Today in History:

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

Page 576 OPERATIONS IN SE.VA. AND N.C. Chapter LII.

left the work. In this last affair this division lost some of its bravest men, who staid fighting it out to the last. Eight regiments were engaged, two regiments held in reserve, and the three that failed through the cowardice of the Forty-sixth New York to reach the rebel breastworks, were employed partly as provost guard and partly in manning our breast-works on the right and left of the crater to keep down the fire of the enemy from their pits during the evacuation of the rebel work. After dark this division promptly relieved that part of the Eighteenth Corps that had occupied its front during the action.

The losses of this division, amounting to 40 commissioned officers and 666 men, only 258 of whom were missing, have already been reported. We captured about 100 rebel prisoners.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

O. B. WILLCOX,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Lieutenant Colonel LEWIS RICHMOND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.]


No. 196. Reports of Brigadier General John F. Hartranft, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade, of operations June 14-July 30.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, THIRD DIV., NINTH ARMY CORPS, October 25, 1864.

CAPTAIN: *

FIFTH EPOCH.

Crossed the Chickahominy at Jones' Bridge at 6.30 a.m. 14th [June] instant, crossing the James River at 11.30 p.m. 15th. After marching all night and most of the next day, June 16, I formed line, under the direction of Major Morton, on the extreme left of the army about 6 p.m. A regiment of cavalry was still farther to the left. About 7 o'clock same day received orders to report to Major-General Hancock. I moved forward and occupied works previously occupied by Barlow's division, and remained in this position during the night. Early next morning moved by the left flank down to the ravine in front and filed to the left up the same until uncovered by the Second Corps, then halted and formed line under direction of Major Morton. Thisline was in front of Potter's division. Afterward moved to the right about the length of the brigade line and formed in two lines, as well as the conformation of the ground would permit, on the hill beyond the ravine in the following order: First line, Second Michigan (the directing regiment), One hundred and ninth New York, Major Stilson, on the left; Thirty-seventh Wisconsin, Lieutenant-Colonel Doolittle, Thirty-eighth Wisconsin, Lieutenant-Colonel Pier, on the right. Second line, Twenty-seventh Michigan, Colonel Fox, on the right; Eight Michigan, Lieutenant-Colonel Ely, Fifty-first Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, Major Bolton, on the left. The Second Michigan was formed perpendicular to the general direction of the advance about to be made. Just before

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*For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 4 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.947.

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Page 576 OPERATIONS IN SE.VA. AND N.C. Chapter LII.