Today in History:

39 Series I Volume XXVII-II Serial 44 - Gettysburg Campaign Part II

Page 39 Chapter XXXIX. The Gettysburg Campaign.

some resistance, the guns were captured by the enemy, and Captain Maulsby wounded in the leg but escaped with his officers and most of his men and horses. The detachment of the First New York Cavalry, Lieutenants Martindale and Jesse F. Wyckoff, and Captain Firey's company (B), First Battalion Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Volunteer Cavalry, and a small number of the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, rendered valuable and important service, especially when the rebel cavalry charged through the town in large numbers, our small force of cavalry contending for every inch of ground. Company I, One hundred and twenty-sixth Ohio Volunteers, Captain Henry C. Yontz, stationed at the block-house at Opequon Creek, was captured by the enemy, with the exception of 2 officers and 13 men. Captain Yontz, having endeavored to escape with his company by the Williamsport road, was surrounded by the enemy . The 3 medical officers of the One hundred and twenty -sixth Ohio Volunteers fell into the hands of enemy, with a few medical stores, a small quantity of ammunition, and a few arms . No quartermaster's or commissary stores were lost. A small pile of forage was burned as we were leaving . About 200 men of the whole command are missing, but are supposed mostly to be stragglers, as they are constantly coming in. The number of killed and wounded is not known, but is very small. The rebels suffered more than ourselves ; 7 killed, I have heard of, and quite a number wounded . On my arrival at the Shepherdstown. Ford(I had gone ahead with a small escort to examine the ford), a volley was fired upon us from the opposite bank. This turned out to be from our own pickets, who had mistaken us for the enemy, the night being very dark. No one hurt, fortunately. The forced march to Maryland Heights from Martinsburg was long and fatiguing, but we congratulate ourselves that we held in check a whole day a vastly superior force of the enemy, leaving him an empty town, as far as supplies were concerned, when he expected to find a depot stores with everything he desired.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. Smith,

Colonel 126th Ohio Vol. Inf., Comdg 3rd Brig., 1st Div., 8th Corps.

Brig-General Daniel Tyler, Baltimore Md.


No. 382. Report of Colonel Edwars C. James, One hundred and sixth New York Infantry, of operations June 13-15 .

Maryland Heights, MD., June 26, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements of the One hundred and sixth New York Volunteers, from the time of their leaving North Mountain, Va., on the 13th instant, until their arrival at Maryland Heights, June 15:At noon on Saturday, June 13, I received orders by telegraph from Colonel B. F. Smith, One hundred and twenty-sixth Ohio Volunteers, commanding Third Brigade, First Division, Eight Army Corps, to


Page 39 Chapter XXXIX. The Gettysburg Campaign.