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1044 Series I Volume XXVII-I Serial 43 - Gettysburg Campaign Part I

Page 1044 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

ON THE 8TH INSTANT WE MARCHED TO BEVERLY FORD, AND CROSSED THE NEXT MORNING AT 6 O'CLOCK. THREW OUT FOUR COMPANIES AS SKIRMISHERS, WHO WERE MISLED BY THE NEXT DETACHMENT, AND WHEN ON THEIR WAY TO JOIN THE REGIMENT, WERE TAKEN BY GENERAL PLEASONTON AND PLACED IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON THE RIGHT. WHILE THERE, ONE COMPANY, IN CONNECTION WITH ONE OF THE THIRD WISCONSIN, TOOK 16 PRISONERS OF THE SECOND NORTH CAROLINA CAVALRY, WHICH REGIMENT THEY DISLODGED FROM BEHIND A STONE WALL. I THREW OUT TWO MORE COMPANIES TO TAKE THEIR PLACE, AFTERWARD ONE MORE TO FILL A GAP CAUSED BY THE MOVING OF THE CAVALRY WITH WHOM I CONNECTED ON THE LEFT. THEN SENT TWO COMPANIES TO SUPPORT A SECTION OF ARTILLERY ON MY LEFT, WHICH LEFT ME WITH ONLY THE COLOR COMPANY AS RESERVE. THE MEN, WHENEVER ENGAGED, BEHAVED WELL AND INFLICTED SEVERE LOSS UPON THE ENEMY. WHEN HE ADVANCED, THE THREE COMPANIES LAST DETAILED REJOINED ME, AND I WAS SENT TO THE SUPPORT OF COLONEL UNDERWOOD, THIRTY-THIRD MASSACHUSETTS. WHEN THE LINE WAS DRAWN BACK I WAS SENT TO THE SUPPORT OF GENERAL BUFORD, BY ORDER OF GENERAL PLEASONTON, WHERE I REMAINED UNTIL ORDERED TO TAKE THE TWELFTH CORPS DETACHMENT ACROSS THE RIVER, NEAR WHICH WE CAMPED THAT NIGHT, AND THIS MORNING CAME TO THIS PLACE WITH 20 OFFICERS AND 279 ENLISTED MEN.

OUR LOSS IN THE ENGAGEMENT WAS 1 KILLED, 3 WOUNDED, AND 2 MISSING. I HAVE THE HONOR TO BE, VERY RESPECTFULLY, YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT,

C. R. MUDGE,

MAJOR, COMMANDING SECOND MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL AMES,

COMMANDING INFANTRY DETACHMENT.

REPORT OF Brigadier General ALFRED PLEASONTON, U. S. ARMY, COMMANDING CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.


HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
JUNE 15, 1863.

GENERAL: I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE EXPEDITION PLACED UNDER MY ORDERS BY YOUR INSTRUCTIONS OF THE 7TH INSTANT: ON THE 8TH, TWO COMMANDS WERE FORMED AS FOLLOWS: THE FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, THE RESERVE BRIGADE, AND BRIGADIER-GENERAL AMES' COMMAND OF INFANTRY CONSTITUTED ONE COMMAND, UNDER THE ORDERS OF Brigadier General J. BUFORD, TO CROSS THE RIVER AT BEVERLY FORD. THE OTHER COMMAND, UNDER THE ORDERS OF Brigadier General D. MCM. GREGG, WAS TO CROSS THE RAPPAHANNOCK AT KELLY'S FORD, AND WAS COMPOSED OF THE SECOND AND THIRD CAVALRY DIVISIONS AND THE INFANTRY COMMAND OF Brigadier General D. A. RUSSELL. I MYSELF MOVED WITH BUFORD'S COMMAND UNTIL THE JUNCTION OF THE TWO FORCES NEAR BRANDY STATION, WHEN I DIRECTED THE MOVEMENT OF THE WHOLE. THE ORDERS TO EACH COMMAND WERE TO CROSS THE RIVER AT DAYLIGHT ON THE 9TH INSTANT AND PUSH RAPIDLY FOR BRANDY STATION. BUFORD'S COMMAND, AT HALF PAST 4 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, CROSSED BEVERLY FORD IN SPLENDID STYLE, ATTACKED THE ENEMY AT ONCE, BEFORE HE HAD TIME TO FORM, AND WOULD HAVE CAPTURED HIS GUNS BUT FOR THE UNTIMELY LOSS OF THE BRAVE AND ACCOMPLISHED Colonel B. F. DAVIS, OF THE EIGHTH NEW YORK CAVALRY, WHO, WHILE COMMANDING A BRIGADE, CHARGED AT


Page 1044 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.