Today in History:

239 Series I Volume XI-II Serial 13 - Peninsular Campaign Part II

Page 239 Chapter XXIII. SEVEN-DAYS' BATTLES.

enemy until darkness and the nature of the ground stopped further pursuit.

For the particulars reference is invited to reports of commanders of brigades and batteries transmitted herewith.

I concur with them in the praise awarded to their officers and men, whose conduct in all cases coming under my observation was excellent.

The loss of the batteries belonging to the reserve during these operations was: 8 officers wounded, 2 non-commissioned officers and 17 privates killed, 14 non-commissioned officers and 73 privates wounded, a number of them mortally; 17 privates missing, some of them probably killed or wounded; 142 horses killed, 56 wounded, and 23 missing.

The officers wounded and the time and place of the actions are: At Mechanicsville, June 26, Lieutenant Piper, of Smead's battery, Fifth Artillery, severely. Battle of Chickahominy, June 27, Lieutenant Hayden, Third Artillery, Edwards' battery, severely; Lieutenant Kelly, Third Artillery, Edwards' battery, slightly; Captain Weed, Fifth Artillery, slightly. At New Market road, June 30, Lieutenant Hill, First Artillery, Randol's battery, severely; since dead. Malvern Hill, July 1, Second Lieutenant Brownson, Third Artillery, Edwards' battery, severely; Lieutenant Vanneman, Snow's battery, severely, and Lieutenant Bigelow, adjutant of Petherbridge's Maryland Brigade, severely.

It will be perceived from this and the accompanying reports that the Reserve Artillery had its full share in all these operations; that it was represented at the advanced position at Mechanicsville by a battery of Napoleon guns and one of 10-pounder Parrotts; in the battle of the Chickahominy by six batteries of various descriptions, besides the aid afforded by the flank fire on the enemy's right from two batteries stationed near Golding's; that on the same day it contributed five batteries to our forces at the battle of Garnett's Farm, and furnished the horse artillery to Stoneman's command; that it furnished the batteries for the position of Sumner's Lower and Bottom's Bridges, and covered the passage of the army by those points; that it furnished three batteries for the battle at the advanced position on the New Market road; that it provided all the artillery which silenced the enemy's cannonade at Turkey Bridge; that in the battle of July 1 it re-enforced strongly the whole line, and sent forward its full quota to repel the attacks on our front and left, and finally brought up to the decisive point at the close of the day the howitzers and the three horse batteries, thus bringing every gun of this large artillery force into the most active and decisive use. Not a gun remained unemployed and not one could have been safely spared.

I trust that I may be pardoned for stating here that when we consider, in addition to all this, the service of its heavy batteries at Yorktown; that rendered by furnishing the large force of draught horses required for moving the siege train; the labors of officers and men in fabricating gabions and fascines and making and laying platforms; the details of its officers for engineer duty in constructing redoubts and batteries; the service of the horse artillery at Williamsburg and in all the operations of Stoneman's and other cavalry commands down to the time of our establishment on the Chickahominy and the part it took in the battle of Hanover Court-House and in minor operations; the great and indispensable service rendered by its complete ammunition train, in not only keeping up fully its own supplies but making good the deficiencies of others-it may be justly claimed that its artillery reserve has contributed its full share to the services rendered by the Army of


Page 239 Chapter XXIII. SEVEN-DAYS' BATTLES.