Today in History:

182 Series I Volume LI-I Serial 107 - Supplements Part I

Page 182 MD., E. N. C., PA., VA., EXCEPT S. W., & W. VA. Chapter XLIII.

The works having been this carried, my whole command was pushed on down the plank road in pursuit of the flying enemy, and assisted in carrying his second line of works, after which General Brooks took the front, and my command was not again engaged with the enemy during the day. I need hardly speak of the advantages which accrued to our forces from the desperate and successful assault upon the heights of Saint Marye, of which I have just given the details. The splendid battery and the many prisoners which were captured were, after all, perhaps the least of the fruits of our victory. Later in the day when General Brooks' command became engaged with the enemy at Salem Heights, I placed my command within supporting distance and awaited orders. Just at dark I moved the Light Division to the front and there passed the night.

At an early hour on the morning of May 4, in obedience to orders, I moved my command to the extreme right of our lines and took position near Brooks' Ford. During the day the position of the Light Division was changed several times. In the afternoon the Fifth Wisconsin and Sixty-first Pennsylvania, under command of Colonel Allen, were attached to the command of General Brooks. They became engaged with the enemy, but did not suffer severely. At night the Sixth Maine, Forty-third New York, and two companies of the Thirty-first New York were posted near the position which they occupied in the morning, on the extreme right of our lines at Brooks' Ford. The position was somewhat isolated, and by breaking through our picket-line the enemy placed himself between this portion of my command and the remainder of the corps. He then advanced in heavy force at about midnight to attack the command. He succeeded in capturing some of my pickets from the Thirty-first New York and Forty-third New York, but the Sixth Maine met him and repulsed him handsomely, after a fight of less than half an hour. He at once reformed his columns, and bringing up fresh troops prepared to renew the attack. Finding a much larger force opposed to me, the command was withdrawn, after being virtually cut off from ythe corps and surrounded by the enemy, by being led to the water's edge and thence following the river to Banks' Ford. At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 5th of May the command recrossed the river at Banks' Ford, encamping on the left bank near that place. In detailing the operations of the Light Division I should not omit to speak of the services rendered by the Third New York Independent Battery, Lieutenant W. A. Harn, which, under the directions of Colonel Tompkins, chief of artillery of the Sixth Corps, participated in the engagements at the heights of Saint Marye and Salem Heights, on both of which occasions to behaved gallantly and was skillfully and efficiently handled. I have to deplore the loss of Colonel Spear, of the Sixty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, who fell at the head of his regiment in the assault upon the heights of Saint Marye, and also the loss of Major Joel A. Haycock, of the Sixth Maine, who fell in the same engagement. The loss of these and other valued and gallant officers cannot be too deeply regretted. Throughout these operations the conduct of the officers and men of my command was splendid, almost without exception. The following are deserving of special mention, and I take great pleasure in bringing them to your notice, viz: Colonel Allen, Fifth Wisconsin Volunteers; Colonel Baker, Forty-third New York Volunteers; Colonel Jones, Thirty-first New York Volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel Harris, Sixth Maine Volunteers; Major Dawson, Sixty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Lieutenant Harn, Third New York Independent Battery. The able manner in which


Page 182 MD., E. N. C., PA., VA., EXCEPT S. W., & W. VA. Chapter XLIII.