and evening, apparently doing good execution. Lay in reserve awaiting ammunition until the 18th. On the morning of the 19th took position within 300 yards of the enemy's lines, from which position I had the satisfaction of disabling two pieces during the day. On the 21st was relieved by a Ninth Corps battery and moved to the left with the Second Corps. On the 27th moved to cover the rear of our army from an apprehended attack with the Second Division, Second Corps, returning on the 29th. July 26, moved with the Second Corps to Jones' Landing, on James River; crossed on the 27th; recrossed on the 29th and supported the Eighteenth Army Corps in the attack on Petersburg July 30, 1864; did not, however, take position. During the campaign I have expended 2,532 rounds of ammunition. The list of casualties is comparatively small, consisting of 2 men killed and 9 wounded, 5 horses killed and 6 wounded. The loss in material is very light indeed, the greater part of which has been made good by my artificers. Again let me add that my officers and men are worthy of all praise. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, N. AMES, Captain First New York Artillery, Commanding Company. Lieut. U. D. EDDY, Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Artillery Brigade, Second Corps. No. 106. Report of Capt. James H. Wood, Fourth New York Heavy Artillery, commanding Mortar Battery, of operations June 12-21. LIEUTENANT: IN CAMP, NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., July 1, 1864. On the 12th of June the whole battery was ordered out of position. Lieutenant Bradt's pieces immediately joined the ammunition train, reaching it at 12 m., and marched across the Chickahominy and James Rivers to Petersburg, reaching the rear of our lines at 2.30 a. m. of the 18th of June. The section in charge of Captain Jones being unable, by reason of the persistency of the enemy's fire, to leave its position, did not withdraw until the evening of the 12th, and accompanied by the artillery of the Second Corps reached the front of Petersburg on the 16th day of June. In the forenoon of the 17th the section took position in front of the enemy's lines at a distance of 150 yards and on the left of the Second Corps. At 1 p. m. the section opened fire on the rebels at an assumed distance of 300 yards with three and a half ounces of powder and 10second fuse. The firing was successful. At 2 p. m., immediately after the firing of one of the mortars, Captain Jones arose to witness the effect of the shot. He was struck in the forehead by the bullet of a rebel sharpshooter. He never spoke afterward, and at 5 p. m. breathed his last. Thus was slain a brave and efficient officer and a courteous gentleman. At 3 p. m. Capt. James H. Wood, of Battery C, Fourth For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from June 1 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p. 527. 28 R R-VOL XL, PT I New York Artillery, was placed in command of the mortar battery and accompanied by Captain Miller, inspector of artillery, advanced, unde a terrific artillery fire, to assume command. At 5 p. m. a charge wa made by a brigade of the Ninth Corps, directly in front of the section in charge of Captain Wood. The assault was repulsed, and a rebel bat tery at a distance of about 900 yards played upon the retreating column with murderous effect. The mortars were trained upon the rebel bat tery, with a charge of six ounces of powder and 18-second fuse. The result was the silencing of the rebel guns and the blowing up of a rebe caisson. The colonel commanding the brigade, addressing Captain Wood, said, "Your mortars have saved my brigade." In the afternoon of June 19 the sections in command of Lieutenan Bradt were ordered into position in front of Petersburg at about 250 yards' distance from the rebel lines. The firing was calculated at 250 yards with three and a half ounces charge and 10-second fuse. The practice was entirely satisfactory. On the 21st of June the sections were all brought together on the Hare farm. In the foregoing report there may be inconsistencies in the distances the size of charges and the length of fuses. This can all be accounted for by the fact that the first supply of powder was not equal in strength to that subsequently obtained, and the cartridges were made partly from the one and partly from the other. The last supply (the former being now all expended) is considered reliable, so that the firing can hereafter be considered as reduced almost to a mathematical certainty. JAMES H. WOOD, Captain, Commanding Mortar Battery. ACTG. ASST. ADJT. GEN., ARTY. BRIG., SECOND CORPS. No. 107. Report of Capt. John E. Burton, Eleventh New York Battery. SIR:* CAMP ELEVENTH NEW YORK BATTERY, FIFTH EPOCH. June 12, I reported to General Barlow, commanding First Division. Hauled out of our position about 9 p. m. Marched all night and until 5 p. m. of the 13th with that division. Took up position on the James River near Wilcox's Landing. June 15, crossed the river about 10 a m. on transports. Marched with General Barlow's division to near Petersburg, Va., where I came into position on the morning of the 16th between Battery A, First Rhode Island, and K, Fourth United States. Were engaged during the