Numbers 39. Report of Captain Nelson Penfield, One hundred and twenty-fifth New York Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS 125TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS,
Near Petersburg, Va., August 8, 1864.

SIR: Pursuant to Special Orders, Numbers 209, Exact 5, dated headquarters Army of the Potomac, August 5, 1864, I have the honor to transmit herewith an account of the part taken by the One hundred and twenty-fifth Regiment New York Volunteers in the campaign commencing May 4, and ending July 30, 1864:

FIRST EPOCH.

On the night of May 3, in accordance with orders received in the p. m. of said day, at about 11 o'clock we took up the line of march from Stevensburg for the Rapidan. Our men were confident and hopeful; realizing that hard and bloody work was before them, they were determined to endure and do to the utmost. We crossed the Rapidan at Ely's Ford, and moved rapidly forward, reaching Chancellorsville, Va., about 10.30 a. m. of the 4th. We camped near the old Chancellorsville house during the day and night of the 4th, and again took up the line march, about 8 a. m. of the 5th. We marched slowly; we heard the first gun fired about 12m.; were left as rear guard. Skirmishing commanded on our left flank about 4 p. m. by dismounted cavalry. Our regiment was deployed as skirmishers immediately, and remained on the line until about 8 o'clock in the evening; were then withdrawn, and moved forward in column for several hours, and marched on the battle-ground of the day. From our position in the afternoon we head none of the firing of the battle on the 5th. The first intimation we received of this was after taking up the line of march in the evening, when we learned that there had been fierce fighting, in which part of our brigade had suffered severely. When the fighting commanded on the morning of the 6th of May the regiment was moved a short distance from left to the right and placed on reserve. About 7 o'clock the larger still kept on reserve. The firing at this time in our front was terrific, sounding in the woods like the wailing of the tempest or the roaring of the one an in a storm. About 9 o'clock we were moved forward and placed in line with our brigade, when we were ordered to move on to rebels, the regiment being command by Lieutenant Colonel A. B. Myer. The regiment moved forward in the woods about a mile, the enemy resting before us. They then halted behind their breast-works ad opened fire on us. Our men stood their ground until ammunition was nearly exhausted, at which time we received a cross-fire from the enemy, when we full back a short distance and reformed. We were again flanked and again fell back, reforming as before, and finally fell back to the road from whence we started, on account of the woods in which we fought being of fire. Lieutenant Colonel A. B. Myer was mortally wounded in the engagement and borne from the field, and some 26 enlisted men were killed, wounded, or captured, as follows,* among whom were

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* Nominal list omitted.

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