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

Page 488 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.

enemy's limbers or small magazines. Upon the 18th received orders from Fifth Corps headquarters relieving me from the command of Brigadier-General Ayres and placing me under Brigadier-General Cutler, commanding Fourth Division, Fifth Army Corps, as my position was upon General Cutler's line. The enemy's mortar battery remaining inactive, and there being no apparent effort on the part of the enemy to strengthen their fortifications in my front, did not open fire again until the 30th. Upon the 23rd was, by Special Orders, Numbers 179, headquarters Fifth Army Corps, returned to the command of Colonel Wainwright, commanding Artillery Brigade, and by him, upon the 29th, placed under the supervision of Major R. H. Fitzhugh. Received orders from Major Fitzhugh to open fire as noon as the mine should be sprung upon the front of the Ninth Corps line upon the morning of the 30th, which I did, continuing to fire during the day as often as the enemy opened from their mortar battery in my front, as per directions of Captain Mink, who succeeded Major Fitzhugh.

I have the honor to report no casualties in the command from the time of taking position to the time of being ordered to return to my old camp, August 2, 1864.

Respectfully submitted.

JAMES B. HAZELTON,

First Lieutenant, First New York Light Artillery.

Lieutenant FORD. MORRIS,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Artillery Brigade, Fifth Corps.


Numbers 146. Reports of Captain Charles E. Mink, Battery H, First New York Light Artillery, of operations June 18-July 30.

NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., July 29, 1864.

SIR: *

June 18, engaged the enemy before Petersburg, Va., advancing by battery with the other batteries of the brigade under fire of the enemy's artillery. At 4 p.m. we threw up lunettes and placed the battery in position on the right of the Fifth Corps nearly opposite the reservoir; fired a number of shot into the enemy's works, cutting down their work around two of their guns in such manner as to give our sharpshooters command of their pieces. The battery fired, during the day, 213 solid shot, 84 case-shot, and 6 shells. I am sorry to state that one of my men lost his right arm by the premature discharge of a gun, the first in the battery since its organization. June 19, the enemy attempted to open the battery in our front, but we kept it silent all day, firing twenty-seven solid shot, losing 7 horses by sharpshooters. June 20, fired forty-eight solid shot at the enemy's works, cutting them up in such a manner as to keep them at work repairing all day. June 22, fired a few shot through the buildings in rear of the enemy's works to drive out their riflemen, who annoyed our people very much. June 23, we fired eight solid shot and seventeen shell at the buildings containing sharpshooters, setting one of them on fire and driving the enemy out of another. On the morning of the 24th moved to the rear and camped near General Warren's headquarters. The next morning inspected the battery, and,

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* For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 8 to June 3, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p. 654.

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Page 488 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.