June 30,1864, Federal Attack
Brigadier-General John W, Turner. Medford Historical Society.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XL, Part I – Reports, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1892, pp. 696-698.
Capt. P. A. Davis,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Third Brig., First Div., 10th Army Corps.
No. 258.
Reports of Brig. Gen. John W. Turner, U. 8. Army, commanding Second Division, of operations June 23-July 1 and July 30.
Headquarters Second Division, Tenth Army Corps,
Near Petersburg, Va., July 1,1864. Colonel : In compliance with instructions of the major-general commanding, I have the honor to make the following report of the part this division has taken in the operations before Petersburg up to this date: In obedience to instructions received from Major-General Butler, commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina, “to report with my division to Maj. Gen. W. F. Smith, before Petersburg,” and move from Point of Rocks on the night of the 23d of June, 1864, and reach my position in line of battle, relieving General O. B. Willcox's division, Ninth Corps, about 1 a. m. on the 24th on the left of the Eighteenth Corps. The right center of my position rested immediately in front of the locality known as the Hare house, my right, retiring a little, connected with General Martindale’s division, of the Eighteenth Corps, while my center and left wing, passing over the eminence on which the Hare house is situated, extended down the slope of this hill and over a small creek at its foot, connected with the Ninth Corps in a piece of woods a short distance beyond, having a general direction to the west of north. The exact position of the enemy before my left wing was undetermined, being concealed by a considerable growth of timber, but passing along my front his line appeared to be advanced and occupied a strong intrenched position on a commanding hill, beyond which the ground seemed to fall off rapidly to what is supposed to be the creek bottom, through which the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad passes. This position he had connected with his right and left by rifle-pits, upon which he was at work night and day increasing their strength, and which soon became parapets of considerable relief. The salient of this advanced position was at a distance of from 300 to 400 yards from my front. Both of my lines were intrenched, and the troops were kept continually at work strengthening their position.
On the afternoon of the 24th I received an order from major-general commanding to assault the enemy's advanced position in my front. Two assaulting columns were immediately formed, composed of 200 men from Colonel Curtis’ brigade and 200 men from Colonel Barton’s brigade, these columns to be followed by the balance of these two brigades as supports. The assault was ordered to take place at 7.30 p. m., but on intimation from the major-general received during the afternoon not to move to the assault till I should hear further from him, a delay in the preparation, through misunderstanding, occurred, and the columns commenced moving at 7 o’clock. Colonel Curtis, however, with his column, was in position at the time appointed, but the other brigade being considerably behind time and darkness coming on it was thought that the artillery would not be able to give the assistance necessary, and the attack was postponed till the following evening. On the succeeding day the order for the assault was indefinitely postponed.
On the night of the 25th and 26th rifle-pits were dug in front of my center from 75 to 100 yards in advance, and a battery of four 8-inch siege mortars put in position in my first line.
During the night of the 29th Colonel Bell dislodged the enemy’s pickets in a point of timber some 100 yards in front of my left, and secured a position for forty sharpshooters, which partly enfiladed and with considerable command over the enemy’s line. These men did good execution during the following day.
On the 30th I received instructions to again endeavor to carry the enemy’s position in my front. Colonel Barton’s brigade was selected as the principal assaulting column. His instructions were to move out of the point of woods in front of his position and charge the enemy’s works immediately before him. It was to have been supported on the right by a smaller column, two regiments, under command of Colonel Curtis, who was to charge directly for the salient of the enemy’s works, issuing for this purpose from the trenches in front of his position, which were within 200 or 250 yards of the enemy’s line. The balance of Colonel Curtis’ brigade was to remain in the first line, ready to move forward in support, if necessity required. On the left Colonel Bell was to have supported the principal assaulting column by engaging the enemy from the advantageous position he occupied on the ridge at the point of woods, which enabled him to deliver a plunging fire upon nearly the entire front upon which Colonel Barton was to approach. The principal element in this attack, and upon which was based the great anticipation of success, was a surprise. This was, unfortunately, frustrated by a lamentable error in judgment of the commander of the assaulting column, who, in filing out of the intrenchments near the woods in his front, for the purpose of forming his lines, so misjudged as to select a point for crossing the intrenchments within full view of the enemy’s line. This disclosure of our project drew upon Colonel Barton’s half-formed lines a sharp fire from the enemy in front, and put a stop for a time to the formation of the troops for assault. Upon the enemy opening upon Colonel Barton I immediately ordered Colonel Bell to commence his attack, hoping to divert the enemy from Colonel Barton and enable him to form his troops. Colonel Bell promptly responded and pushed his troops in, which had the desired effect of relieving Colonel Barton, but at 5:20 Colonel Barton’s troops still not being in order for moving forward, and the enemy at this time having been apprised some thirty-five minutes of our movement, and attracted by the spirited engagement of Colonel Bell, had advanced some troops upon this officer, and it being reported to me that he had sent some men into his lines in front of Colonel Barton, I saw that all hopes of a surprise was over, and it being the principal element of success, I acted upon the discretion left me by the major-general commanding, and withdrew from the attack. Colonel Bell gained some ground, which we now hold. Colonel Bell and Colonel Curtis both carried out their instructions fully and promptly. I inclose these officers’ reports. Colonel Barton has not sent his in yet. My casualties since my arrival on the morning of the 24th have been 12 officers, 262 non-commissioned officers and privates; in the affair of yesterday, loss included in the above figures, was 185.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. W. TURNER, Brigadier-General, Commanding,
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XL, Part II – Correspondence, Etc., Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1892, pp. 537-9.
CITY POINT, June 30, 1864.
Maj. Gen. W. F. SMITH,
Eighteenth Army Corps:
No change has been made in our lines requiring the postponement of your attack. You will therefore make it at the time you have ordered.
By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:
JNO. A. RAWLINS,
Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.
HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,
June 30, 1864.
Brigadier-General RAWLINS,
Chief of Staff:
GENERAL: The brigade commander who was to lead in the assault to-night, in place of forming his men under cover and concealing as he was directed, made his formation in the open ground, to the left of the position indicated. This brought so sharp a fire from the enemy as to detain General Turner in the formation of the rest of his column, giving time to the enemy to throw in re-enforcements into the portion of the line we wished to take, which movement we could see. As our great hope of success depended upon taking the enemy by surprise, and as our only chance of doing that had gone with the long delay, I ordered a withdrawal of the troops to their original position. I have as yet no return of casualties, but the loss is slight.
WM. F. SMITH,
Major-General.
HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Petersburg, Va., June 30, 1864.
Lieut. Col. N. BOWEN,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Eighteenth Army Corps:
COLONEL: I have relieved Colonel Barton from command of his brigade – first, for inexcusable dilatoriness in not having his column in position for assault this p. m. as ordered, after three hours and a half notice; second, gross carelessness and inattention in moving his column over the parapet in full view of the enemy's line, and thereby disclosing his movement when it was possible for him to have moved it under cover of the woods where he was ordered to do, and where the dictates of common sense should have directed him, and which, if he had done, there is every reason to suppose his formation could have been made unbeknown to the enemy. It is with extreme regret that I have to report the failure of this evening's enterprise, and I can assure the major-general that not the least of my mortification is the necessity of calling in question the judgment or propriety of conduct of a subordinate. Inclosed please find copies of my instructions to my brigade commanders, and I can add, all instructions were fully carried out by the other brigade commanders.
Very respectfully,
J. W. TURNER,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
[Inclosure.]
HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION,
TENTH ARMY CORPS, June 30, 1864.
Colonel CURTIS:
Colonel Barton will assault the enemy's work this p. m. at 5 o'clock, issuing from point of woods. You will place a regiment in trench in front of your position and right of Colonel Barton – the trench will hold that many – with instructions that as soon as Colonel Barton's assaulting column gains the crest of the hill in front of the enemy's position, they will leap out of the trench and charge the salient of the enemy's works without firing. You will immediately move out a regiment to their support, and at the instant of the charge of Colonel Barton, the regiment in your second line will immediately advance and occupy first line of works, or move forward in support of your first line of assault as necessity may demand. Have 100 men detailed, each to carry a shovel and pick, if there are enough picks, to follow Colonel Barton's column closely.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. W. TURNER,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XL, Part I – Reports, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1892, pp. 703-4.
