No. 77.
Report of Maj. Gen.
John Sedgwick, U. S. Army, commanding Sixth Army Corps.
Headquarters Sixth Army Corps,
December 4, 1863.
Brigadier-General S. Williams,
A.A.G., Army of the Potomac.
General:
I respectfully submit the following report of the operations
of this corps from November 26 to December 3:
In obedience to the orders of the commanding general, the
corps commenced its march on the morning of the 26th at 6 o'clock, and moved to
Brandy Station, where it halted in readiness to follow the Third Corps as
directed in the order of march. The road was not cleared until 11 a.m. At that
hour the march was resumed and continued with many interruptions, owing to the
crowded condition of the roads, until late at night. The column reached the
Rapidan after dark, well closed on the Third Corps, crossed, and went into
bivouac with the exception of the trains, the artillery, and the rear guard,
consisting of Upton's brigade. The artillery and trains were ordered to
Germanna Ford. The batteries crossed at that point during the night and
rejoined the corps the following morning.
On the morning of the 27th, Upton's brigade having crossed
the river, the corps was placed under arms at daylight and drawn out in order
of march, ready to follow and support Major-General French, as directed. The
head of the column continued closed on the Third Corps, but made no progress
until 3 p.m., at which time the firing in the front having increased I rode
forward to General French's headquarters and found him deploying to resist a
serious attack upon his advance. I immediately moved forward two divisions, the
First and Second, and as the engagement progressed advanced Ellmaker's brigade
upon the right and Neill's and Upton's brigades upon the left to support
General French's line, and held Torbert's and Grant's brigades in rear as a
reserve. The Third Division remained near the river, in obedience to the order
of the commanding general, to cover the bridges and trains at Germanna Ford.
The artillery could not be made available, owing to the wooded character of the
country, and was massed in rear of the reserve. None of the troops of my
command became engaged. They bivouacked on the field until midnight, at which
time, in obedience to an order received at 11 p.m., I marched in the direction
of the turnpike to form a junction with General Warren. At daylight I took
position, with my entire command, on the right of the Second Corps.
At 7.40 a.m. I received the order of the commanding general
to attack the enemy, in conjunction with the other corps. I advanced at once in
the execution of this order, and discovered that the enemy had retired during
the night. I then moved forward on the turnpike in rear of the Second Corps,
and took position on its right in front of the line taken up by the enemy on
Mine Run, and advanced a line of skirmishers to the stream. The movements of
this day were much embarrassed by the rain and the troops suffered extremely.
On the following day the Third Division, Brigadier-General
Terry, and Martin's battery were detached, by the order of the commanding
general, to report to General Warren. With the other divisions I remained in
position holding the right of the line. The enemy's position in my front was
one of great natural strength and extensively intrenched.
At 2 a.m. on the morning of the 30th, having been placed in
command of the Fifth and Sixth Corps, I moved about 2 miles to the right, leaving
two brigades and the batteries to hold the lines which the two corps had
occupied. It was the intention of the general commanding to make a sudden and
determined attack upon the enemy's left, under a concentrated fire from our
batteries. The movement of the troops had been carefully concealed from the
enemy, and at the appointed time, 8 a.m., I opened fire from six batteries, and
prepared to move promptly upon the enemy's position at 9 a.m., the hour fixed
for the assault. The enemy replied promptly from several batteries. At 8.45 I
received the order of the commanding general to suspend my attack until further
orders. This was accordingly done. The batteries ceased firing upon both sides,
and the enemy proceeded to make the alterations in his line and the character
of his defenses which the threatened attack from the direction of his left
rendered essential to his safety. During the day I was ordered back with my
command to my former position, and executed the movement as soon as it was
dark.
On the following day, December 1, I remained in position.
The condition of the supplies of forage and subsistence, and the impossibility
of replenishing in our then position rendering all further offensive movements
impracticable, and a return to our base of supplies being, in my opinion, a
matter of necessity, I made the necessary preparations for a night movement to
the river. During the night, in obedience to orders, I recrossed the Rapidan
with the rest of the army, and halted near Stevensburg on the morning of the 2d
instant. On the 3d instant, I resumed the march to the vicinity of Wellord's
Ford, and re-occupied my former camp.
I am, very respectfully,
Your obedient
servant,
John Sedgwick,
Major-General.
[Inclosure.]
List of
Casualties in the Sixth Army Corps during the movements of the Army of the
Potomac to the south side of the Rapidan, November 26- December 2.
Enlisted men wounded:
|
Third Division
|
14
|
|
Artillery Brigade
|
2
|
|
Total*
|
16
|
_______________
*See revised
statement, p. 685
SOURCE: George William Curtis, Correspondence of
John Sedgwick, Major-General, Volume 2, p. 162-6; The War of the
Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate
Armies, Series I, Volume 29, Part 1 (Serial No. 48), p. 796-7
