Today in History:

245 Series I Volume XI-III Serial 14 - Peninsular Campaign Part III

Page 245 Chapter XXIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

Third Pennsylvania Reserve Corps; First Lieutenant Henry R. Clum, Fifth Wisconsin Volunteers; First Lieutenant Paul Babcock, jr., Seventh New Jersey Volunteers; Second Lieutenant William H. R. Neel, Fifty-fourth [Ninety-Fifth] Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Second Lieutenant Charles T. Dwight, First Excelsior Regiment New York Volunteers.

For important service at the battle of the West Point, in establishing, during the engagement, signal communication between the headquarters of the general commanding the forces upon the field of battle and the gunboat flotilla, and so maintaining it as to direct, by order of General Franklin, the movements of the gunboats and their range of fire upon the enemy: First Lieutenant Paul Babcock, jr., Seventh New Jersey Volunteers, on gunboat Maratanza; First Lieutenant Ernst Kurlbaum, Fifty-eighth New York Volunteers, with General Slocum; First Lieutenant D. E. Castle, Nineteenth Indiana Volunteers, with General Franklin; Second Lieutenant John W. De Ford, Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, on flag-ship Wachusett; Second Lieutenant Frederick W. Owen, Thirty-eighth New York Volunteers, on gunboat Sebago.

At the skirmish at Mechanicsville communication was established under fire and information given to General Stoneman as to the movements and success of General Davidson's brigade; not of importance.

For meritorious service and gallant conduct at the battle of Hanover Court-House, in opening and maintaining communication on the field of battle under artillery and musketry fire, directing the fire of our batteries upon the enemy, conveying information to General F. J. Porter as to the movements of our forces and of the enemy, and preventing (as officially reported) the fire of a United States battery from being turned by mistake upon one of our own regiments: Second Lieutenant F. W. Marston, Fortieth Pennsylvania Volunteers, with the advance; Second Lieutenant Frederick Horner, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, near commanding general; First Lieutenant Joseph Gloskosky, Twenty-ninth New York Volunteers, in advance; First Lieutenant L. B. Norton, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, with commanding general; Second Lieutenant Israel Thickstun, Eighty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, on the flank.

Second Lieutenant Israel Thickstun, Eighty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, was stricken senseless by a fragment of a shell while reconnoitering and reporting upon the enemy's movements at signal station near Moore's house, Yorktown.

First Lieutenant L. B. Norton, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, acting quartermaster and acting ordnance officer, has throughout the campaign discharged the onerous duties of his position with a care and faithfulness which entitle him to commendation.

First Lieutenant B. F. Fisher, Third Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, and Second Lieutenant Henry L. Johnson, Fifth Connecticut Volunteers, in charge of parties from the date of the departure of this army from Washington, have labored zealously to render them available for their duties.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,*

ALBERT J. MYER,

Signal Officer, Major, U. S. Army.

POPLAR HILL, June 23, 1862.

Captain SUYDAM,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: Immediately upon receipt of the telegram from the major-

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*See also Part I, p.221.

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Page 245 Chapter XXIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.