Today in History:

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

Page 280 OPERATIONS IN SE.VA. AND N.C. Chapter LIV.

until 1 p.m., when the regiment marched to the works on the road, expecting an attack from the enemy. About 3 p.m. the enemy charged on our works and were repulsed. The regiment lost one man wounded in that charge. About 5 p.m. the enemy opened on the works with their batteries which soon ceased, when the enemy again charged en masse. The regiment staid behind the works until the right of the line gave way; in our front the enemy was severely punished. The right of the enemy's charging line extended to about the left of the regiment. The One hundred and forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, which was on our left, fired to a right oblique and cut the enemy so badly that they started to run back, but seeing their left (the enemy's) over the works pushed forward again. The distance was no more than eight yards between us and the enemy. After the regiment was forced to retreat, which they did to the bank of the railroad, where they rallied and returned the fire of the enemy, but were forced to retreat still farther on account of the enemy on our flank. The fighting was kept up until dark. The casualties during the day were 3 wounded and 17 missing. The regiment was scattered. At dark they were formed again, and about 9 p.m. marched back to the direction of the Jerusalem plank road, and by 3 a.m. on the 26th reached a point on the road about half a mile from Williams' house; then all stragglers joined us but those reported missing. We rested there all day.

Very respectfully,

S. PINCUS,

Lieutenant, Commanding Sixty-sixth New York Volunteers.

Captain A. R. CHACE,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 4th Brigadier, 1st Div., 2nd Corps.


Numbers 37. Reports of Captain Philip H. Schreyer, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, of operations August 13-20 and 22-26.


HDQRS. FIFTY-THIRD PENNSYLVANIA VETERAN VOLS.,
September 28, 1864.

SIR: In compliance with circular, I have the honor to make the following report of operations of this regiment from the 13th day of August to the 20th day of August, 1864:

August 12, 1864, the regiment broke camp on the left of Petersburg, and at 4.30 p.m. took up our line of march for City Point, arriving near the latter place at 10 p.m. on the same evening, where we went into camp and remained until 12 m. on the 13th. We took up our line of march and arrived at City Point at 1 p.m. I immediately commenced to embark the regiment. Six companies were embarked on the transport Starlight and the remaining four companies on the transport Ellen S. Terry. By 6 p.m. the whole regiment was embarked and both transports dropped some three miles down the river. At 10 p.m. both transports moved up the James River toward Deep Bottom about twenty miles.

On the morning of the 14th I arrived at Deep Bottom, when the regiment disembarked and moved about half a mile from the river, where it remained until 11.30 a.m. when it moved about four miles to the front and immediately took up a position in rear of the First Brigade, which was then on the skirmish line. Brigade being formed in line of battle now advanced, the One hundred and sixteenth Pennsylvania


Page 280 OPERATIONS IN SE.VA. AND N.C. Chapter LIV.