Today in History:

318 Series I Volume XXXVII-I Serial 70 - Monocacy Part I

Page 318 Chapter XLIX. OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA.

who, under the guidance of a citizen, led it to a little village in the vicinity of North Mountain, eight miles from Martinsburg, where the command was halted and allowed about three hours for rest and sleep.

The march was resumed about 3 a. m. on the morning of the 25th, and the command reached Martinsburg about 8 a. m. The enemy shortly after making his appearance, I put the Tenth in position in connection with other troops under the immediate command of Colonel Duval, of the Ninth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, commanding the Second Division. We remained in position, holding the Winchester road, until 4 p. m., at which time the enemy's lines were sufficiently advanced to enable him to enfilade that portion of our line held by Colonel Wells, Thirty-fourth Massachusetts, commanding First Brigade, First Division, on my right, and his withdrawal to a new position exposing me to the same inconvenience, I was compelled to follow his movement; but he, being very soon again exposed to the same difficulty as before, withdrew through town to the opposite side, rendering it necessary for me to follow, which I did, notifying Colonel Duval of our altered position, when he shortly afterward followed the movement and was quickly followed by the enemy. In the new disposition of our forces, which resulted in the repulse of the enemy and his being driven back through town and to his original position in the woods on the Winchester road, my command, consisting now again of the Tenth and Twenty-third, which here joined me, fell into the reserve line under Colonel Campbell, of the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania, now commanding the Third Division, and had no active participation in the action. After the repulse of the enemy we were enabled to reach the Potomac at Williamsport and cross without further molestation.

The losses in my command occurred with very trifling exceptions in the fight near Kernstown, and are embraced in the list of casualties accompanying the reports of Major Withers and Captain Fitzgerald. I will only remark in regard to the missing in those reports that it is to be feared that many of them were left on the field among the killed and wounded, as the first 200 yards of our retreat lay up a hill in open ground in face of the enemy's fire, and was made in such confusion that but few, if any, paid attention to the fate of their comrades.

In relation to the losses in the Twenty-third Illinois it may be proper for me to remark that they were no doubt greatly augmented by the devotion of the men to their colonel (the lamented Mulligan) and their self-sacrificing efforts to bring him off the field in the face of a murderous fire from the enemy-a fire so destructive as to compel finally the abandonment of their efforts.

I can but bear testimony to the coolness and courage of my command, which throughout the whole action and until our final rout obeyed every command with the utmost alacrity and cheerfulness. My officers of every grade, and so far as I know and believe without exception, did their whole duty in the most satisfactory manner. The regimental commanders are particularly entitled to my thanks and commendation.

I cannot, in justice to my feelings, close this report without a passing tribute of respect to the memory of the lamented Colonel James A. Mulligan, whom my short acquaintance and intercourse with in the capacity of a subordinate had led me to esteem as among the bravest


Page 318 Chapter XLIX. OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA.