Today in History:

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

Page 724 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.

General Mott's division, of the Second Army Corps, and moved in the direction of General Burnside's headquarters, arriving there at 12 p.m. The Second Brigade, U. S. Colored Troops, Colonel Duncan commanding relieved General Ledlie's command and a portion of General Potter's command in the trenches. The Second and Third Brigades of the First Division relieved General Willcox's command, and the First Brigade was held in reserve in rear of the Second Brigade, U. S. Colored Troops.

At 12 m. of the 30th I relieved a portion of General Turner's command with the First Brigade, First Division. My command was not engaged out of the trenches.

The Second and Third Brigades, First Division, were relieved on the night of the 30th, without my knowledge, by General Willcox's command, and the balance of my command was relieved on the night of the 31st, and marched to the position they formerly occupied, in rear of corps headquarters.

I herewith inclose a list of casualties.*

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

J. B. CARR,

Brigadier-General.

Major WILLIAM RUSSELL, Jr.,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Eighteenth Army Corps.


Numbers 277. Report of Colonel Joseph B. Kiddoo, Twenty-second U. S. Colored Troops, Second Brigade, of operations June 15.


HDQRS. TWENTY-SECOND U. S. COLORED TROOPS,
In the Field, Va., June 22, 1864.

SIR: In accordance with circular of the 20th instant, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the late actions in front of Petersburg:

On the morning of the 15th I moved with the rest of the brigade from Spring Hill on the City Point road. Approaching the enemy's advanced line of rifle-pits near Baylor's house, I received orders from the colonel commanding the brigade to form line of battle and advance, the Fifth U. S. Colored Troops being at the same time on my right and the Fourth U. S. Colored Troops on my left. I also received orders from the colonel commanding to be ready to charge when ordered. After I had gotten under the fire of the enemy's artillery, concluding that on account of the broken nature of the ground orders could not reach me to charge, or that I could not be found, I took the responsibility and ordered my regiment to charge the line of rifle-pits in my front. The effect with which the enemy's artillery was playing upon my line was the strongest inducement for me to give this order. The charge was gallantly made, and that portion of the rifle-pits in front of my line possessed, together with one 12-pounder howitzer, from the fire of which my men suffered severely while coming from the woods. From thence I marched with the rest of the brigade to the left and toward the main line of the enemy's works. I took position in the first line and on the left of the Fourth U. S. Colored Troops at about

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*Not found.

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Page 724 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.