Today in History:

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

Page 271 Chapter LIV. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.

The total loss of the regiment from the 22nd to the 26th is as follows: Commissioned officers-killed, 3; wounded, 6; wounded and missing, 1; missing, 8; total, 18. Enlisted men-killed, 10; wounded, 19; wounded and missing, 6; missing, 322; sunstroke, 3; total, 360. Total officers and men, 378.

Lieutenant Oscar L. Dearborn, * who has for some time been in arrest, went into the fight with his company, doing duty as a private, and was killed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN B. VANDE WIELE,

Captain, Commanding Fourth New York Artillery.

Captain W. R. DRIVER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, First Division, Second Corps.


Numbers 29. Reports of Major George W. Scott, Sixty-first New York Infantry, of operations August 13-20 and December 9-10.


HEADQUARTERS SIXTY-FIRST NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS,
September 24, 1864

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by this regiment in the operations from August 13 to 20, 1864:

August 13, embarked on transport at City Point, at 1 p.m. At 3 p.m. steamed down the James River to opposite Light-House Point, where we lay at anchor until 11.30 p.m., when we proceeded up the river, arriving at Dutch Gap at about 1.30 a.m. 14th instant. August 14, disembarked at Dutch Gap and bivouacked until 6 a.m., at which time we moved forward with the brigade, forming the rear of the column, until we reached the New Market road. Was ordered to occupy an old line of breast-works along the road, which was done. While lying in this position we were occasionally shelled by the enemy, whose artillery was posted in a commanding position in our front, severely wounding the color bearer. At 8 p.m.., under orders from Brigadier-General Miles, I moved my regiment forward several hundred yards and spent the night constructing a line of breast-works with the One hundred and eighty-third. Pennsylvania Volunteers on my right and the Eighty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers on my left. August 15, 6 a.m. moved out of the breast-works constructed during the night and took a position on the New Market road about one-half mile to the right of that formerly occupied. About 12 m. was ordered by General Miles to "fall in," and marched with the brigade to the extreme right and to the junction of the New Market and Malvern Hill roads; bivouacked. August 16 moved with the brigade by wood road to the Charles City road, and advanced toward Richmond on that road to near White's Tavern, in support of the cavalry. At about 2 p.m. the enemy advanced on us at this point, coming down the Charles City road, and I was ordered by General Miles to form line on the right of the road and at right angles with it, and engage him. Advancing my regiment to a crest which commanded a good view of the field and woods in our front. I gave orders for my men to lie down, which they did. The skirmish line was

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*Lieutenant Dearborn was wounded and taken prisoner, and finally mustered out of service June 3, 1865.

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Page 271 Chapter LIV. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.