HDQRS. THIRD BRIGADE, SECOND DIV.,
TENTH ARMY CORPS, July 1, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the action of the 30th ultimo:
In obedience to orders, I had 350 men, under command of Captain Mendenhall, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, under the brow of the hill, behind where the rifle-pits are dug in the skirt of
the woods, at 5 p.m., and the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers in command of Major Colvin, in rear of the first party as support.
Shortly after, in obedience to an order from the general commanding, I moved Captain Mendenhall's command into the edge of the woods and opened fire on the parapet of the enemy's work to our right, to cover Colonel Barton's proposed movement. The left of Captain Mendenhall's command was exposed to a heavy fire from their left, and was compelled to move by the right flank under the brow of the hill and then went into the woods. The whole of Captain Menden-hall's line was then formed within the woods on the crest of the hill. Within a few minutes a regiment of the enemy came out on our left over the works and seemed about to charge the left flank of Captain Mendenhall's line.
I ordered the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers to move to a position previously designated, forming a line nearly at right angles with Captain Mendenhall's line. The right of the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers advanced, and being met with a heavy fire, fell back a few feet to the crest of the hill, from which they opened fire on the enemy's regiment, so compelling it to move into the woods toward our right, where they disappeared in rifle-pits. Before this time a force estimated at two regiments was seen by Captain Mendenhall and other officers, to move to our right and go into the works in Colonels Barton's and Curtis' front. I was unable to gain any ground, and a short time before dark, in obedience to orders, I withdrew my men, leaving only the regular picket party in the rifle-pits.
Out of about 750 men engaged 150 were killed and wounded. It gives me great pleasure to bear witness to the gallantry of the officers in command of the parties, and especially to mention Captain Menden-hall, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Lieutenant Zent, Thirteenth Indiana Volunteers.
I have the honor to be, captain, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
LOUIS BELL,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
EXCERPTS FROM U.S. REGIMENTAL ACCOUNTS
History of Rensselaer County, New York, by Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester, Everts & Peck, Philadelphia, 1880. Rensselaer County in the Great Rebellion of 1861, Chapter III, The One Hundred and Sixty-ninth N. Y. Vols., by Colonel James A. Colvin, Pp. 95-105
On June 17th the regiment returned to Bermuda Hundred, where remaining only three days it was sent back to Petersburg, arriving there on June 21st. It was at once put into the line of works, and went on picket duty. On June 30th the 2d Brigade of the division was ordered to charge the enemy's works, concealing its movement behind a piece of woods. The 3d Brigade, including the 169th, was ordered to make a demonstration to the left of the proposed assault, for the purpose of diverting attention from the main attack. It was an unfortunate diver-sion for the regiment. Col. Barton, commanding the 2d Brigade, did not assault as expected, and the 3d Brigade bore the brunt of the battle. The 169th, at first under the shelter of a bank rising from the edge of a small stream, was ordered forward. The rebel defenses were very near to the Union line, – so close, in fact, that the men on either side could call out to the other and bandy words. As the regiment arose from its sheltered position and attempted to charge it was met with a withering fire, so close, so hot in its deadliness, that there was no withstanding it. The men were shot down in one fierce blast, falling in line like a windrow of grain which is cut by the reaper. There were no supports, and the terribly-weakened line fell back the few feet it had advanced and regained cover. The regiment having been greatly depleted by the cas-ualties occurring during the month, Maj. Colvin was only able to take one hundred and fifty men into this fight. He brought back seventy-six fit for duty, losing seventy-four in killed and wounded within the brief space of a few minutes. This slaughter ended the record of the regiment for June, 1864. In the brief period of thirty days beginning with the battle of Cold Harbor, on June 1st, and ending with this fight at Petersburg, on June 30th, the regiment lost three hundred and sixty-four officers and men in killed and wounded.
________
History of the Ninety-Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, during the War of the Rebellion, 1861-65, with Biographical Sketches of its Field and Staff Officers and a Complete Record of Each Officer and Enlisted Man, Prepared at the Request of the Regiment, by Isaiah Price, Published by the Author, Philadelphia, 1875, p. 301.
"On June 30, an advance was ordered upon the enemy's works, near Cemetery Hill, for the purpose of engaging the attention of the rebels, while a larger force, under Col. William B. Barton, 48th N. Y., commanding the 2d brigade, 2d division, was to assault the enemy's works to the right of the hill. One hundred men of the 97th P. V., with three hundred detailed from the 169th N. Y., the 4th N H, the 9th Maine and the 13th Ind., all under command of Capt. W. S. Mendenhall, Company U, 97th P. V., moved by the flank from the line of intrenchments at 5 P. M., passing a strip of woods and meadow, and reached the cover of a steep bank upon which the advanced pickets were stationed. Halting at a point where Col. Barton's position could be observed, Capt. Mendenhall formed his line of battle: the 97th P. V. and 13th Ind. on the right, 9th Maine and 4th N. H. in the centre, and the 169th N. Y. on the left; then, charging up the hill and across an open field, the wood beyond was gained. A brisk fire was then opened by this force on the rebel lines, a few yards distant. The fire was sharply returned by the enemy. Capt. Mendenhall held his position, delivering a rapid fire on the enemy. Meanwhile, Col. Barton's force had not advanced. The situation of the detachment was becoming critical. It had gained and was holding the position to which it had been ordered. Still no advance was made on the right. The rebels concentrated all their force in front and, under cover of the adjoining wood, had thrown a regiment upon the left flank of the detachment, which opened a terrible fire along the line. The men of the 9th Maine broke from the line; a few others followed, them but were rallied immediately; the remainder stood manfully to their work. The 169 th N. Y. closed up the gap left by the 9th Maine. The line then advanced to a better position, from which a steady and determined fire was opened upon the force assailing the flank, obliging it to seek the shelter of the earthworks. This position was maintained until 7 P. M., when Capt. Mendenhall's force was relieved by a larger one. Five officers and one hundred and fifty men were killed and wounded. The 97th P. V. lost three killed and nineteen wounded. Sergt. John A. Russell and Privates Hezekiah Andy, Company H, and William De Faux, Company G, were killed. Privates Charles S. Cloud, Company D, and William T. Lovell, Company H, being mortally wounded, died within a short time after reaching the hospital. A detail, under Lieut. Levi L. March, Company K, carried the dead and the wounded from the field, while Capt. Mendenhall held the position. During the ensuing night, the enemy kept up an incessant firing. The mortar batteries of both sides were used with great effect and many casualties occurred. The position thus gained was held by our forces and was regarded of considerable importance. A sap was run along the slope, covering the rebel lines in our front, causing the enemy much annoyance." (302-303)
History of the Ninety-seventh Regiment: Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Isaiah Price, 1875
The History of the Forty-Eighth Regiment, New York State Volunteers, In the War for the Union, 1861-1865, by Abraham J. Palmer, The Veteran Association of the Regiment, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1885, Pp. 155-160
Great and important military movements now rapidly succeeded each other in our vicinity. On June 17th and 18th the Sixth and Eighteenth Corps were near us, while the Second, Fifth, and Ninth were on our left. In company with the whole army we marched toward Petersburg. The knowledge which the private soldier possessed of the movements of a great army was vague and indefinite. Many mistakes were made, and opportunities were allowed to pass unimproved, which cost the Republic dear, but of which we then had little knowledge, and which it is no part of a merely regimental historian to chronicle....
