Today in History:

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

Page 402 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.

the rear and again advanced with no better success. The enemy's weight was overpowering, but the Ninth took one of his colors from him. Adjutant Swearingen, doing his duty like a brave soldier, was here severely wounded. The Tenth, more employed in support, was not so seriously engaged.

Toward evening both the right and left of the line were forced. The enemy came through in great numbers, and from the edge of the woods poured a fire upon the artillery. The batteries had already played an important part. They now endeavored to drive the enemy, and opened with rapidity and precision, but could not contend successfully against the bullets of the infantry at this short range. Captain Easton, nobly encouraging and cheering his men, shouted that they should never have his guns except over his body. This gallant gentleman fell, and his battery was lost with him. First Lieutenant William Stitt, of this battery, was severely wounded here. The horse of Lieutenant J. L. Detrich was shot under him. Both behaved with courage and coolness. Captain Mark Kerns was wounded early in the battle, but in spite of the injury kept the field, and when the enemy came down thickly upon his battery loaded and fired the last shots himself and brought four of the guns off the field.

Captain De Hart's battery did its best service, keeping its ground and delivering its fire steadily against the advancing enemy. Captain De Hart was wounded here. Officers and men all displayed the greatest gallantry, but no efforts could repel the rush of a now successful foe, under whose fire rider and horse went down and guns lay immovable upon the field.

Sometime here, during the confusion incident to relieving regiments, &c., General Reynolds was taken, with Captain Kingsbury, his assistant adjutant-general. No greater loss befell the division on this or any subsequent day.

Supports came up about this time. The cavalry came forward, and division fell back a few hundred yards to reform and to pass the night. Still later, in conformity to original plans, it withdrew with the rest of the army across the Chickahominy.

BATTLE OF NEW MARKET CROSS-ROADS [GLENDALE, NELSON'S FARM, OR FRAZIER'S FARM.

On the morning of June 30 McCall's division halted on the New Market road just in advance of where a by-road turns off toward Quaker Church. The remainder of the corps (Morell's and Sykes') had already passed on toward the James River. Exhausted by the fatigues of the precious three days of fighting and nights of marching, men and officers courted this short rest with delight and reposed in fancied security. The order to follow the mass of the corps was momentarily expected by the men, and no dispositions were made to meet an attack, until General Meade and myself, riding to the front, found only a squadron of cavalry, unsupported by a single infantry soldier, interposing between the division and the enemy, whose pickets were close at hand. Reporting this to General McCall, the First Regiment, Colonel Roberts, and the Third, Colonel Sickel, were immediately ordered to the front on outpost duty, and the division was soon after posted in order of battle. The line was formed perpendicularly to the New Market road, two batteries, Randol's First and Thompson's Second U. S. Artillery, to the right of the road, and on the left Amsden, With four of Kerns' guns, Cooper's battery, and Captains Diederichs and


Page 402 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.