Today in History:

228 Series I Volume XLII-I Serial 87 - Richmond-Fort Fisher Part I

Page 228 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.

My force at Reams' Station consisted of about 6,000 arms-bearing men of the infantry, at most, and about 2,000 cavalry, excluding that part of the cavalry on picket from General Warren's left to the plank road. The enemy's force in not known to me. Prisoners were taken from Wilcox's and Heth's divisions, Anderson's brigade, of Field's division, and Hampton's cavalry, which was in large force. One brigade, if not two, of Mahone's division, was also said by prisoners to be presents. I forward herewith the report of Major-General Gibbon, Second Division; Brigadier-General Miles, First Division, and Brigadier-General Gregg, commanding cavalry. A tabular statement of casualties also accompanies this report.

The following officers of my staff were with me on the field and were unusually exposed, owing to the peculiar formation of the lines, and were prominent in the performance of their duties, especially in restoring order after the enemy broke my line:

Lieutenant Colonel F. A. Walker, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant Colonel C. H. Morgan, assistant inspector-general and chief of staff; Lieutenant Colonel J. S. Smith, chief commissary of subsistence; A. N. Dougherty, medical director; Charles Smart, assistant surgeon; Major A. W. Angel, Fifth New Jersey, topographical engineer; Captain Clark, commanding artillery; Captain E. P. Brownson, commissary of musters; Major W. G. Mitchell, aide-de-camp; Captain I. B. Parker, aide-de-camp; Captain W. D. W. Miller, aide-de-camp; Captain J. S. Conrad, Second Infantry, judge advocate; Captain W. P. Wilson, One hundred and forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, acting assistant-adjutant-general; Captain C. S. McEntee, assistant quartermaster.

I regret to record the death of Captain E. P. Brownson, commissary of musters, mortally wounded while conducting to the front men he had assisted in rallying. Lieutenant Colonel F. A. Walker, assistant-general, was sent to the front with an order just before the troops were withdrawn, and owing to the darkness rode into the enemy's lines and was captured. Private Canby B. Alrich, Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, chief clerk in the assistant adjutant-general's office, was employed during the day, in the temporary absence of my staff officers, as an aide, and performed the duty with great promptness and intelligence. The report of the chief of artillery has been delayed by the absence of this officer, but will be forwarded hereafter.

Tabular statement of casualties.

Killed Wounded

Command Officers Men Officers Men

Headquar-ters 1 ........... ........... ..........

Second

Army Corps

Artillery 1 10 1 19

Brigade

First 12 18 17 117

Division

Second 7 36 32 194

Division

Gregg's ......... 16 5 61

cavalry

division

Spear's 1 7 5 50

brigade

Total* 22 87 60 441

Missing Total Aggregate

Command Officers Men Officers Men

Headquar-ters 1 ....... 2 ....... 2

Second

Army

Corps

Artillery 3 77 5 106 111

Brigade

First 46 878 75 1,013 1,088

Division

Second 44 684 83 914 997

Division

Gregg's ........ 6 5 83 88

cavalry

division

Spear's ........ 13 6 70 76

brigade

Total* 94 1,658 176 2,186 2,362

Respectfully submitted.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS, Asst. Adjt. General, Army of the Potomac.

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*But see revised statement, pp. 129, 130

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Page 228 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.