On June 23d we finally reached the position in the fortifications in front of Petersburg which we were destined to occupy for weeks; that position was in the immediate neighborhood of the Jerusalem Plank Road [actually, the Prince George Courthouse Road], and just to the left of where the fortifications crossed it. We were immediately on the right of Burnside's Ninth Corps. We were now confronted by Lee's entire army, behind formidable lines of redans, redoubts, and infantry parapets, with skill-fully contrived outer defences of abatis, stakes, and chevaux-de-frise. The lines extended nearly forty miles in length, from the left bank of the Appomattox, around to the western side of Petersburg, also to and across the James to the eastern side of Richmond. To menace that extended line required equally long and strong intrenchments, and these were immediately constructed.
There was now a comparative lull in the sanguinary struggle which had signalized the preceding months. Was it not true that the temper of the Union armies had become inferior to what it formerly had been? It is true that many veterans remained; and yet the majority of our forces now consisted of raw troops, of inferior discipline and of a less exalted spirit than those who at the first outbreak of the war had volunteered for the defence of the Republic. Conscription and vast bounties had been resorted to, to replenish the thinned ranks of the loyal armies. The temper of the men, therefore, whom Grant commanded during the last year of the war, in the east, was not to be compared with that of those who had marched under McClellan two years before. Gillmore had been succeeded in the command of the Tenth Corps by Brigadier-General W. H. T. Brooks; he also retired from its command on July 15th, and on July 22d Major-General David B. Birney became our corps commander.
General Turner still commanded the Second Division, which came to be known as the "Flying Division," because it was continually detached from its corps and sent here and there as the exigencies of the service required. Colonel Barton continued to command the Second Brigade, and Lieutenant-Colonel Coan the Forty-eighth Regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Dudley W. Strickland had resigned; Captain Lockwood also had returned to civil life. As finally adjusted, Barton's brigade consisted of the Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth New York, Seventy-sixth and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania, and later the Two Hundred and Third Pennsylvania was added to it. Thus brigaded for ensuing months, the regiment was destined still to do noble service for the country....
On June 30th an advance was ordered upon the Confederate works on Cemetery Hill in our front. Barton's brigade was directed to assault the hill upon the right. So formidable were the rebel works, that it seemed like courting certain death to attempt to carry them by assault; nevertheless we were ordered out, and formed our lines in the woods in front of our fortifications. Delays, however, occurred, and finally, greatly to our relief, the order was recalled. Colonel Barton was sub-jected to some blame for the failure of the assault. His action was subjected to a critical examination, but upon his stating his reasons he was thoroughly exonerated from all blame, and his course in the matter approved. Beyond a doubt his regard for the lives of his soldiers that day saved many of us from death. The fortifications which it was intended we should assault were subsequently proven to have been so powerful, that if we had ventured to advance against them we would undoubtedly have been destroyed.
At that time our pickets were posted in lines of little rifle-pits, hastily dug among the trees in the woods in front of our works. But two men at a time were placed in these little holes, and so hot was the fire, that the reliefs were only made at night. Whoever ventured to stand up a moment in the sight of the enemy, either in the rifle-pits or upon the fortifications, was sure to be picked off by sharp-shooters. Sometimes the boys would rig up a dummy upon a pole and lift it to the top of the parapet: it was sure to be riddled with bullets in a moment. The two personal friends with whom the writer shared a shelter tent in those days (Graham and Richman) were thus killed by sharp-shooters: Graham on June the 29th, while trying to run to the rifle-pits with some coffee for the men; George W. Richman, the very next morning, while we were together and alone in a rifle-pit on picket. That terrible day, from the early morning till it grew dark at night, which the writer spent by the side of his dead friend in that rifle-pit, is still unforgotten.
Perry's Saints or The Fighting Parson's Regiment in the War of the Rebellion [History of the 48th N.Y.], by James M. Nichols, D. Lothrop and Company, Boston, Mass., 1886, Pp. 246-248
On the 23d, the regiment was ordered to join that portion of the army in front of Petersburg. Nothing unusual occurred until the 30th, when we were ordered to prepare for a charge on the Confederate works. Instead of remaining where we were, protected by our intrenchments, until the charge was ordered, we were moved over our earthworks, where we were kept for some time, exposed to a murderous fire, by which Captain Fee, a brave and excellent officer, and many others, were killed or severely wounded. After nearly a half-hour of this exposure, we were recalled, and the attack was given up, as well it might be after our intention was so fairly made known to the enemy.
At this time the main lines of the two armies were in such close proximity that the utmost care was necessary, especially on the part of the pickets who were posted in the little valley between, and were so near that no part of the body could be exposed for an instant without drawing the fire of the enemy. The approach to the picket-line was through intricate and carefully protected, covered ways, but, with all the precautions which ingenuity could devise, day by day our ranks were diminished by losses. Many of these occurred in the passage to and from these picket-lines, and often were due to the recklessness and carelessness of the men. Many and curious were the devices used to draw the enemy's fire, by exposing a hat, or coat, or other object, while, from ingeniously constructed lookouts, our men watched for the heads which were sure to pop up from behind their intrenchments in the eagerness for a shot. This brutal warfare was kept up during our whole stay in front of Petersburg, except when a short truce brought the picket-lines together, when the utmost freedom of intercourse prevailed. At such times papers were exchanged, the situation discussed, and the best of friends seemed engaged in mutual congratulations. In a few moments, the old state of things was resumed, with all its cruelties.
Newspaper Accounts
New York Tribune, July 4, 1864
Proposed Assault on the Rebel Works at Petersburg – The Enemy on the Alert – The Assault Abandoned.
NEAR PETERSBURG, July 1, a. m.
About 6 o'clock yesterday morning the 18th Corps was expected to charge the enemy's works in their front. Martindale and Turner had advanced their fortified line in the night to the place previously occupied by the skirmishers.
At the time the contemplated assault was to be made, Barton's brigade, on the left of the 18th Corps, lying along the Prince George Country road, began to move from their breastworks to the rifle-pits.
The enemy seemed to understand that the intention was to advance our line by the occupation of his intrenchments. A storm of shot and shell from rifled guns and mortars was poured into our troops before they had formed. Two or three volleys of musketry were exchanged. Soon the firing over the breastworks became heavy and regular, but few men were injured.
The Rebels showed themselves too strong at this point to warrant an assault. The 2d and 9th Corps had each made two attempts to take these very works when the army first arrived here. Mortars were freely used on both sides, and the Rebels, with unusual success, dropped their shells directly in our midst. Lieut. Ludlow of Barton's brigade, worked his mortars admirably, and annoyed the enemy very much by the correctness of his aim. The battery of 32-pounders at Gen. Smith's headquarters fired at regular intervals into the Rebel works and town.
Capt. Butler and Lieut. Fleming, aides to Gen. Butler, were wounded, the former in the knee, and the latter slightly in the breast All through the night the cannonading was heavy, especially on the right. A red glare overhung the city of Petersburg, and it is thought that some of our shells set fire to the buildings, and caused a conflagration.
________
NEW York Times
JULY 8, 1864.
Unsuccessful Attempt at a Surprise
A Colonel Blunders
From Our Own Correspondent.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 2, 1864.
The attempt on the part of Gen. SMITH to carry one of the enemy's salients in his front on Thursday night, resulted in more casualties than was at first believed. Not less than 150 men were wounded, principally by shells, and, with scarcely an exception, the injuries were of a most terrible character.
The officer upon whom the blame is thrown for the miscarriage of the plan, is Col. WM. B. BARTON, of the Forty-eighth New-York, commanding Second Brigade, TURNER'S division, Tenth Corps, which is on duty before Petersburgh. The attack was intended as a surprise, and orders were issued to the brigade commanders to move cautiously forward, one company at a time, under cover of a piece of woods on the left of the line. Instead of obeying these orders, Col. BARTON is charged with having moved his brigade directly out over the breastworks in a field, fully exposed to the view of the enemy. This singular action, of course, showed the rebels that some movement was afoot, and they immediately opened a heavy-artillery fire from their batteries on the left bank of the Appomattox. Gen. SMITH immediately ordered the troops to withdraw and abandon for the time the effort to advance his lines. Col. BARTON, I understand, has been placed under arrest, and his conduct will be inquired into. Many are inclined to believe that he will be able to give a satisfactory explanation of his course on this occasion, as his career hitherto has won him a good reputation for soldierly conduct. He handled his brigade very gallantly at Cold Harbor, and was officially complimented therefor by Gen. SMITH, while his services for more than two years in the Department of the South, at Fort Wagner, Olustee and elsewhere, were quite creditable. At Wagner he was wounded very seriously.
