Today in History:

640 Series I Volume XXI- Serial 31 - Fredericksburg

Page 640 OPERATIONS IN N.VA.,W.VA.,MD.,AND PA. Chapter XXXIII.

railroad and were successfully engaged with the enemy's sharpshooters. Captain Brooke's battery, although not actively engaged, was exposed to the enemy's fire on Saturday and Sunday.

I cannot refrain from expressing my high admiration for the conduct of the officers and men of my command in the action before Fredericksburg. After marching all of the previous night, they came upon a field strewn with the wrecks of other batteries, and behaved in a manner which elicited the praise of all who saw them.

I append a list of casualties.

Command Killed Wounded

Officers - 1

Poague's battery 6 10

Watson's [Second] 1 7

howitzers

Smith's [Third] 3 3

howitzers

Dance's battery - 2

Brooke's battery - 2

Hupp's battery - 1

Total 10 26

I beg leave to call attention to the fact that but few of the shells for Parrott rifles exploded, owing to imperfect fuses.

Respectfully submitted.

J. THOMPSON BROWN,

Colonel First Virginia Artillery.

Captain A. S. PENDLETON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Corps.

CAMP NEAR BOWLING GREEN, January 1, 1863.

The portion of the regiment with the colonel commanding [namely, the companies of Captains Dance, Hupp, Watson, and Smith], left camp, near Berryville, about November 1, 1862, and marched 12 miles, to a point near Berry's Ferry; thence marched 4 miles, to White Post; thence some 12 miles, to Winchester; thence some 160 miles, to Rappahannock Academy, in Caroline County, leaving November 21 and arriving December 3; thence, on the 12th, to Hamilton's Crossing, where the regiment [together with the companies of Capts. William T. Poague and James V. Brooke, under the colonel's command during the last two months] took part in the battle of Fredericksburg, losing 10 killed and 26 wounded, besides having 37 horses killed and permanently disabled.

On the 29th, the regiment marched from Grace Church, in Caroline County [to which point it came some 6 miles from Hamilton's Crossing the night of December 16], to its present camp, near Bowling Green, some 15 miles. While near Rappahannock Academy, a portion of the regiment had a fight with the gunboats just below Port Royal, happening about December 9. Captain [M. C.] Macon's company has been with General McLaws' division for some months post, and the three companies of the regiment are in Petersburg, under Major [Edgar F.] Moseley.

J. THOMPSON BROWN,

Colonel, Commanding the Regiment.


Page 640 OPERATIONS IN N.VA.,W.VA.,MD.,AND PA. Chapter XXXIII.