Page 158:
June 1862
24
Courteny’s House
Last night we had
another severe thunder storm. The lightening
was terrific, and the rain came down
in floods.
25
Our lines in front of Hooker
were advanced a thousand yards today
The fighting was pretty severe. About nine
o’clock in the evening the firing was
sharp along our lines. All got under
arms at once: but we were not called
out.
26,,
<span style=”margin-left:28px;”Was started out this morning
by heavy firing and the first im-
pression was that the enemy were
attempting to regain the ground
Page 159:
lost yesterday.
p.m.
Accompanied generals
Newton and Slocum to the front
this afternoon. This evening a
work is to be thrown up in the
wheat field. Heavy firing in the
vicinity of Mechanicsville.
later—
Have been spending
a larger part of the evening at
the work. It goes barely on.
27th
There was a resumption of
the firing early this morning over
the river. We go to support Genl.
Porter starting at 5½a.m. that
is in about half an hour. We
shall probably see some fighting before
Page 160:
the day is over.
midnight.
We have returned to
our old head quarters at Courteny’s
house after fighting a bloody battle
across the Chickahominy.
When we started out this
morning at 5½ o’clock we marched
to Duane’s bridge and partially
crossed it, that is our batteries
got over and Newton’s brigade. Then
we were ordered to recross, and
suddenly found out that there
had been a misunderstanding or
misinterpretation of the order.
Bartlett’s brigade remained near
the bridge after recrossing it and
the col. was ordered to make preparations
for its destruction. The other two
brigades returned to the old camp.
Upton’s battery was reported to
Page 161:
Genl. Smith’s works on the hill
where they might be in readiness
to shell the enemy.
My horse not being in
condition to work I returned to
head quarters to get him feed.
Had not been there more than
fifteen minutes before the enemy
commenced shelling our camps.
The shot flew over and around
our head quarters killing and
wounding several. My man
Humphrey ran away to the
woods in complete fright,
leaving me to saddle the horse
myself.
Soon joined the Genl.
and assisted in getting the
troops under cover.
__________,,___________
About 2o’kp.m. we
received orders to move to the
Page 162:
support of Fitz John [?] by the way
of Woodbury’s bridge and soon
after the whole division was on
the way. At this time Genl.
Porter was warmly engaged in
the vicinity of Dr. Gaine’s house.
Having crossed the bridge
Genl. Newton who led the column
was at once hurried to the
front supporting Upton’s battery
(2nd artillery regular) on the right
of the line. Genl. Taylor went in
on the left. Also Col. Bartlett who
after ascending the hill nearly
to the crest moved to the extreme
right, under a severe cross fire
of the enemy.
So soon as our division
engaged the enemy, Porter’s troops
at once fell back in the greatest
disorder, not pretending to form
a reserve line at all. The
Page 163
Pennsylvania reserves I especially
noticed.
Genl. Butterfield held
the extreme left of the line resting
on the Chickahominy.
The action continued
very warm for over an hour
when there was a general
lull. We had evidently repulsed
them. Suddenly the fire
broke out again on our left
+ soon became terrific pressing
back Genl. Butterfield whose
brigade finally separated and
passed hurriedly across the
bridge close by (Duane’s). On
the right all was quiet. But it
was painfully + plainly evident
that either the foe must be
met or our troops must all
fall back. So as great a
fire as possible was concentrated
[Page 164:]
on the enemy’s right. Battery after
batter was hurried into position
Meagher’s brigade came up and
every available force was employed
to check the foe. We were successful
The firing soon died away and
now it was almost dark.
The next work was to
get over the river our wounded
and the hosts of stragglers and
the batteries out of ammunition
and the exhausted troops of
Porter who had now been fighting
for nearly two days without any
cessation. Amid so much of
excitement this was no small
job.
Our division meanwhile kept
its position on the battlefield and
did not retire until nearly
midnight. Then it recrossed the
river and returned to their
[Page 165:]
old camps, in perfect order.
Our loss during the afternoon
in our division of 12,000 was
not far from 4,000, the loss of officers being unusually large.
6 Cols were either killed wounded or captured 2 Liet Cols.
killed. 2 majors killed +c. +c.
It is considered one of the
bloodiest battles of the war.
I was uninjured. Two of
Genl. Newton’s Staff were Severely
wounded and one taken prisoner.
The command of the 5th Maine
now devolves on Capt. Edwards.
My horse cannot Stand many
more such tests, much more less myself. |