day and part of the night. On the morning of the 17th I was moved to the right and took up position near First Division headquarters and on the left of Lieutenant Dwight, and was engaged several times during the day and night with the enemy's bat teries, one of which was forced to retire in some haste. At this place *For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 4 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p. 529. a case-shot struck one of my carriages and exploded, but did no more damage than bruising one of the cheeks. The 18th, 19th, and 20th everything was quiet. June 21, I moved with the First Division to the left and parked near the Jones house about 6 p. m., remaining there until the night of the 22d, when, after putting up works on the right of the Jerusalem plank road, got my guns in position and limbers sunk before daylight of the 23d. On the 23d a column of infantry was seen passing in rear of the enemy's batteries. Captains Dow, Ricketts, and myself opened with excellent effect, in some places scattering the col-. umn. On the 24th the enemy opened with their artillery on a column of our infantry which was passing in rear of the battery and in plain view of their guns. We succeeded in silencing these guns after an engagement of above an hour. Was relieved that night by Battery L, First New York, and were in camp from that time to July 26, when we moved to the Jaines River. Being in reserve did not cross the river, but having reported to Brigadier-General Mott, commanding Third Division, on the night of the 28th marched back to near Petersburg and went in camp August 1. During the marches and engagements of this campaign both officers and men have behaved well. With but one exception not a man has straggled on any of the marches, and every man has always been at his post in every engagement. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN E. BURTON, Lieut. U. D. EDDY, Captain Eleventh New York Battery. Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 108. Report of Capt. George F. McKnight, Twelfth New York Battery. TWELFTH N. Y. BATTERY, ARTY. BRIG., 2D ARMY CORPS, August 11, 1864. SIR:* FIFTH EPOCH. I reported on the evening of June 12 to Brigadier-General Gibbon, commanding Second Division, Second Army Corps, and marched out of the works at dusk, via Dispatch Station; crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge about noon of the 13th; thence to Wilcox's Landing, on the James River, parking at 11 p. m. about two miles from the landing. Tuesday, 14th, hitched up and went down to the landing, and embark ing the morning of the 15th, crossed the James on transports to WindMill Point; marched at noon, still with the Second Division, and arrived at the fortifications east of Petersburg about 1 a. m. of the 16th, and went in position at daylight of the 16th; took position to the left of Battery No.8; engaged in firing slowly during the day, and in the afternoon and evening engaged sharply with the enemy, both infantry and artillery, until 8 p. m. Engaged at intervals during the 17th and until the enemy's line was forced back some distance on the morning of the or portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 4 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, P. 530. 18th. On the evening of the 20th marched to the left and parked in rear of the Fifth Corps. On the morning of the 21st marched out to the left onto the Jerusalem plank road and parked near the Jones house. I reported, by order of Major-General Gibbon, with whom I was then serving, to Brigadier-General Pierce, and placed the battery in position in the work prepared by the pioneers for it at 3 a. m. on the morning of the 22d. Finding the works incomplete and defective in several particulars, I ordered my own men to commence work at once to strengthen and improve them, which they did, and remained steadily at work until 2 p. m., at the time of opening fire. At about 12 m. the enemy opened upon my position from an earth-work and fort to the right from four guns, bursting their projectiles in the battery with great accuracy, and also to the right and left of my position, as if endeavoring to elicit a reply from a battery if one was posted there. I immediately commenced changing my embrasures to the right in order to bear upon the enemy's guns. (These embrasures being made facing to the front before the battery was placed in position, and I being informed by officers on General Pierce's staff that the enemy would open a battery in our front if at all.) As soon as I commenced altering the works I reported the same to General Pierce, who ordered me to continue the work and open on the enemy's batteries as soon as possible. This order I complied with at about 2 p. m., and as soon as I opened the enemy replied with eight pieces of artillery and a very heavy musketry fire, their shot and shell falling and bursting with perfect accuracy in and about my works. After firing for the space of one hour the infantry support on our imme diate left opened fire on the enemy, who were advancing in line of battle on our left front. The embrasure of the left gun was at once dug away in order to fire more to the left, and opened with canister, driving the enemy back