Today in History:

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

Page 86 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

several lines of battle on the field, came into position under this destructive fire of the enemy's artillery with as much apparent coolness as if on dress parade. In obedience to orders direct from Major-General Milroy, through Major McGee, chief of staff, and, accompanied by that gallant officer, I fell back to the left, guarding the rear of the One hundred and sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Washburn ; the Eighteenth Connecticut Volunteers, Colonel Ely; a part of the Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania, Colonel Staunton, and the Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania Infantry, Colonel Schall, or what was left of these gallant regiments after their desperate but successful charge upon the enemy's artillery and infantry, together with small detachments from other commands. MY loss in this engagement was very small, not exceeding 30 in killed, wounded, and missing. This is in part owing to the fact that I had no opportunity to make a direct charge upon the enemy, and partly because my command did not scatter, the officers and men having kept well together and in good order. We marched for Hancock, Md., reaching that place at 10 p. m. the same day in good order and in excellent spirits, nothing abated in our attachment to the glorious cause nor in our determination to uphold the Government and restore the Union at all hazards . Nor is our confidence in the skill and dauntless courage of our late commander at all shaken on account of the temporary disaster at Winchester, which might have occurred to any other commander under heaven with greatly superior numbers against him, directed by a wily foe, who had more than once succeeded in deceiving and evading the highest and most skillful commanders of our army. We who have best known Major General R. H. Milroy, and have learned by association to respect his private virtues as a man and his skill and great devotion to his country as a soldier, will love and appreciate him not the less because he is a terror to and is maligned and traduced by rebels and rebel sympathizers.

With great respect, I have the honor to be, your obedient servant

A. W. Adams, Major,

Commanding Regiment.

Major John O. Cravens, A. A. G, U. S. Forces, Bloody Run, Pa.


No. 399.

Report of Captain Frederick W. Alexander, Baltimore Battery, Maryland Light Artillery, of operations June 13-15.

Washington, D. C., June 23, 1863

General:At your desire, I have the honor to report the following facts connected with the loss of my battery:On Saturday, June 13, Colonel A. T. McReynolds, commanding Third Brigade, Second Division, Eight Army corps, ordered me to march to Winchester from Berryville, Va., with the rest of his command. One section of the battery, with two squadrons of the First New York Cavalry, formed the rear guard. I remained in person with them two hours after the main body had retired on the road to Harper's Ferry, and thence to the left by Summit Point to Winchester. We shelled the enemy whenever they appeared, and they thought were in


Page 86 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.