Today in History:

307 Series I Volume XL-I Serial 80 - Richmond, Petersburg Part I

Page 307 Chapter LII. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.

efforts to retake the Hare house the day, but were handsomely repelled on each occasion. in the evening, about 6 p. m., General Barlow again participated in an attack with General Burnside's corps, in which Barlow's division lost heavily in killed, wounded, and prisoners.

The night of the 17th of June I was compelled to turn over my command of disability from my wound, which during the entire campaign had given me great annoyance, and at times had prevented me from taking that active part in the movement of my troops which I desired to do. I relinquished the command to Major-General Birney, the next senior general officer present in my corps, who conducted its operations until the 27th of June, when, having partially recovered, I again assumed the command. From that date until the 26th of July my troops were engaged in the arduous and dangerous duties incident to the siege operations in front of Petersburg; severe and almost constant labor (much of it during the night) was required from the men in erecting the formidable earth-works which were thrown up in front of that town. While performing these exhausting labors, the troops were at al times to a heavy artillery fire and to the enemy's sharpshooters, from which a long list of casualties resulted daily.

The losses in action in the Second Corps during the period included in this report were over 6,000 men killed, wounded, and missing, as will be shown by the following tabular statement:

Killed. Wounded.

Command. Officers. Men. Officers. Men.

Artillery Brigade 1 3 - 10

First Division 17 249 53 1,006

Second Division 12 161 44 805

Third Division 26 250 73 1,256

Total 56 663 170 3,077

Missing.

Command. Officers. Men. Aggregate.

Artillery Brigade - 3 17

First Division 29 922 2,276

Second Division 32 907 1,961

Third Division 15 377 1,997

Total 76 2,209 6,251

The casualties of the Eighth Ohio and First Delaware Volunteers are not included in the above table, as no reports of their losses have been furnished corps headquarters.

The conspicuous valor and good conduct of the officers and men under my command during the marches, battles, and siege operations embraced in this epoch of the campaign, gave me complete satisfaction and merit the highest commendation. As I have already stated in my reports of this campaign, it is impossible, owing to the fact that I have received so few reports from my subordinate commanders, for me to mention in detail the names of all the officers and men of my command who were specially distinguished for marked bravery and meritorious conduct.

The following general officers, commanders of brigades and divisions, are entitled to my thanks for their distinguished and valuable services: The late Major General D. B. Birney, then commanding Third Division, Second Corps; Brigadier-General (now Brevet Major-General) barlow, commanding First Division; Major-General Gibbon, commanding Second Division; Brigadier-General Mott, commanding Third Brigade, Third Division; Brigadier-General (now Major-General) Miles, commanding First Brigade, First Division; Colonel (now brevet Major-


Page 307 Chapter LII. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.