with heavy loss. They fell back to their first line of battle, but rallied at once and again advanced full on our left flank. I was unable to open upon them to the left with more than one gun, as the embrasure for the remaining three guns faced the enemy's works to the right. At this time infantrymen came running in from the left, crying, "We are flanked on the left; the left has broken." I continued firing canister and case-shot without fuse until the entire left gave way and ran through the woods, leaving my left flank entirely unprotected; the enemy following immediately down the works from the left and planting their colors on the lunette of my left gun, ordered us to surrender. Up to this time none of my men had left their posts, nor did they do so until ordered by myself and officers. The order was given to fix prolonges, but the enemy poured into the works in such overwhelming numbers that it was apparent that further exertions to save the guns were useless, and my men fell back to the winding road running through the woods. My officers, First Lieut. George K. Dauchy and First Lieut. William S. Bull, nobly endeavored to rally the infantry to return and help draw off the pieces, and who, when asked by them, "Why do you fall back," replied "We did not fall back until ordered by the major commanding the brigade and by our officers." What few infantry remained in the road near the battery at this time were willing and desirous to return and help retake the guns, but not enough could be rallied at any one time to make an effective advance. During this time my chief of caissons, Second Lieut. H. D. Brower, whom I had dispatched to the rear a few moments before, now came up and gallantly assisted Lieutenants Dauchy and Bull in endeavoring to rally the infantry. No infantry officers were seen at this point of the road by my officers. At the time the enemy came in upon the left of the battery I was on the right flank of my battery with my first sergeant. The First Minnesota Regiment, of General Pierce's brigade, which joined my battery on the right, broke on seeing the left give way, but were rallied by their officers and fired one volley at the enemy, but seeing them pouring in on our left fell back in confusion. One Lieutenant O'Brien, of the First Minnesota Regiment, rallied a few men and returned with me and some of my own men, who were falling back on the upper road, and endeavored to save the right piece. At this juncture the enemy poured in a heavy volley, killing my first sergeant and several men who were endeavoring to pull off the piece, and at the same time calling upon us to surrender. I then ordered the men near me to fall back, the enemy at this time occupying my entire position. I at once reported to General Pierce that my battery was lost. I with my officers and men remained with the first line of battle until after dark, ready to follow up any advantage that might be gained by the line in recapturing the position and pieces. I regained one limber, after our lines advanced this morning, nearly destroyed by shell, the axle and wheels having over twenty bullet holes in them. The loss of the command on the 22d is as follows: First sergeant killed; 1 corporal wounded; 1 corporal missing since action; 2 corporals missing since action; 1 bugler missing since action; 4 privates missing since action; four 3-inch rifled guns, four ammunition chests, and three limbers lost.* Thursday, the 23d, I parked near the Jerusalem plank road and made a requisition for four light 12-pounder guns, per order of Colonel Tidball, chief of artillery, Second Army Corps. Received them July 1. On Monday, July 4, went into position on Brigadier-General Barlow's line, relieving Battery K, Fourth United States, and remained there until July 6. On the morning of July 9 went into position on Major-General Birney's line, remaining until the morning of the 12th, when I marched with the reserve artillery of the corps toward the right, parking not far from the plank road, until the morning of the 13th, when I marched and parked with the artillery of the corps in rear of the Fifth Army Corps, remaining there until the evening of the 26th. Marched at sundown July 26, with the reserve artillery of the corps, across the Appomattox to Jones' Landing, on the James River; remained there in reserve until 11 p. m. of the 28th, when I marched back across the Appomattox River with the Third Division and parked near the Eighteenth Army Corps hospitals at daylight of the 29th, and at dark on the 30th I returned to my old camp in rear of the Fifth Army Corps, where I have since remained. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain Twelfth New York Independent Battery. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General U. S. Army. *So much of this report as relates to the operations on June 22 was addressed to Maj. Gen. John Gibbon, under date of June 23, 1864, and was indorsed, as follows: "HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, "June 24, 1864. "Respectfully forwarded for the information of the major-general commanding the corps. "No blame can possibly attach to Captain McKnight for the loss of his battery. "JOHN GIBBON, "Major-General of Volunteers, Commanding Division." |