The loss in the action was 1 commissioned officer and 6 enlisted men killed, and 1 commissioned officer and 36 enlisted men wounded. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Capt. C. H. HURD, GIDEON CLARK, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding. Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 34. Report of Brig. Gen. Albion P. Howe, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division, of engagement at Rappahannock Station. BRANDY STATION, SIR: In obedience to instructions from the headquarters of the Sixth Corps, of this date, I have the honor to report the operations of the troops under my command in the action at Rappahannock Station, on the 7th instant. My division left Warrenton early in the morning, and reached a point on the railroad about 1 mile from Rappahannock Station about 3 p. m. The enemy was found occupying field-works on the left bank of the Rappahannock and on the west of the railroad, extending from the crossing at the Rappahannock Station to near Beverly Ford; also, the range of heights some 900 yards north of the river, covering the two crossings, with a wooded covering on his left. The heights north of the river commanding his strongest works immediately on the river. Between 3 and 4 p. m., by direction of General Wright, commanding the corps, General Shaler's brigade and two batteries of artillery (Martin's and Waterman's) were ordered to report to me, and with this force and my division I was ordered to take the heights that commanded the enemy's works immediately on the left bank of the river. With a line of battle of three deployed regiments of General Shaler's brigade, and General Neill's brigade deployed on General Shaler's right, and the Fifth Vermont, under Major Dudley, thrown to the right of General Neill's brigade; with a skirmish line of three regiments and the Vermont brigade in rear of General Neill's en échelon of battalion by the left, I advanced upon the heights, and without check and with but little loss took possession of them. Martin's battery was then thrown into position on the heights, and opened fire upon the enemy's works on the river with good effect. I then threw forward a force, and drove the enemy from and took possession of Beverly Ford. Between Beverly Ford and the enemy's right the river makes a strong bend to the left, so that occupying the left bank between those two points with our artillery, it gave us a fire upon their only crossing and a reverse fire upon the enemy's right. After getting possession of Beverly Ford, I caused General Neill to change front to his left, with his right resting on the left bank, and then threw Waterman's battery into position on the enemy's left. The enemy now strongly re-enforced his left. It was becoming quite dark. At this time General Wright ordered an attack upon the enemy's right by the First Division of the corps, which was gallantly and successfully executed, resulting in the capture of all the enemy's artillery in the works and a large number of prisoners. A nominal list of the casualties* of the command and the prisoners taken has been forwarded. Much credit is due to Generals Neill and Shaler for the skillful and gallant manner in which they handled their brigades, and promptly executed every requirement made of them. The officers and men of their brigades, one and all, bore themselves handsomely. The Vermont brigade, under Colonel Grant, in the second line, was for a portion of the time under a severe fire of the enemy's artillery, yet every man was in his right place, and they bore themselves in a manner worthy of their former reputation. I desire to call the attention of the general commanding to the four regiments and their commanders (Colonel Baker, Forty-third New York; Capt. J. M. Dwight, One hundred and twenty-second New York; Lieutenant-Colonel Harris, Sixth Maine, and Major Dudley, Fifth Vermont), for their good conduct and gallant bearing on the skirmish line. It could not have been bettered. My thanks are due to Major Mundee, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenants Edgerton and Gates, aides-de-camp; Lieutenant-Colonel Stone, division inspector, and Captain Brazee, provost-marshal of the division, for the gallantry and intelligence with which they transmitted orders during the action. Surgeon Sim, medical director of the division, also voluntarily rendered gallant and efficient service in transmitting orders on the front until his services were claimed at the rear by the effect of the enemy's shots. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieut. Col. M. T. MCMAHON, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 35. Report of Maj. Charles P. Dudley, Fifth Vermont Infantry, of engagement at Rappahannock Station. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH VERMONT VOLUNTEERS, November 11, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Fifth Vermont Volunteers in the action of the 7th instant: The regiment was ordered to protect the right flank of the line and to skirmish toward Beverly Ford, and in case no enemy were found, to swing around upon the river and come down. We threw out four companies as skirmishers and advanced to within half a mile of the river, seeing none of the enemy. The right swung around upon the river, and we advanced down it. We came in contact with the rebel skirmishers and drove them into their rifle-pits, our skirmishers going to within 25 rods of their rifle-pits and remaining there until * Embodied in revised statement, p. 559. dark. The regiment was ordered to picket up the river to Beverly Ford. While posting them, a sharp fire from a section of a battery opened on the regiment and obliged us to stop posting until after dark. The officers and men, as usual, behaved with coolness and bravery. The casualties were only 3 wounded. I am, lieutenant, your obedient servant, Lieut. C. H. FORBES, C. P. DUDLEY, Major, Commanding Regiment. Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 36. Report of Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Neill, U. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade, of engagement at Rappahannock Station. HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., SECOND DIV., SIXTH ARMY CORPS, November 9, 1863. SIR: In reply to your communication of this date from General Howe, commanding division, desiring me to send in report of my operations in the affair at Rappahannock, I have the honor to report that on November 7 the division advanced in line of battle toward Rappahannock Station. My Third Brigade was in the first line deployed, the Forty-third New York Volunteers, Colonel Baker, being in advance as skirmishers. The division thus advanced until we came under a heavy fire of shot and shell from batteries on the north and south side of the river. The right of my line was then thrown around to the left, so that my skirmishers reached the river and held it under sharp musketry fire from the enemy, and my four regiments changed front, so as to conform to this movement. At sunset the assault upon the works was made by General Russell and carried. Our position and efforts were conducive to this end by preventing the retreating rebels from going up to Beverly Ford, by firing upon the bridge behind the works and upon the rifle-pits connecting the works. The following is a list of casualties.