I. C. Smith and E. S. Pierce, and Lieutenant G. E. Judd.

The next regiment that came up, the Fifth Michigan, again won laurels as fresh as those due them for Williamsburg. Its loss then was 144. Its loss this day was:

Officers killed-Captain Louis B. Quackenbush, Company H; Lieutenant and Adjt. Charles H. Hutchins.

Officers wounded-Lieutenant J. J. Knox, Company D; Captain C. H. Travers, Company E; Captain Wilson, Company G; Captain Miller, Company K.

Total officers killed and wounded, 6.

Enlisted men killed, 30; wounded, 116; missing 7.

Total loss, 159.*

Its noble officers did their duty.

I directed General Berry with this regiment to turn the slashing, and, fighting, gain the open ground on the enemy's right flank. This was perfectly accomplished. The Thirty-seventh New York was arranged in column to support the attack. Its services in the sequel proved invaluable.

In the mean while my remaining brigade, the One hundred and fifth and Sixty-third Pennsylvania, came up, under General Jameson, the other two regiments having been diverted, one to Birney and one to Peck. It is believed that they did well, and most probably urgent reasons existed, but I respectfully submit that it is to the disadvantage of a constituted command to take men from their habitual leaders, and not to be anticipated that a brave though weak division can accomplish the same results with its regiments thus allotted out to those whom they neither know nor have fought under, at the same time that it diminishes the full legitimate sphere of the commander of the division. Of these regiments the One hundred and fifth was placed in the slashing, now vacated by the oblique advance of the Third Michigan, whilst eight companies of the Sixty-third Pennsylvania, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan and most spiritedly headed by General Jameson, aided by his daring chief of staff, Captain Potter, were pushed through the abatis (the portions never until now occupied by us), and nobly repelled a strong body of the enemy, who, though in a strong line and coming up rapidly and in order, just failed to reach to support this position in time but who, nothing daunted and with a courage worthy a united cause, halted in battle array and poured in a constant heavy roll of musketry fire.

The One hundred and fifth lost:

Officers killed-Captain John C. Dowling, Company B; First Lieutenant J. P. R. Cummiskey, Company D.

Officers wounded-Colonel A. A. McKnight; Captain L. B. Duff, Company D; Captain J. W. Greenawalt, Company E; Captain R. Kirk, Company F; Captain A. C. Thompson, Company K; First Lieutenant S. A. Craig, Company B; First Lieutenant C. C. Markle, Company E; First Lieutenant James B. Geggie, Company F; Second Lieutenant A. J. Shipley, Company E.

---------------

*But see revised statement, p. 760.

---------------


Page 839 Chapter XXIII. BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, OR SEVEN PINES.