BALTIMORE, May 8. – The following is from the American’s account of the battle at Williamsburg: The battle before Williamsburg on Monday was a most warmly contested engagement. Owing to the roughness of the country and bad condition of the roads but a small portion of our troops could be brought into action. Gen. Sickles’s Excelsior Brigade and Gen. Hooker’s Division bore the brunt of the battle, and fought most valiantly throughout, though greatly over powered by numbers and the superior position and earthworks of the enemy.
Approaches to their earthworks were a series of ravines and swamps, while rain fell in torrents throughout the day the men had also been lying on their arms all the previous night in a wood and were soaked with rain and chilled with cold; the battle raged from early in the morning until 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when Gen. McClellan arrived with fresh troops and relieved the division of Gen. Hooker who were nearly prostrate with fatigue and exposure; the 3d–Excelsior–regiment of Sickle’s Brigade, had it’s ranks terribly thinned by the batteries of the enemy. They are represented as having fought with such bravery that not less than 200 of them are killed and wounded.
After the arrival of Gen. McClellan, the enemy were fiercely charged by Hancock’s Brigade and were driven within their works before night fall, with heavy loss.
Nearly 700 of their dead were left on the field, with many wounded, though most of the latter were carried into Williamsburg.
Our loss was less than 300 killed and about 700 wounded.
Night having come on we occupied the battlefield, the enemy having been driven within his works, and our forces laid on their arms, prepared to storm the works in the morning.
On Tuesday morning Gen. McClellan sent out scouts whilst preparing to move on the enemy’s works, who soon reported that he had again taken flight during the night.
The works of the enemy and the city of Williamsburgh were then taken.
Fort Magruder was a most extensive work, capable of prolonged defense, but the enemy had abandoned it early in the night, retreating in the greatest confusion, as described by a few negro women who were found in the town.
A large number of wagons, munitions and an considerable store of provisions were found in the town, and the road was strewn for many miles, with arms and accoutrements.
A number of deserters also made their escape and came within our lines, who stated that they had received intelligence that large numbers of Federal troops were landing on York river above Williamsburg, flanking them.
The Third New Hampshire regiment has 16 killed and 66 wounded.
Second Michigan Regiment, Col. Poe commanding – Killed, company C, Corporal Orin Nichby; wounded, James Acken, Charles Brenham, Charles Frazer, Sergeant John Shanahan. Company F – H. H. Gallup, J. Weon, Geo. Carvenon. [Company] H – Corporal Williard Eddy. Company I – Jos Dizeka, Henry Hearluk, Hugh Mills, Corporal W. A. Wallace. Company K – Thos. Lenon. Total 14 wounded. Second Lieut. R. D. Johnson, Company A, slightly wounded; Corporal W Kearle slightly wounded; private John Rash, severely; 1st [Sergeant] H H Daniels, Sergeant H H Evans, severely. Company B, Private Mather, Severely; private Lyman Heath, slightly; Thos. Oakley, slightly; James Dadnin, slightly; 1st Sergeant Benj F Lee, mortally; private Joel Carven, severely; S. B. Glidden, slightly; H Covert, ditto; Wm H Custo, ditto; Jefferson B Famhen, do; Wm Jay, severely; J K H McClary, slightly.
WASHINGTON, May 8. – The following are the names of some of the killed in Sickles’ Brigade:
Killed – Capt. Barrett, Capt. Willard and Lt. Bailey. Wounded – Capt. Greenleaf, severely, Lieut. Hortney, severely, Lieut. Marcus, seriously, Serg’t Maj. Clark, seriously, Ass’t Surgeon General Hart, struck by four balls.
Col. Dwight was wounded and taken prisoner.
Maj. Holt was seriously wounded while leading on his men.
The body of Capt. Willard was rifled of his watch and money, by the enemy, as were many of our dead.
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 3
Approaches to their earthworks were a series of ravines and swamps, while rain fell in torrents throughout the day the men had also been lying on their arms all the previous night in a wood and were soaked with rain and chilled with cold; the battle raged from early in the morning until 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when Gen. McClellan arrived with fresh troops and relieved the division of Gen. Hooker who were nearly prostrate with fatigue and exposure; the 3d–Excelsior–regiment of Sickle’s Brigade, had it’s ranks terribly thinned by the batteries of the enemy. They are represented as having fought with such bravery that not less than 200 of them are killed and wounded.
After the arrival of Gen. McClellan, the enemy were fiercely charged by Hancock’s Brigade and were driven within their works before night fall, with heavy loss.
Nearly 700 of their dead were left on the field, with many wounded, though most of the latter were carried into Williamsburg.
Our loss was less than 300 killed and about 700 wounded.
Night having come on we occupied the battlefield, the enemy having been driven within his works, and our forces laid on their arms, prepared to storm the works in the morning.
On Tuesday morning Gen. McClellan sent out scouts whilst preparing to move on the enemy’s works, who soon reported that he had again taken flight during the night.
The works of the enemy and the city of Williamsburgh were then taken.
Fort Magruder was a most extensive work, capable of prolonged defense, but the enemy had abandoned it early in the night, retreating in the greatest confusion, as described by a few negro women who were found in the town.
A large number of wagons, munitions and an considerable store of provisions were found in the town, and the road was strewn for many miles, with arms and accoutrements.
A number of deserters also made their escape and came within our lines, who stated that they had received intelligence that large numbers of Federal troops were landing on York river above Williamsburg, flanking them.
The Third New Hampshire regiment has 16 killed and 66 wounded.
Second Michigan Regiment, Col. Poe commanding – Killed, company C, Corporal Orin Nichby; wounded, James Acken, Charles Brenham, Charles Frazer, Sergeant John Shanahan. Company F – H. H. Gallup, J. Weon, Geo. Carvenon. [Company] H – Corporal Williard Eddy. Company I – Jos Dizeka, Henry Hearluk, Hugh Mills, Corporal W. A. Wallace. Company K – Thos. Lenon. Total 14 wounded. Second Lieut. R. D. Johnson, Company A, slightly wounded; Corporal W Kearle slightly wounded; private John Rash, severely; 1st [Sergeant] H H Daniels, Sergeant H H Evans, severely. Company B, Private Mather, Severely; private Lyman Heath, slightly; Thos. Oakley, slightly; James Dadnin, slightly; 1st Sergeant Benj F Lee, mortally; private Joel Carven, severely; S. B. Glidden, slightly; H Covert, ditto; Wm H Custo, ditto; Jefferson B Famhen, do; Wm Jay, severely; J K H McClary, slightly.
WASHINGTON, May 8. – The following are the names of some of the killed in Sickles’ Brigade:
Killed – Capt. Barrett, Capt. Willard and Lt. Bailey. Wounded – Capt. Greenleaf, severely, Lieut. Hortney, severely, Lieut. Marcus, seriously, Serg’t Maj. Clark, seriously, Ass’t Surgeon General Hart, struck by four balls.
Col. Dwight was wounded and taken prisoner.
Maj. Holt was seriously wounded while leading on his men.
The body of Capt. Willard was rifled of his watch and money, by the enemy, as were many of our dead.
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 3
No comments:
Post a Comment