Today in History:

759 Series I Volume XXIX-I Serial 48 - Bristoe, Mine Run Part I

Page 759 Chapter XLI. MINE RUN, VIRGINIA, CAMPAIGN.

Division in the following order from right to left: Seventeenth Maine Sixty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, First U. S. Sharpshooters, Fifth Michigan, Third Michigan, and Fortieth New York Volunteers. In a few minutes the line was ordered forward to relieve General Carr's troops, who were running out of ammunition, and the four right regiments were advanced so as to engage the enemy, the left of the Fifth Michigan connecting with the One hundred and thirty- eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, of the Third Division, the right of the Seventeenth Maine being a little in advance of the left of the First Brigade in Second Division, the Fortieth New York and Third Michigan forming a second line in rear of the Eighty- seventh and One hundred and thirty-eight Pennsylvania Volunteers. We held this position until the battle was over, with the exception of the Seventeenth Maine, which ran short of ammunition. The Eighty- sixth New York,of the Second Brigade, coming up on their right, they withdrew in compliance with orders from General Birney. About dark the Fifth Michigan, First U. S. Sharpshooters, and the Sixty- eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers were relieved by Colonel Collis' brigade, while the Third Michigan and Fortieth New York Volunteers were advanced to occupy the position that was left vacant by the withdrawal of the Eighty- seventh Pensylvania Volunteers and the One hundred and thirty- eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers. The Seventeenth Maine, having replenished their cartridge boxes, were moved into the front line, connecting on the right with Collis' brigade and the left with the Third Michigan. During the evening, the First Brigade having moved some distance by the right flank, the Fifth Michigan was advanced to fill the interval between it and the Seventeenth Maine. The remaining regiments formed a second lime immediately in the rear of the first. Skirmishers were thrown out from each regiment to cover its front. During the night they were advanced and found the enemy had withdrawn from our front. Several prisoners were brought in by scouts during the night and turned over to the provost- marshal at division headquarters. Our loss during the engagement was 174 killed and wounded. Before daybreak on the 28th, we again took up the line of march, leading the division, as on the preceding day. Upon arriving at the position taken up by the army, we moved to the left during the afternoon, throwing out as skirmishers the Sixty- eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, First U. S. Sharpshooters, and Fifth Michigan, to ascertain the enemy's position, and securing the ground immediately occupied by the Third Corps on the east side of Mine Run. During Sunday, nothing of importance occurred in the command. At day break Monday, 30th of November, the Third Michigan and First U. S. Sharpshooters were detached from the command, and, together with two regiments from Ward's brigade, formed a first line, under Colonel B. R. Pierce. The balance of the brigade was formed in line of battle in the following order from right to left: Fortieth New York, Sixty- eighth Pennsylvania, Fifth Michigan, and Seventeenth Maine in rear of the batteries that were in position on the crest of the hill, our left connecting with the right of Collis' brigade. This position was held by us until the following morning, December 1, when the command was massed in the woods on our right, behind the left of Ward's brigade,in compliance with orders from division headquarters, through Captain J. C. Briscoe.

During the 30th, the two regiments under Colonel Pierce experienced a loss of 30 in killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. Among


Page 759 Chapter XLI. MINE RUN, VIRGINIA, CAMPAIGN.