Today in History:

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

Page 642 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.

So soon as it had well cleared the skirt of timber and emerged upon the open plateau the enemy's artillery played upon it, but their fire was checked by a movement presently to be mentioned. The effect of our appearance at this opportune juncture, cheering and charging, decided the fate of the day. The enemy broke and retreated, made a second brief stand, which induced my immediate command to halt under good cover of the bank on the road-side and return their fire, when, charging forward again, they broke and scattered in every direction, and following, I found that I had effected a junction with Major-General Jackson's column, meeting with General Lawton in person and with the officers and troops of Hood's and Winder's brigades.

The battle was now over, except a scattering fight around a house to our left near which the enemy's had been posted. As our line moved forward several regiments on the left, viz, the Twentieth North Carolina and Third North Carolina, were swung around by Major-General Hill's orders to attack this battery, and thus to prevent in from playing on the other troops charging over the plain. In this movement the Twentieth North Carolina, Colonel Iverson, participated, sustaining a heavy loss, and at a later period I sent Colonel A. M. Scales, Thirteenth North Carolinas, to re-enforce our troops there. The attack was partially successful, our troops especially acting handsomely and maintaining themselves against superior numbers.

Having effected the junction with Major-General Jackson's troops as above stated, I suggested to General Lawton that further re-enforcements should be sent to this point, on the left, which being done, the enemy made no further stand, but abandoned the entire field.

Thus ended the battle of Cold Harbor, in which this brigade bore an honorable part, sustaining a loss there of about 500 killed and --- wounded. That night, with the other troops, we bivouacked on the field.

The next morning about 10 a.m. we moved with the other troops in the direction of the Grapevine Bridge to Turkey Hill. Finding the bridge destroyed and that the enemy had some force and a battery on the other side, we were halted and drawn up in line of battle on the left of the road, while several of our batteries shelled the supposed position of the enemy.

We were delayed at this point during that day and the next. On the morning of the ---, the Grapevine Bridge being rebuilt and the road clear, this brigade, with the rest of the division, crossed, and, moving across the line of the York River road, struck into the road to Bottom's Bridge, down which we proceeded, capturing prisoners, &c, until we turned to the right, following the course of the enemy, and took the road crossing the White Oak Swamp and running into the Long Bridge road. Upon reaching the White Oak Swamp we found the bridge destroyed and the enemy drawn, up in a strong position on the other side with artillery. The infantry being kept under cover, our artillery was brought up in force and opened on the enemy with marked effect. They withdrew their battery to a safer position.

At this point we were delayed another day until the enemy retired and the bridge over the White Oak Swamp was rebuilt.

Crossing next morning, we followed up the retreat of the enemy toward James River into the Long Bridge road and then into the Quaker road toward Turkey Bridge.

At Malvern Hill the enemy made their last stand, with several batteries and two lines of infantry in a commanding position. Our own infantry were put under cover near the road, waiting to observe the


Page 642 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.