In the affair Gen. SMITH narrowly escaped being a victim to sharpshooters. Capt. BUTLER, one of the General's aids, was badly wounded in the knee while standing by his side in conversation with him. Capt. FLEMING, another member of Gen. SMITH'S staff, was seriously bruised by a fragment of shell, which hit him in the chest and caused him to fall from his horse.
________
The Troy Daily Times [Thank you to Steven Wieszbicki, historian of the 169th NY, for the Troy Daily Times Reports]
JULY 8, 1864.
From the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth.
This regiment had a severe engagement on the 30th of June, and met with a heavy loss. From a recent letter received by Col. Alonzo Alden, we are permitted to make extracts:
We have moved around from Bermuda to Petersburg and Petersburg to Bermuda. We have lain for nine days in the front, with the rebel works not many yards from us, and a continual popping of guns and cannonading going on. An assault was ordered on the 30th – our brigade to make a diversion – Barton and Curtis to charge. We made our demonstration; the charge failed to come off. The One Hundred and Sixty-ninth was posted on the left of the line as a support and to prevent a flank attack. We went into position nearly at right angles with our main line. The rebs attempted a flank movement in two lines of battle. The One Hundred and Sixty-ninth lay in a ravine. We were ordered to advance, and moved in line on top of the bank, and met the enemy, and caught –––– . In less than ten minutes we met with nearly our entire loss and fell back to the cover of the edge of the ravine. We kept up the fire from there, and as Col. Bell tells me, prevented the flanking movement – saving the regiments on our right and piling the rebs in heaps. Our regiment paid the enemy off badly; but our loss, as you see, is seventy, while the other four regiments together lost only eighty. The regiments of our brigade are the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth New York, Thirteenth Indiana, Ninth Maine, Fourth New Hampshire and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania, under command of Col. Bell – Third Brigade, Second Division (Gen. Turner), Tenth Corps (Gen. Brooks).
We are indebted to Col. Alden for the following complete and official list of the casualties in the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth:
Killed – Sergeant Nathan C. Simmons, Co. B; privates Clement Carr, E; Horace Chamberlain, Joseph Neddo, Patrick McConkey, F; Archy Graham, G; Barney Marvin, H; Nathan Martin, I.
Wounded – Co. A – Sergeant Henry A. Slack, Corporal Anton Reeder, privates John H. Miller, John L. Sheldon, Peter Roberts. Co. B – Sergeants John Sullivan, Peter Roche; Corporal Wm. D. Wager, privates John G. McTominy, Peter Sloan, Aaron Bremer, Otis Strong. Co. C – Sergeant Chas. S. Phillips, Corporal James Johnson, privates John Hofmeister, John Snow, Aaron B. Davis, Joseph Rogers, Jacob Coons. Co. D – Privates Sylvester Madden, Geo. Brown. Co. E – Capt. Frank W. Tarbell, Sergeants Rollin Jenkins, C. F. Harrington; Corporals George White, Seymour Carr; privates Geo. W. Mead, Wm. Godfrey, Michael Quinn, L. R. Woodcock, Geo. Price, Eugene Kelly. Co. F – Sergeant J. S. McFaddin, privates John Gannon, Geo. Williams, Alex. McKelvy, Virgil Jackson, Robert Taggart. Co. G – Privates John R. Wethey, Jas. Flynn, D. B. Farrell. Co. H – Privates Nelson Clem-mence, Edward Alipaw, Dagobert Zeiser. Co. I – Corporal Leonard Ducharme, privates Edward Corron, John Niles, John Tavis, David Clancy, Michael O'Brien. Co. K – Sergeants Ezra Crannell, Albert Tompkins; Corporal E. T. Penny, privates John Kennelly, Lewis Byron, Frank Gillispie, Robert Martin, James Keller, Jos. Powlett, Louis Shaffer, Ernest Burnman. Sergeant-Major Edgar Vanderzee.
– Col. Alden intends to return to his regiment about the latter part of next week, and will carry to the officers and soldiers any letters that may be left with him, corner of Third and State streets.
________
Troy Daily Times
JULY 9, 1864.
Casualties in the One Hundred and
Sixty-ninth Regiment.
In a list of casualties in the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Regiment, during the engagement of June 30th, published yesterday, we did not give the nature of the wounds. We therefore repeat the list, with these additions – so important to the friends of the sufferers:
Killed – Sergeant Nathan C. Simmons, Co. B; privates Clement Carr, E; Horace Chamberlain, Joseph Neddo, Patrick McConkey, F; Archy Graham, G; Barney Marvin, H; Nathan Martin, I.
Wounded – Co. A – Sergeant Henry A. Slack, right arm; Corporal Anton Reeder, left shoulder; privates John H. Miller, elbow joint amputated; John L. Sheldon, left hand; Peter Roberts, fracture right arm with flesh wound in side. Co. B – Sergeant John Sullivan, neck and lung; Sergeant Peter Roche, contusion ant. tibia, right leg; Corporal Wm. D. Wager, contusion right lumbar; privates John G. McTominy, right side, slight; Peter Sloan, fractured radius, left arm; Aaron Bremer, thigh, flesh wound; Otis Strong, left hand. Co. C – Sergeant Chas. S. Phillips, chest, severe; Corporal James Johnson, left foot; privates John Hofmeister, neck and lower jaw; John Snow, fracture left leg; Aaron B. Davis, contusion right arm; Joseph Rogers, contusion left shoulder; Jacob Coons, head, slight. Co. D – Privates Sylvester Madden, right thigh, flesh wound; Geo. Brown, finger. Co. E – Capt. Frank W. Tarbell, condyle inj. maxillary, exit mouth; Sergeant Rollin Jenkins, contusion right arm; Sergeant C. F. Harrington; Corporal George White, elbow, flesh wound; Corporal Seymour Carr, face and tongue, since dead; privates Geo. W. Mead, left scapula; Wm. Godfrey, elbow joint amputated; Michael Quinn, L. R. Woodcock, shoulder; Geo. Price, neck, slight; Eugene Kelly, left arm. Co. F – Sergeant J. S. McFaddin, thigh, flesh wound; privates John Gannon, neck and head, severe; Geo. Williams, ulna left arm; Alex. McKelvy, fractured tibia near ankle, left foot, two toes of right foot; Virgil Jackson, slight; Robert Taggart, slight. Co. G – Privates John R. Wethey, leg; Jas. Flynn, D. B. Farrell, left groin. Co. H – Privates Nelson Clemmence, abdomen, penetrating; Edward Alipaw, contusion left side; Dagobert Zeiser, inj. maxillary, fracture. Co. I – Corporal Leonard Ducharme, privates Edward Corron, side, penetrating, mortal; John Niles, right forearm, flesh wound; John Tavis, thigh, flesh wound; David Clancy, flesh wound left hip; Michael O'Brien, left forearm, flesh wound. Co. K – Sergeant Ezra Crannell, right shoulder, arm and left hand; Sergeant Albert Tompkins, right shoulder, slight; Corporal E. T. Penny, left arm, fractured radius; privates John Kennelly, left hand, two fingers; Lewis Byron, left lung and arm; Frank Gillispie, gluteus, flesh wound; Robert Martin, contusion right shoulder; James Keller, gluteus, flesh wound; Jos. Powlett, right arm, flesh wound; Louis Shaffer, shoulder and scapula; Ernest Burnman, contusion left forearm. Sergeant-Major Edgar Vanderzee, contusion inj. maxillary.
CONFEDERATE ACCOUNTS
HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON’S DIVISION, Near Petersburg, Friday, July 1, 1864.
