Today in History:

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

Page 308 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.

General) Egan, commanding [First] Brigade, Third Division; Colonel (now General)Pierce, commanding Third [First] Brigade, Second Division. Colonel J. C. Tidball, Fourth New York Heavy Artillery, chief of artillery, conducted himself with marked intrepidity; the artillery under his command performed most effective service throughout the campaign. The batteries attached to the Second Corps were ably and gallantly commanded.

The following officers of my staff deserve special mention for bravery and faithful performance of duties: Lieutenant Colonel (now brig. General) C. H. Morgan, chief of staff; Major (now Bvt. Brigadier General) W. G. Mitchell, aide-de-camp; Surt. (now Bvt. Lieutenant Colonel) N. A. Dougherty, medical director, Second Corps; Lieutenant Colonel (now Bvt. Colonel) F. A. Walker, assistant adjutant-general, Second Corps; Lieutenant Colonel (now Colonel) R. N. Batchelder, chief quartermaster, Second Corps; Lieutenant Colonel (now Bvt. Brigadier General) J. S. Smith, chief commissary of subsistence, Second Corps; Major S. O. Bull, provost-marshal, Second Corps; Major A. W. Angel, acting topographical engineer, second Corps; Captain (now Bvt. Lieutenant Colonel) I. B. Parker, aide-de-camp; Captain (now Bvt. Major) W. De W. Miller, aide-de-camp; Captain (now Bvt. Lieutenant Colonel) W. P. Wilson, acting assistant adjutant-general; the late Captain E. P. Brownson, commissary of musters, second Corps; Captain (now Bvt. Major) C. S. McEntee, assistant quartermaster, and Captain Taylor, chief signal officer, Second Corps.

I have the honor to transmit herewith all of the reports received by me from subordinates who served under my command from May 3 until July 26, 1864.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

P. S. -On the 18th of June General Birney, commanding Second Corps, made a heavy assault upon the enemy's position on the right and left of the Prince George road, during which barlow's Gibbon's and Mott's divisions lost heavily. I can give no details of this day's action, and only mention it for the reason that in consideration of the death of General Birney no reports of the operations of the second Corps on the 18th of June were ever written, I believe.


HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
Near Petersburg, Va., November 11, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the troops under my command on the north side of the James River from the 26th until the 29th of July, 1864:

On the afternoon of the 26th of July, about 4 o'clock, the head of my command, consisting of Gibbon's, barlow's, and Mott's division, left its camp near the Deserted House for Point of rocks, the column moving well to the rear to avoid being seen by the enemy. Just after dark we crossed the appomattox by the pontoon bridge at Point of Rocks and proceeded to Deep Bottom, taking a rather difficult road to the left in order that the cavalry, which was crossing at Broadway Landing, might have an unobstructed road to Deep Bottom. Through the kindness of General Butler the road had been picketed, and small fires built


Page 308 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.