Today in History:

1020 Series I Volume XXVII-I Serial 43 - Gettysburg Campaign Part I

Page 1020 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

JULY 5, WE MOVED TO SMITHSBURG, AND, WHILE RESTING THERE, THE ENEMY APPEARED WITH ARTILLERY. THIS REGIMENT WAS ORDERED TO GUARD A MOUNTAIN PASS, AND IN THE EVENING WAS CALLED IN, AND JOINED THE COMMAND, AND MARCHED TO BOONSBOROUGH. JULY 6, WE MARCHED FROM BOONSBOROUGH TO HAGERSTOWN, WHERE A PART OF THE REGIMENT-ONE SQUADRON-WAS ORDERED TO CHARGE THE TOWN. AFTER THIS VAS EXECUTED, TWO SQUADRONS WERE ORDERED TO THE RIGHT OF THE TOWN AS SKIRMISHERS, BUT HELD THEIR POSITION BUT A LITTLE TIME, AS THE ENEMY ADVANCED IN SUPERIOR NUMBERS. IN THE ENGAGEMENT WE LOST 2 KILLED, 4 WOUNDED, AND 14 MISSING. THE SUPERIOR NUMBERS OF THE ENEMY CAUSED US TO FALL BACK ON THE WILLIAMSPORT ROAD. HERE THIS REGIMENT BROUGHT UP THE REAR, AND SUPPORTED BATTERY E, FOURTH REGULAR ARTILLERY. THE ENEMY CHARGED THIS BATTERY FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES, AND WERE REPULSED AS OFTEN. FINALLY THEIR SUPERIORITY OF NUMBERS CAUSED US TO WITHDRAW, VIA ANTIETAM CREEK, TO BOONSBOROUGH, ARRIVING THERE ON THE MORNING OF THE 7TH. ON THE 8TH, THE ENEMY ADVANCED FROM HAGERSTOWN, AND WE BECAME ENGAGED WITH THEM, AND FOUGHT UNTIL EVENING. THIS REGIMENT SUPPORTED BATTERY E, FOURTH REGULAR ARTILLERY. JULY 9, COLONEL N. P. RICHMOND WAS RELIEVED OF THE COMMAND OF THE BRIGADE, AND THE REGIMENT, BY ORDER, WENT TO FREDERICK CITY, MD., FOR THE PURPOSE OF DOING PROVOST DUTY AND ARRESTING ALL STRAGGLERS, AND TO FORM A STRAGGLERS' CAMP. THE REGIMENT REMAINED HERE UNTIL JULY 16, WHEN WE LEFT AND MOVED TO BERLIN; THENCE TO PURCELLVILLE, VA., WHERE WE JOINED THE BRIGADE. ON THE 19TH, WE MOVED TO UPPERVILLE. ON THE 22D, TO PIEDMONT. ON THE 23D, TO AMISSVILLE, ARRIVING THERE IN THE EVENING. THIS REGIMENT WAS ORDERED ON PICKET AT GAINES' CROSS-ROADS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEAVING, WE MET THE ENEMY, AND DROVE THEM TO WITHIN HALF A MILE OF THE CROSS-ROADS, WHERE WE MET THEM IN FORCE. MAJOR CAPEHART ORDERED THE REGIMENT TO CHARGE, WHICH IT DID, BUT WE WERE REPULSED BY INFANTRY AND CAVALRY. HERE WE HAD 2 OF OUR MEN WOUNDED. OUR PICKET LINE WAS FINALLY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE OF THE CROSS-ROADS, WHERE WE REMAINED UNTIL THE EVENING OF THE 24TH, WHEN WE WERE RELIEVED. WE THEN MOVED BACK, AND WENT INTO CAMP AT AMISSVILLE. REMAINED THERE UNTIL THE 30TH, WHEN WE MOVED TO WARRENTON JUNCTION, AND ON THE EVENING OF THE 31ST THE REGIMENT WAS ORDERED ON DUTY TO STAFFORD COURT-HOUSE, VA.

ALL OF WHICH IS RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.

CHARLES E. CAPEHART,

MAJOR, COMDG. FIRST WEST VIRGINIA CAVALRY.

Captain L SIEBERT,

A. A. G., FIRST BRIG., THIRD DIV.


Numbers 368. REPORT OF Captain JAMES M. ROBERTSON, SECOND U. S. ARTILLERY, COMMANDING FIRST BRIGADE, HORSE ARTILLERY.


HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, HORSE ARTILLERY,
AUGUST 22, 1863.

SIR: I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE FIRST BRIGADE, HORSE ARTILLERY, SINCE JUNE 28: ON JUNE 28, I REPORTED WITH MY BRIGADE-CONSISTING OF LIEUTENANT


Page 1020 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.