Today in History:

310 Series I Volume XXI- Serial 31 - Fredericksburg

Page 310 OPERATIONS IN N. VA. W. VA., MID., AND PA. Chapter XXXIII.

[Addenda.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS,


No. 7.
February 5, 1863

As there seems to be some injustice done the One hundred and thirty-second Pennsylvania Regiment as to the loss of its flag after the battle of Fredericksburg, occasion is taken to publish, for the information of all concerned, the facts in the case.

The One hundred and thirty-second Pennsylvania Regiment part of General Kimball's brigade in the battle of Antietam, entered that fight with 700 men; behaved nobly and lost heavily.

The regiment entered the battle of Fredericksburg with 250 men, and lost a little less than one-half their number, including 5 color-bearers. The last color-bearer, badly wounded, left his regiment after dark, and in the town entered a church used as a hospital, taking his colors with him. He was carried away from this place, and the colors left behind. The very fidelity of the color-bearer, holding to his colors as long as he was conscious, was the reason of their loss to the regiment.

Not only no fault should be ascribed to this regiment, but it should receive unqualified commendation.

By command of Major-General Howard:

[CHAS H. HOWARD,]

Aide-de-Camp and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 110. Report of Brigadier General Orlando B. Willcox, U. S. Army,commanding Ninth Army Corps.


HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Opposite Fredericksburg, Va., January 7, 1863

SIR: I have the honor to forward the reports of division, brigade, regimental, and battery commanders of the Ninth Corps d' Armee on the recent Fredericksburg operations.

It will be sent that the Eighth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers,of General, George W. Getty's division, furnished volunteers to the Engineer Brigade, constructing the bridges near the Lacy house, on December 11, 1862; but, under the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters, their efforts were of so little avail that Major Spaulding, of that brigade, withdrew them. The Eighty-ninth Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel H. S. Fairchild, of the same division, was more fortunate. This regiment covered the ineffectual work on the central pontoon, near the old steamboat landing, from 2 a.m. until 4 p.m., when Colonel Fairchild was ordered by General Burnside to send 100 men with 4 officers across in boats, and dislodge the enemy opposite. They crossed in four boats, an officer and 25 men in each, and performed their duty in the most dashing and successful style, capturing 4 officers and 60 soldiers of the rebels and dispersing the remainder. Colonel Fairchild crossed the rest of the regiment in like manner, and the bridge was then completed.

The Forty-sixth Regiment New York Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Gerhardt, of General William W. Burns' division, was the first to cross the bridge. Hawkins' brigade, of Getty's division,also crossed the


Page 310 OPERATIONS IN N. VA. W. VA., MID., AND PA. Chapter XXXIII.