COLONEL: In the absence of Major-General Johnson on the line I have the honor to submit the following report for the last twenty-four hours:
Brigadier-General Elliott reports that there has been no perceptible approach of the enemy’s works within the last twenty-four hours. Colonel Faison, commanding Ransom’s brigade, reports only the usual picket-firing in front of his line. His works are gradually being strengthened, the completion of which is somewhat delayed, however, on account of the scarcity of tools. General Gracie reports that he has been busily occupied in strengthening his line since yesterday, and thinks he can “hold his position against all that comes.” In the afternoon of yesterday, about 5 p. m., the enemy advanced with a skirmish line and two lines of battle on that portion of the line in the woods between the railroad cut and the branch, General Gracie’s skirmish line retiring. He opened upon the enemy with musketry, and soon repulsed them, they first throwing themselves upon the ground, and then retiring. During the engagement the enemy replied with musketry and artillery, doing but little injury with the former, but killing and wounding a few with the latter. At night General Gracie re-established his skirmish line and sent out scouts, the most reliable of whom report no change in the enemy’s rifle-pits, and contradict the report that the enemy are erecting a battery in his front. He reports all quite at 7 a. m. this day.
The following list of casualties within the last twenty-four hours is respectfully submitted: Gracie’s brigade, 5 killed, 17 wounded; Johnson’s brigade, 2 killed, 11 wounded; Ransom’s brigade, 1 killed, 6 wounded; Elliott’s brigade, 4 killed, 5 wounded. Total, 12 killed, 39 wounded.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, &c.,
R. E. FOOTE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
(For Major-General Johnson.)
Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, PART I-Reports, Volume 7, Serial No. &, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997. Pages 279-280.
Excerpt from the diary of Major-General Bushrod Rust Johnson, C.S. Army, June13- July 30, 1864.
June 30, Thursday __ At 5:15 p.m. enemy advanced with two lines of [illegible] and skirmishes on Gracie’s front between railroad and branch, about 50 to 100 yards to left of railroad, and opened with musketry and artillery. Musketry soon repulsed them, and picket line was re-established.
Gracie had five killed, seventeen wounded. Johnson’s Brigade had two killed and eleven wounded. Colonel Fulton badly wounded by shell in eye. Gracie’s reserve regiment brought into trenches. Artillery fire during night under the idea that the enemy were putting up a battery, front of Gracie’s.
Capt. P. A. Davis,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Third Brig., First Div., 10th Army Corps.
No. 258.
Reports of Brig. Gen. John W. Turner, U. 8. Army, commanding Second Division, of operations June 23-July 1 and July 30.
Headquarters Second Division, Tenth Army Corps,
Near Petersburg, Va., July 1,1864. Colonel : In compliance with instructions of the major-general commanding, I have the honor to make the following report of the part this division has taken in the operations before Petersburg up to this date: In obedience to instructions received from Major-General Butler, commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina, “to report with my division to Maj. Gen. W. F. Smith, before Petersburg,” and move from Point of Rocks on the night of the 23d of June, 1864, and reach my position in line of battle, relieving General O. B. Willcox's division, Ninth Corps, about 1 a. m. on the 24th on the left of the Eighteenth Corps. The right center of my position rested immediately in front of the locality known as the Hare house, my right, retiring a little, connected with General Martindale’s division, of the Eighteenth Corps, while my center and left wing, passing over the eminence on which the Hare house is situated, extended down the slope of this hill and over a small creek at its foot, connected with the Ninth Corps in a piece of woods a short distance beyond, having a general direction to the west of north. The exact position of the enemy before my left wing was undetermined, being concealed by a considerable growth of timber, but passing along my front his line appeared to be advanced and occupied a strong intrenched position on a commanding hill, beyond which the ground seemed to fall off rapidly to what is supposed to be the creek bottom, through which the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad passes. This position he had connected with his right and left by rifle-pits, upon which he was at work night and day increasing their strength, and which soon became parapets of considerable relief. The salient of this advanced position was at a distance of from 300 to 400 yards from my front. Both of my lines were intrenched, and the troops were kept continually at work strengthening their position.
On the afternoon of the 24th I received an order from major-general commanding to assault the enemy's advanced position in my front. Two assaulting columns were immediately formed, composed of 200 men from Colonel Curtis’ brigade and 200 men from Colonel Barton’s brigade, these columns to be followed by the balance of these two brigades as supports. The assault was ordered to take place at 7.30 p. m., but on intimation from the major-general received during the afternoon not to move to the assault till I should hear further from him, a delay in the preparation, through misunderstanding, occurred, and the columns commenced moving at 7 o’clock. Colonel Curtis, however, with his column, was in position at the time appointed, but the other brigade being considerably behind time and darkness coming on it was thought that the artillery would not be able to give the assistance necessary, and the attack was postponed till the following evening. On the succeeding day the order for the assault was indefinitely postponed.
On the night of the 25th and 26th rifle-pits were dug in front of my center from 75 to 100 yards in advance, and a battery of four 8-inch siege mortars put in position in my first line.
During the night of the 29th Colonel Bell dislodged the enemy’s pickets in a point of timber some 100 yards in front of my left, and secured a position for forty sharpshooters, which partly enfiladed and with considerable command over the enemy’s line. These men did good execution during the following day.
On the 30th I received instructions to again endeavor to carry the enemy’s position in my front. Colonel Barton’s brigade was selected as the principal assaulting column. His instructions were to move out of the point of woods in front of his position and charge the enemy’s works immediately before him. It was to have been supported on the right by a smaller column, two regiments, under command of Colonel Curtis, who was to charge directly for the salient of the enemy’s works, issuing for this purpose from the trenches in front of his position, which were within 200 or 250 yards of the enemy’s line. The balance of Colonel Curtis’ brigade was to remain in the first line, ready to move forward in support, if necessity required. On the left Colonel Bell was to have supported the principal assaulting column by engaging the enemy from the advantageous position he occupied on the ridge at the point of woods, which enabled him to deliver a plunging fire upon nearly the entire front upon which Colonel Barton was to approach. The principal element in this attack, and upon which was based the great anticipation of success, was a surprise. This was, unfortunately, frustrated by a lamentable error in judgment of the commander of the assaulting column, who, in filing out of the intrenchments near the woods in his front, for the purpose of forming his lines, so misjudged as to select a point for crossing the intrenchments within full view of the enemy’s line. This disclosure of our project drew upon Colonel Barton’s half-formed lines a sharp fire from the enemy in front, and put a stop for a time to the formation of the troops for assault. Upon the enemy opening upon Colonel Barton I immediately ordered Colonel Bell to commence his attack, hoping to divert the enemy from Colonel Barton and enable him to form his troops. Colonel Bell promptly responded and pushed his troops in, which had the desired effect of relieving Colonel Barton, but at 5:20 Colonel Barton’s troops still not being in order for moving forward, and the enemy at this time having been apprised some thirty-five minutes of our movement, and attracted by the spirited engagement of Colonel Bell, had advanced some troops upon this officer, and it being reported to me that he had sent some men into his lines in front of Colonel Barton, I saw that all hopes of a surprise was over, and it being the principal element of success, I acted upon the discretion left me by the major-general commanding, and withdrew from the attack. Colonel Bell gained some ground, which we now hold. Colonel Bell and Colonel Curtis both carried out their instructions fully and promptly. I inclose these officers’ reports. Colonel Barton has not sent his in yet. My casualties since my arrival on the morning of the 24th have been 12 officers, 262 non-commissioned officers and privates; in the affair of yesterday, loss included in the above figures, was 185.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. W. TURNER, Brigadier-General, Commanding,
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XL, Part II – Correspondence, Etc., Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1892, pp. 537-9.
CITY POINT, June 30, 1864.
Maj. Gen. W. F. SMITH,
Eighteenth Army Corps:
No change has been made in our lines requiring the postponement of your attack. You will therefore make it at the time you have ordered.
By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:
JNO. A. RAWLINS,
Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.
HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,
June 30, 1864.
Brigadier-General RAWLINS,
Chief of Staff:
GENERAL: The brigade commander who was to lead in the assault to-night, in place of forming his men under cover and concealing as he was directed, made his formation in the open ground, to the left of the position indicated. This brought so sharp a fire from the enemy as to detain General Turner in the formation of the rest of his column, giving time to the enemy to throw in re-enforcements into the portion of the line we wished to take, which movement we could see. As our great hope of success depended upon taking the enemy by surprise, and as our only chance of doing that had gone with the long delay, I ordered a withdrawal of the troops to their original position. I have as yet no return of casualties, but the loss is slight.
WM. F. SMITH,
Major-General.
HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Petersburg, Va., June 30, 1864.
Lieut. Col. N. BOWEN,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Eighteenth Army Corps:
COLONEL: I have relieved Colonel Barton from command of his brigade – first, for inexcusable dilatoriness in not having his column in position for assault this p. m. as ordered, after three hours and a half notice; second, gross carelessness and inattention in moving his column over the parapet in full view of the enemy's line, and thereby disclosing his movement when it was possible for him to have moved it under cover of the woods where he was ordered to do, and where the dictates of common sense should have directed him, and which, if he had done, there is every reason to suppose his formation could have been made unbeknown to the enemy. It is with extreme regret that I have to report the failure of this evening's enterprise, and I can assure the major-general that not the least of my mortification is the necessity of calling in question the judgment or propriety of conduct of a subordinate. Inclosed please find copies of my instructions to my brigade commanders, and I can add, all instructions were fully carried out by the other brigade commanders.
Very respectfully,
J. W. TURNER,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
[Inclosure.]
HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION,
TENTH ARMY CORPS, June 30, 1864.
Colonel CURTIS:
Colonel Barton will assault the enemy's work this p. m. at 5 o'clock, issuing from point of woods. You will place a regiment in trench in front of your position and right of Colonel Barton – the trench will hold that many – with instructions that as soon as Colonel Barton's assaulting column gains the crest of the hill in front of the enemy's position, they will leap out of the trench and charge the salient of the enemy's works without firing. You will immediately move out a regiment to their support, and at the instant of the charge of Colonel Barton, the regiment in your second line will immediately advance and occupy first line of works, or move forward in support of your first line of assault as necessity may demand. Have 100 men detailed, each to carry a shovel and pick, if there are enough picks, to follow Colonel Barton's column closely.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. W. TURNER,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XL, Part I – Reports, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1892, pp. 703-4.
HDQRS. THIRD BRIGADE, SECOND DIV.,
TENTH ARMY CORPS, July 1, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the action of the 30th ultimo:
In obedience to orders, I had 350 men, under command of Captain Mendenhall, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, under the brow of the hill, behind where the rifle-pits are dug in the skirt of
the woods, at 5 p.m., and the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers in command of Major Colvin, in rear of the first party as support.
Shortly after, in obedience to an order from the general commanding, I moved Captain Mendenhall's command into the edge of the woods and opened fire on the parapet of the enemy's work to our right, to cover Colonel Barton's proposed movement. The left of Captain Mendenhall's command was exposed to a heavy fire from their left, and was compelled to move by the right flank under the brow of the hill and then went into the woods. The whole of Captain Menden-hall's line was then formed within the woods on the crest of the hill. Within a few minutes a regiment of the enemy came out on our left over the works and seemed about to charge the left flank of Captain Mendenhall's line.
I ordered the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers to move to a position previously designated, forming a line nearly at right angles with Captain Mendenhall's line. The right of the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers advanced, and being met with a heavy fire, fell back a few feet to the crest of the hill, from which they opened fire on the enemy's regiment, so compelling it to move into the woods toward our right, where they disappeared in rifle-pits. Before this time a force estimated at two regiments was seen by Captain Mendenhall and other officers, to move to our right and go into the works in Colonels Barton's and Curtis' front. I was unable to gain any ground, and a short time before dark, in obedience to orders, I withdrew my men, leaving only the regular picket party in the rifle-pits.
Out of about 750 men engaged 150 were killed and wounded. It gives me great pleasure to bear witness to the gallantry of the officers in command of the parties, and especially to mention Captain Menden-hall, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Lieutenant Zent, Thirteenth Indiana Volunteers.
I have the honor to be, captain, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
LOUIS BELL,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
EXCERPTS FROM U.S. REGIMENTAL ACCOUNTS
History of Rensselaer County, New York, by Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester, Everts & Peck, Philadelphia, 1880. Rensselaer County in the Great Rebellion of 1861, Chapter III, The One Hundred and Sixty-ninth N. Y. Vols., by Colonel James A. Colvin, Pp. 95-105
On June 17th the regiment returned to Bermuda Hundred, where remaining only three days it was sent back to Petersburg, arriving there on June 21st. It was at once put into the line of works, and went on picket duty. On June 30th the 2d Brigade of the division was ordered to charge the enemy's works, concealing its movement behind a piece of woods. The 3d Brigade, including the 169th, was ordered to make a demonstration to the left of the proposed assault, for the purpose of diverting attention from the main attack. It was an unfortunate diver-sion for the regiment. Col. Barton, commanding the 2d Brigade, did not assault as expected, and the 3d Brigade bore the brunt of the battle. The 169th, at first under the shelter of a bank rising from the edge of a small stream, was ordered forward. The rebel defenses were very near to the Union line, – so close, in fact, that the men on either side could call out to the other and bandy words. As the regiment arose from its sheltered position and attempted to charge it was met with a withering fire, so close, so hot in its deadliness, that there was no withstanding it. The men were shot down in one fierce blast, falling in line like a windrow of grain which is cut by the reaper. There were no supports, and the terribly-weakened line fell back the few feet it had advanced and regained cover. The regiment having been greatly depleted by the cas-ualties occurring during the month, Maj. Colvin was only able to take one hundred and fifty men into this fight. He brought back seventy-six fit for duty, losing seventy-four in killed and wounded within the brief space of a few minutes. This slaughter ended the record of the regiment for June, 1864. In the brief period of thirty days beginning with the battle of Cold Harbor, on June 1st, and ending with this fight at Petersburg, on June 30th, the regiment lost three hundred and sixty-four officers and men in killed and wounded.
________
History of the Ninety-Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, during the War of the Rebellion, 1861-65, with Biographical Sketches of its Field and Staff Officers and a Complete Record of Each Officer and Enlisted Man, Prepared at the Request of the Regiment, by Isaiah Price, Published by the Author, Philadelphia, 1875, p. 301.
