Today in History:

436 Series I Volume XXV-I Serial 39 - Chancellorsville Part I

Page 436 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.

and separated by other troops, and one portion, under Major West, supported Randolph's battery in a new position; the other portion, with myself, passed to the rear, and, reforming, returned, and the regiment, reunited for the remainder of the day, supported the batteries on our front.

In this battle the regiment sustained a loss of 4 killed, 50 wounded, and 17 missing. We have to mourn the loss of Lieutenant Johnson, of Company H, who, fell, mortally wounded, while in the line of his duty upon the field. He was a faithful soldier, and was beloved by all. Captain Goldermann, acting major, was severely wounded in one of his legs; Captain Merrill, of Company G, in the arm; Lieutenant Brown, of Company A, in the leg, and Lieutenant Lord, of Company K, was badly wounded by a shell, and has suffered amputation of one foot. At sunset we were ordered to the front of our lines, and posted to support the batteries, remaining all night.

On Monday the regiment was engaged in throwing up earthworks, and had 1 man wounded.

May 5.-Colonel Roberts returned to duty, and the regiment was placed under his command. The officers and men of this regiment on all these occasions behaved nobly, and I trust have maintained the reputation of the old brigade, of which they are the youngest members.

The list of casualties I give herewith.*

CHARLES B. MERRILL,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Seventeenth Maine Volunteers.

Lieutenant J. HENRY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


No. 125. Report of Colonel Byron R. Pierce, Third Michigan Infantry.


HDQRS. THIRD MICHIGAN VOLUNTEERS INFANTRY,
May 7, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the colonel commanding the brigade, the part taken by this regiment in the engagements of the 2nd and 3rd instant.

On the evening of the 1st, my regiment was placed in line of battle on the Plank road, near Chancellorsville.

I received orders about 1 p.m. on the 2nd instant to take up the line of march to the front, which was complied with. After crossing the creek near the picket line, my regiment was placed in line on the left of the brigade, the sharpshooters in front as skirmishers.

After advancing about 1 1/2 miles, we encountered the enemy in small force, who opened upon us with a battery. My regiment was placed in a small ravine to the rear and left, in support of Randolph's battery, which had been ordered to the front. While in this position I had 2 men killed, and 8 wounded mostly from the enemy's sharpshooters, owing to my left being entirely exposed to a flank fire from them. As soon as the position was discovered, I threw back the left of my regiment behind a small hillock, and facing the woods on the left flak of the line. We remained in this position but a short time, when I received

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* Embodied in revised statement, p.178.

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Page 436 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.