Today in History:

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

Page 859 Chapter XXIII. BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, OR SEVEN PINES.

a look at them, and first seeing a man with a gun in one hand and a while handkerchief on a stick in the other, he ordered him to lay down his guns, which the man did. He next noticed the colonel, wounded, lying about 10 or 12 feet from the man, under a tree. Meanwhile five more of our scouts had gathered around and five more rebels had come up also, the latter having equipments on, but no guns, and bringing with them as prisoner a captain* belonging to the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Regiment, who expressed much joy that his captors were now in turn taken by our men, and stating that this was the second time he had been taken and rescued during the day. He also stated that his captors had treated him like a gentleman and requested that our men would treat these prisoners well in return. At this time acting Lieutenant Moses Ford, of Company F, came up with a prisoner he had taken.

During this time the regiment, instead of advancing by the front, had, unbeknown to the scouts, moved off by the right flank to the railroad. The party then returned with their prisoners to the house of Miss Allen, occupied and used by our surgeons as a hospital, and left the colonel in charge of the assistant surgeon of the Third Maine Regiment; then took the remainder of the prisoners to General Birney's headquarters; thence by order to General Kearny's headquarters, where they were delivered in charge of the division provost guard.

The released Pennsylvania captain was taken into the camp of our regiment, where he remained during the night.

The wounded colonel has since been removed, and his sword, which was left in the hands of the assistant surgeon of the Third Maine, is now in my possession. I learn also that he had a watch, which is in the hands of Assistant Surgeon Gesner, of the Thirty-eighth New York Regiment.

Including the prisoners mentioned above, I think the number of rebels taken in the vicinity by my regiment Saturday evening and Sunday morning was about 30.

Respectfully,

E. WALKER,

Colonel Fourth Maine Volunteers.

Captain MINDIL.


HDQRS. FOURTH MAINE REGIMENT, June 2, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to render the following report of my proceedings during the fight of the last two days:

Having been ordered out with my command under arms on the afternoon of Saturday, May 31, I was first stationed in the woods in front of my encampment, the right of regiment resting on the railroad. From this position I was ordered forward, and advanced through the field known also as Eliza [Susan?] Allen's, taking position under cover of the fence at the edge of the woods and sending forward scouts to bring intelligence if the enemy were approaching in front. While here we received some shots from the enemy on the left, and one of my officers was slightly wounded in the head. We were shortly after ordered farther to the front and advanced to the edge of the next field, where we lay with our right resting on the railroad until dark, when I was ordered to detach four companies from my command and send them forward as a picket to the road crossing the railroad. I detailed for this purpose Companies G, H, I, and K, under command of Captain W. L. Pitcher,

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*John D. McFarland.

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Page 859 Chapter XXIII. BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, OR SEVEN PINES.