"On June 30, an advance was ordered upon the enemy's works, near Cemetery Hill, for the purpose of engaging the attention of the rebels, while a larger force, under Col. William B. Barton, 48th N. Y., commanding the 2d brigade, 2d division, was to assault the enemy's works to the right of the hill. One hundred men of the 97th P. V., with three hundred detailed from the 169th N. Y., the 4th N H, the 9th Maine and the 13th Ind., all under command of Capt. W. S. Mendenhall, Company U, 97th P. V., moved by the flank from the line of intrenchments at 5 P. M., passing a strip of woods and meadow, and reached the cover of a steep bank upon which the advanced pickets were stationed. Halting at a point where Col. Barton's position could be observed, Capt. Mendenhall formed his line of battle: the 97th P. V. and 13th Ind. on the right, 9th Maine and 4th N. H. in the centre, and the 169th N. Y. on the left; then, charging up the hill and across an open field, the wood beyond was gained. A brisk fire was then opened by this force on the rebel lines, a few yards distant. The fire was sharply returned by the enemy. Capt. Mendenhall held his position, delivering a rapid fire on the enemy. Meanwhile, Col. Barton's force had not advanced. The situation of the detachment was becoming critical. It had gained and was holding the position to which it had been ordered. Still no advance was made on the right. The rebels concentrated all their force in front and, under cover of the adjoining wood, had thrown a regiment upon the left flank of the detachment, which opened a terrible fire along the line. The men of the 9th Maine broke from the line; a few others followed, them but were rallied immediately; the remainder stood manfully to their work. The 169 th N. Y. closed up the gap left by the 9th Maine. The line then advanced to a better position, from which a steady and determined fire was opened upon the force assailing the flank, obliging it to seek the shelter of the earthworks. This position was maintained until 7 P. M., when Capt. Mendenhall's force was relieved by a larger one. Five officers and one hundred and fifty men were killed and wounded. The 97th P. V. lost three killed and nineteen wounded. Sergt. John A. Russell and Privates Hezekiah Andy, Company H, and William De Faux, Company G, were killed. Privates Charles S. Cloud, Company D, and William T. Lovell, Company H, being mortally wounded, died within a short time after reaching the hospital. A detail, under Lieut. Levi L. March, Company K, carried the dead and the wounded from the field, while Capt. Mendenhall held the position. During the ensuing night, the enemy kept up an incessant firing. The mortar batteries of both sides were used with great effect and many casualties occurred. The position thus gained was held by our forces and was regarded of considerable importance. A sap was run along the slope, covering the rebel lines in our front, causing the enemy much annoyance." (302-303)
History of the Ninety-seventh Regiment: Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Isaiah Price, 1875
The History of the Forty-Eighth Regiment, New York State Volunteers, In the War for the Union, 1861-1865, by Abraham J. Palmer, The Veteran Association of the Regiment, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1885, Pp. 155-160
Great and important military movements now rapidly succeeded each other in our vicinity. On June 17th and 18th the Sixth and Eighteenth Corps were near us, while the Second, Fifth, and Ninth were on our left. In company with the whole army we marched toward Petersburg. The knowledge which the private soldier possessed of the movements of a great army was vague and indefinite. Many mistakes were made, and opportunities were allowed to pass unimproved, which cost the Republic dear, but of which we then had little knowledge, and which it is no part of a merely regimental historian to chronicle....
On June 23d we finally reached the position in the fortifications in front of Petersburg which we were destined to occupy for weeks; that position was in the immediate neighborhood of the Jerusalem Plank Road [actually, the Prince George Courthouse Road], and just to the left of where the fortifications crossed it. We were immediately on the right of Burnside's Ninth Corps. We were now confronted by Lee's entire army, behind formidable lines of redans, redoubts, and infantry parapets, with skill-fully contrived outer defences of abatis, stakes, and chevaux-de-frise. The lines extended nearly forty miles in length, from the left bank of the Appomattox, around to the western side of Petersburg, also to and across the James to the eastern side of Richmond. To menace that extended line required equally long and strong intrenchments, and these were immediately constructed.
There was now a comparative lull in the sanguinary struggle which had signalized the preceding months. Was it not true that the temper of the Union armies had become inferior to what it formerly had been? It is true that many veterans remained; and yet the majority of our forces now consisted of raw troops, of inferior discipline and of a less exalted spirit than those who at the first outbreak of the war had volunteered for the defence of the Republic. Conscription and vast bounties had been resorted to, to replenish the thinned ranks of the loyal armies. The temper of the men, therefore, whom Grant commanded during the last year of the war, in the east, was not to be compared with that of those who had marched under McClellan two years before. Gillmore had been succeeded in the command of the Tenth Corps by Brigadier-General W. H. T. Brooks; he also retired from its command on July 15th, and on July 22d Major-General David B. Birney became our corps commander.
General Turner still commanded the Second Division, which came to be known as the "Flying Division," because it was continually detached from its corps and sent here and there as the exigencies of the service required. Colonel Barton continued to command the Second Brigade, and Lieutenant-Colonel Coan the Forty-eighth Regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Dudley W. Strickland had resigned; Captain Lockwood also had returned to civil life. As finally adjusted, Barton's brigade consisted of the Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth New York, Seventy-sixth and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania, and later the Two Hundred and Third Pennsylvania was added to it. Thus brigaded for ensuing months, the regiment was destined still to do noble service for the country....
On June 30th an advance was ordered upon the Confederate works on Cemetery Hill in our front. Barton's brigade was directed to assault the hill upon the right. So formidable were the rebel works, that it seemed like courting certain death to attempt to carry them by assault; nevertheless we were ordered out, and formed our lines in the woods in front of our fortifications. Delays, however, occurred, and finally, greatly to our relief, the order was recalled. Colonel Barton was sub-jected to some blame for the failure of the assault. His action was subjected to a critical examination, but upon his stating his reasons he was thoroughly exonerated from all blame, and his course in the matter approved. Beyond a doubt his regard for the lives of his soldiers that day saved many of us from death. The fortifications which it was intended we should assault were subsequently proven to have been so powerful, that if we had ventured to advance against them we would undoubtedly have been destroyed.
At that time our pickets were posted in lines of little rifle-pits, hastily dug among the trees in the woods in front of our works. But two men at a time were placed in these little holes, and so hot was the fire, that the reliefs were only made at night. Whoever ventured to stand up a moment in the sight of the enemy, either in the rifle-pits or upon the fortifications, was sure to be picked off by sharp-shooters. Sometimes the boys would rig up a dummy upon a pole and lift it to the top of the parapet: it was sure to be riddled with bullets in a moment. The two personal friends with whom the writer shared a shelter tent in those days (Graham and Richman) were thus killed by sharp-shooters: Graham on June the 29th, while trying to run to the rifle-pits with some coffee for the men; George W. Richman, the very next morning, while we were together and alone in a rifle-pit on picket. That terrible day, from the early morning till it grew dark at night, which the writer spent by the side of his dead friend in that rifle-pit, is still unforgotten.
Perry's Saints or The Fighting Parson's Regiment in the War of the Rebellion [History of the 48th N.Y.], by James M. Nichols, D. Lothrop and Company, Boston, Mass., 1886, Pp. 246-248
On the 23d, the regiment was ordered to join that portion of the army in front of Petersburg. Nothing unusual occurred until the 30th, when we were ordered to prepare for a charge on the Confederate works. Instead of remaining where we were, protected by our intrenchments, until the charge was ordered, we were moved over our earthworks, where we were kept for some time, exposed to a murderous fire, by which Captain Fee, a brave and excellent officer, and many others, were killed or severely wounded. After nearly a half-hour of this exposure, we were recalled, and the attack was given up, as well it might be after our intention was so fairly made known to the enemy.
At this time the main lines of the two armies were in such close proximity that the utmost care was necessary, especially on the part of the pickets who were posted in the little valley between, and were so near that no part of the body could be exposed for an instant without drawing the fire of the enemy. The approach to the picket-line was through intricate and carefully protected, covered ways, but, with all the precautions which ingenuity could devise, day by day our ranks were diminished by losses. Many of these occurred in the passage to and from these picket-lines, and often were due to the recklessness and carelessness of the men. Many and curious were the devices used to draw the enemy's fire, by exposing a hat, or coat, or other object, while, from ingeniously constructed lookouts, our men watched for the heads which were sure to pop up from behind their intrenchments in the eagerness for a shot. This brutal warfare was kept up during our whole stay in front of Petersburg, except when a short truce brought the picket-lines together, when the utmost freedom of intercourse prevailed. At such times papers were exchanged, the situation discussed, and the best of friends seemed engaged in mutual congratulations. In a few moments, the old state of things was resumed, with all its cruelties.
Newspaper Accounts
New York Tribune, July 4, 1864
Proposed Assault on the Rebel Works at Petersburg – The Enemy on the Alert – The Assault Abandoned.
NEAR PETERSBURG, July 1, a. m.
About 6 o'clock yesterday morning the 18th Corps was expected to charge the enemy's works in their front. Martindale and Turner had advanced their fortified line in the night to the place previously occupied by the skirmishers.
At the time the contemplated assault was to be made, Barton's brigade, on the left of the 18th Corps, lying along the Prince George Country road, began to move from their breastworks to the rifle-pits.