* I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Maj. CHARLES MUNDEE, THOS. H. NEILL, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Assistant-Adjutant General. No. 37. Reports of Brig. Gen. Henry D. Terry, U. S. Army, commanding Third Division, of engagement at Rappahannock Station. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, SIXTH CORPS, November 12, 1863. COLONEL: I have the honor to report that on arriving at Rappahannock Station, in the afternoon of the 7th instant, I found that * Nominal list (omitted) shows 4 enlisted men killed, and 7 wounded. General Shaler's brigade, arriving some minutes before, had been ordered to report to Brigadier-General Howe, and formed a portion of his line of battle. Three regiments only of that brigade being present (the other two being on detached duty), I directed, in pursuance of orders received on the field, that Brigadier-General Eustis should send the Seventh and Tenth Massachusetts to report to General Shaler, which was done. General Wheaton's entire brigade, and two regiments (Thirtyseventh Massachusetts and Second Rhode Island) of General Eustis' brigade, were in reserve, and before the close of the action were moved forward to the foot of the crest occupied by our artillery, where they remained until the enemy's works were carried. I have no casualties to report, except those occurring in the One hundred and twenty-second New York and the Tenth Massachusetts, under the immediate command of General Shaler, a full list of which has been already reported by him.* Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieut. Col. M. T. MCMAHON, H. D. TERRY, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Assistant Adjutant-General, Sixth Corps. CAMP SEDGWICK, Near Brandy Station, Va., November 13, 1863. COLONEL: I have the honor to report that on Sunday morning, the 8th instant, at a quarter to 4 a. m., at Rappahannock Station, I received orders to march with the Second and Third Brigades of this division, at 4 o'clock of the same morning, to Kelly's Ford, to guard the crossing there, following the Fifth Corps; that the troops were put in march after waiting two hours for the Fifth Corps, and reached the ford at half past 8 a. m. In accordance with directions received from the major-general commanding the Army of the Potomac, the troops were disposed in the manner indicated in those directions. A strong picket line from the Third Brigade, resting its right upon river, nearly a mile below the ford, was extended to the left as far as the Morrisville road. Another picket line extending from near the Morrisville road, still farther to the left, was formed from the Second Brigade. the Colonel McGilvery, of the artillery, reported to me by order of Brigadier-General Hunt, with fourteen guns. Four 44-inch rifled were placed in position on the heights below and commanding the bridges and the ford, supported by the Sixty-second New York, under the direction of Brigadier-General Wheaton. Four light brass 12-pounders were placed within 200 yards of the bridges, supported by the Second Rhode Island Volunteers, under the direction of Brigadier-General Eustis, who threw a picket line over the river, below the crossing, with the left resting on the river, and running perpendicular to it to the right, and, during the night, guards were sent to the south bank opposite the bridge and ford. On the evening of the 11th, I received orders from the major-gen *See revised statement, p. 560. eral commanding the Army of the Potomac to rejoin the corps, on being relieved by the Fifth Corps. A division of that corps being already there, I ordered the command to march at daylight the following morning. The two brigades went into camp at this place about 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon. All of which is respectfully submitted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. D. TERRY, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Lieut. Col. M. T. MCMAHON, Assistant Adjutant-General, Sixth Army Corps. No. 38. Report of Brig. Gen. Alexander Shaler, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade, of engagement at Rappahannock Station. HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION, SIXTH CORPS, November 10, 1863. MAJOR: I have the honor to hand you the following report of the operations of my brigade in the action of the 7th instant: On arriving on the ground near Rappahannock Station, I was directed by an aide of General Wright to take position on the left of General Neill's brigade, which was deployed in two lines. My first line was accordingly formed with the Eighty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers on the right, One hundred and twenty-second New York Volunteers in the center, and Sixty-seventh New York Volunteers on the left. Two regiments of General Eustis' command, the Seventh and Tenth Massachusetts, were subsequently ordered to report to me and were assigned positions in the second line. (Two of my own regiments had been previously detached as guard to the wagon train.) Meantime, by orders from the corps commander, I reported with my brigade to General Howe, commanding the Second Division, and under instructions from him skirmishers were deployed from the One hundred and twenty-second New York Volunteers covering the brigade front and connecting with those from General Neill's line on the right, supported by two companies from the Eighty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers and one from the Sixty-seventh New York Volunteers. At 3 p. m. the lines were advanced to a crest about half a mile to the front, and the troops disposed in a position best sheltered from the fire of the enemy's artillery. While in this position, 1 officer and 5 men were lost by the artillery fire and a loss of 9 men was sustained by the line of skirmishers. The casualties were 4 killed and 11 wounded. I am, major, your very obedient servant, ALEXANDER SHALER, Brigadier-General, Commanding Brigade. Maj. CHARLES MUNDEE, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Division, Sixth Corps. |