Today in History:

1043 Series I Volume XXVII-I Serial 43 - Gettysburg Campaign Part I

Page 1043 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

REPORT OF Brigadier General ADELBERT AMES, U. S. ARMY.


HEADQUARTERS INFANTRY,
BEALETON STATION, JUNE 10, 1863.

SIR: I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING REPORT OF THE PART TAKEN BY THE TROOPS UNDER MY COMMAND IN THE ACTION OF THE 9TH [AT BEVERLY FORD]: TWO-THIRDS OF THE INFANTRY CROSSED THE FORD AFTER THE CAVALRY, AND MOVED UP THE ROAD AND THROUGH THE WOODS TO THE FRONT AND CENTER OF OUR LINE. THE EDGE OF THE WOODS WE OCCUPIED SOON AFTER THE ENEMY'S CAVALRY ADVANCED UPON US; AFTERWARD ATTACKS WERE MADE BY HIS DISMOUNTED CAVALRY, BUT IN EACH INSTANCE HE WAS REPULSED, WITH CONSIDERABLE LOSS. AT 11 A. M. OUR ENTIRE LINE ADVANCED. IN THE AFTERNOON ALL OF MY AVAILABLE FORCE MOVED TOWARD A RIDGE OF HILLS ON OUR RIGHT. BY THIS MOVEMENT A VERY SUPERIOR FORCE OF THE ENEMY'S INFANTRY AND CAVALRY WAS DISCOVERED. A SECTION OF THE ARTILLERY CROSSED THE RIVER WITH THE INFANTRY, AND WAS ENGAGED FIRST ON THE LEFT, AFTERWARD ON THE RIGHT. THE REMAINING TWO SECTIONS CROSSED LATER IN THE DAY, AS DID THE INFANTRY LEFT ON THIS SIDE, MOVED TO THE EXTREME FRONT, AND ENGAGED THE ENEMY. MY COMMAND WAS WITHDRAWN UNMOLESTED. MY FORCES WERE AS FOLLOWS: THE EIGHTY-SIXTH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, MAJOR LANSING; ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURTH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CUMMINS, COMMANDED BY COLONEL ELLIS, OF THE THIRD CORPS; THE THIRTY-THIRD MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS, COLONEL UNDERWOOD, OF THE ELEVENTH CORPS;

SECOND MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS, MAJOR MUDGE; THIRD WISCONSIN, MAJOR HUBBARD, COMMANDED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL FLOOD, OF THE TWELFTH CORPS, AND GRAHAM'S BATTERY OF HORSE ARTILLERY. THE ENTIRE COMMAND WAS ENGAGED MORE OR LESS THE ENTIRE DAY, AND ALWAYS WITH SUCCESS. THE CONDUCT OF ALL WAS ADMIRABLE. I FORWARD THE REPORTS OF REGIMENTAL COMMANDERS.

I AM, SIR, MOST RESPECTFULLY, YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT,

A. AMES,

BRIGADIER-GENERAL OF VOLUNTEERS, COMMANDING.

Lieutenant Colonel A. J. ALEXANDER,

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL.

REPORT OF Major CHARLES R. MUDGE, SECOND MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY.

BIVOUAC NEAR BEALETON STATION,

JUNE 10, 1863.

SIR: I HAVE THE HONOR TO REPORT THE PART TAKEN BY MY REGIMENT IN THE LATE EXPEDITION, AS FOLLOWS: IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDERS RECEIVED, MY REGIMENT, CONSISTING OF 291 ENLISTED MEN AND 21 OFFICERS, FORMED LINE WITH THE THIRD WISCONSIN REGIMENT, AND THE DETACHMENT UNDER LIEUTENANT-COLONEL FLOOD, THIRD WISCONSIN, LEFT STAFFORD COURT-HOUSE, VA., AT ABOUT 6 P. M., THE 6TH INSTANT. WE ARRIVED AT SPOTTED TAVERN AT 2. 10 A. M. THE 7TH INSTANT, AND LEAVING THERE AT 10 A. M. THE SAME DAY, ARRIVED NEAR BEALETON STATION ABOUT 6 P. M. THE SAME INSTANT. THREE MEN WERE SENT BACK FROM THE TAVERN WITH THE EXTRA AMBULANCE, BEING UNABLE TO MARCH. THREE MORE FROM THE STATION FOR SAME REASON.


Page 1043 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.