Today in History:

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

Page 788 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.

and severely injuring one of his drivers, carrying away both detachments of his horses, and breaking the caisson so badly as to necessitate its being left upon the field.

At the conclusion of the action, which lasted about an hour, Radolph's Rhode Island Battery, of light 12-pounders, took up position in front of mine, and, by General Pleasonton's instructions, I moved my two sections to the left of the position occupied by Lieutenant Browne's section.

In this position I remained until a little after daylight in the morning (3rd instant), when, by General Pleasonton's order, I withdrew the battery to a position behind the headquarters of the major-general commanding, and from thence moved to the United States Ford. Before leaving, however, I went to headquarters to see if it practicable to take a limber and bring off the body of the caisson which I had been obliged to leave on the field, but seeing that a battery belonging to the enemy occupied the position I had just left, I regarded it as hardly feasible.

I remained at the United States Ford, on the south side of the river, until 2 o'clock on the afternoon of the 4th, when, by direction of Captain Tidball, Second U. S. Artillery, to whom, by ordered of General Pleasonton, I had reported with my battery, I moved to the north side of the river, and encamped about a mile from the ford.

I should here state that, owing to the loss of horses and men, with the permission of the brigadier-general commanding, I had reduced the battery to two sections, believing that four guns, with full detachments and good horses, would be capable of doing better service than six guns badly horses and imperfectly manned, and on the afternoon of the 3rd sent the remaining section to the north side of the river, where my wagons, &c., were encamped.

At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 5th instant, I received orders from Captain Tidball to march to Falmouth, and arrived there at 11 a. m. At 12 m. I was ordered to report to Colonel B. F. Davis, commanding Second Brigade, First Division, Cavalry Corps, and with his column marched to Deep Run, arriving there at 6 p. m.

I remained at Deep Run until 2 p. m. on the 7th instant, when I was ordered to Potomac Creek, where, on the 8th instant, I was ordered to report to First Lieutenant A. C. M. Pennington, Second U. S. Artillery, commanding First Brigade Horse Artillery, and reached the bridge camp about 1 p. m. on that day.

In the engagement on the 2nd, and in the shelling of our wagon camps on the morning of the 4th instant, I have the following casualties to report:

May 2 - killed, 1 (Private Luther P. Hilvety); wounded, 4 (Privates Patrick Gaynon, Thomas R. Hunt, Noah S. Laing, severely, and Edward Hart, slightly).

May 4 - killed, 1 (Private Herman Sanders).

Loss in material - 1 caisson, 1 set wheel harness, 15 sets horse equipments, 17 horses (killed, wounded, and missing).

Ammunition consumed - 150 percussion-shell (Schenkl), 127 case shot (Hotchkiss), 62 canister (Hotchkiss), and 339 cartridges.

It is impossible to make any particular mention of the conduct of my command. My chiefs of section (Lieutenants Browne and Clark and Sergt. James E. Tileston) behaved with great gallantry and coolness while under fire, and while on the march their labors tended greatly to promote and maintain the efficiency on the battery. The enlisted men of the command were under the immediate eye of the


Page 788 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.