The enemy seemed to understand that the intention was to advance our line by the occupation of his intrenchments. A storm of shot and shell from rifled guns and mortars was poured into our troops before they had formed. Two or three volleys of musketry were exchanged. Soon the firing over the breastworks became heavy and regular, but few men were injured.
The Rebels showed themselves too strong at this point to warrant an assault. The 2d and 9th Corps had each made two attempts to take these very works when the army first arrived here. Mortars were freely used on both sides, and the Rebels, with unusual success, dropped their shells directly in our midst. Lieut. Ludlow of Barton's brigade, worked his mortars admirably, and annoyed the enemy very much by the correctness of his aim. The battery of 32-pounders at Gen. Smith's headquarters fired at regular intervals into the Rebel works and town.
Capt. Butler and Lieut. Fleming, aides to Gen. Butler, were wounded, the former in the knee, and the latter slightly in the breast All through the night the cannonading was heavy, especially on the right. A red glare overhung the city of Petersburg, and it is thought that some of our shells set fire to the buildings, and caused a conflagration.
________
NEW York Times
JULY 8, 1864.
Unsuccessful Attempt at a Surprise
A Colonel Blunders
From Our Own Correspondent.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 2, 1864.
The attempt on the part of Gen. SMITH to carry one of the enemy's salients in his front on Thursday night, resulted in more casualties than was at first believed. Not less than 150 men were wounded, principally by shells, and, with scarcely an exception, the injuries were of a most terrible character.
The officer upon whom the blame is thrown for the miscarriage of the plan, is Col. WM. B. BARTON, of the Forty-eighth New-York, commanding Second Brigade, TURNER'S division, Tenth Corps, which is on duty before Petersburgh. The attack was intended as a surprise, and orders were issued to the brigade commanders to move cautiously forward, one company at a time, under cover of a piece of woods on the left of the line. Instead of obeying these orders, Col. BARTON is charged with having moved his brigade directly out over the breastworks in a field, fully exposed to the view of the enemy. This singular action, of course, showed the rebels that some movement was afoot, and they immediately opened a heavy-artillery fire from their batteries on the left bank of the Appomattox. Gen. SMITH immediately ordered the troops to withdraw and abandon for the time the effort to advance his lines. Col. BARTON, I understand, has been placed under arrest, and his conduct will be inquired into. Many are inclined to believe that he will be able to give a satisfactory explanation of his course on this occasion, as his career hitherto has won him a good reputation for soldierly conduct. He handled his brigade very gallantly at Cold Harbor, and was officially complimented therefor by Gen. SMITH, while his services for more than two years in the Department of the South, at Fort Wagner, Olustee and elsewhere, were quite creditable. At Wagner he was wounded very seriously.
In the affair Gen. SMITH narrowly escaped being a victim to sharpshooters. Capt. BUTLER, one of the General's aids, was badly wounded in the knee while standing by his side in conversation with him. Capt. FLEMING, another member of Gen. SMITH'S staff, was seriously bruised by a fragment of shell, which hit him in the chest and caused him to fall from his horse.
________
The Troy Daily Times [Thank you to Steven Wieszbicki, historian of the 169th NY, for the Troy Daily Times Reports]
JULY 8, 1864.
From the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth.
This regiment had a severe engagement on the 30th of June, and met with a heavy loss. From a recent letter received by Col. Alonzo Alden, we are permitted to make extracts:
We have moved around from Bermuda to Petersburg and Petersburg to Bermuda. We have lain for nine days in the front, with the rebel works not many yards from us, and a continual popping of guns and cannonading going on. An assault was ordered on the 30th – our brigade to make a diversion – Barton and Curtis to charge. We made our demonstration; the charge failed to come off. The One Hundred and Sixty-ninth was posted on the left of the line as a support and to prevent a flank attack. We went into position nearly at right angles with our main line. The rebs attempted a flank movement in two lines of battle. The One Hundred and Sixty-ninth lay in a ravine. We were ordered to advance, and moved in line on top of the bank, and met the enemy, and caught –––– . In less than ten minutes we met with nearly our entire loss and fell back to the cover of the edge of the ravine. We kept up the fire from there, and as Col. Bell tells me, prevented the flanking movement – saving the regiments on our right and piling the rebs in heaps. Our regiment paid the enemy off badly; but our loss, as you see, is seventy, while the other four regiments together lost only eighty. The regiments of our brigade are the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth New York, Thirteenth Indiana, Ninth Maine, Fourth New Hampshire and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania, under command of Col. Bell – Third Brigade, Second Division (Gen. Turner), Tenth Corps (Gen. Brooks).
We are indebted to Col. Alden for the following complete and official list of the casualties in the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth:
Killed – Sergeant Nathan C. Simmons, Co. B; privates Clement Carr, E; Horace Chamberlain, Joseph Neddo, Patrick McConkey, F; Archy Graham, G; Barney Marvin, H; Nathan Martin, I.
Wounded – Co. A – Sergeant Henry A. Slack, Corporal Anton Reeder, privates John H. Miller, John L. Sheldon, Peter Roberts. Co. B – Sergeants John Sullivan, Peter Roche; Corporal Wm. D. Wager, privates John G. McTominy, Peter Sloan, Aaron Bremer, Otis Strong. Co. C – Sergeant Chas. S. Phillips, Corporal James Johnson, privates John Hofmeister, John Snow, Aaron B. Davis, Joseph Rogers, Jacob Coons. Co. D – Privates Sylvester Madden, Geo. Brown. Co. E – Capt. Frank W. Tarbell, Sergeants Rollin Jenkins, C. F. Harrington; Corporals George White, Seymour Carr; privates Geo. W. Mead, Wm. Godfrey, Michael Quinn, L. R. Woodcock, Geo. Price, Eugene Kelly. Co. F – Sergeant J. S. McFaddin, privates John Gannon, Geo. Williams, Alex. McKelvy, Virgil Jackson, Robert Taggart. Co. G – Privates John R. Wethey, Jas. Flynn, D. B. Farrell. Co. H – Privates Nelson Clem-mence, Edward Alipaw, Dagobert Zeiser. Co. I – Corporal Leonard Ducharme, privates Edward Corron, John Niles, John Tavis, David Clancy, Michael O'Brien. Co. K – Sergeants Ezra Crannell, Albert Tompkins; Corporal E. T. Penny, privates John Kennelly, Lewis Byron, Frank Gillispie, Robert Martin, James Keller, Jos. Powlett, Louis Shaffer, Ernest Burnman. Sergeant-Major Edgar Vanderzee.
– Col. Alden intends to return to his regiment about the latter part of next week, and will carry to the officers and soldiers any letters that may be left with him, corner of Third and State streets.
________
Troy Daily Times
JULY 9, 1864.
Casualties in the One Hundred and
Sixty-ninth Regiment.
In a list of casualties in the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Regiment, during the engagement of June 30th, published yesterday, we did not give the nature of the wounds. We therefore repeat the list, with these additions – so important to the friends of the sufferers:
Killed – Sergeant Nathan C. Simmons, Co. B; privates Clement Carr, E; Horace Chamberlain, Joseph Neddo, Patrick McConkey, F; Archy Graham, G; Barney Marvin, H; Nathan Martin, I.
Wounded – Co. A – Sergeant Henry A. Slack, right arm; Corporal Anton Reeder, left shoulder; privates John H. Miller, elbow joint amputated; John L. Sheldon, left hand; Peter Roberts, fracture right arm with flesh wound in side. Co. B – Sergeant John Sullivan, neck and lung; Sergeant Peter Roche, contusion ant. tibia, right leg; Corporal Wm. D. Wager, contusion right lumbar; privates John G. McTominy, right side, slight; Peter Sloan, fractured radius, left arm; Aaron Bremer, thigh, flesh wound; Otis Strong, left hand. Co. C – Sergeant Chas. S. Phillips, chest, severe; Corporal James Johnson, left foot; privates John Hofmeister, neck and lower jaw; John Snow, fracture left leg; Aaron B. Davis, contusion right arm; Joseph Rogers, contusion left shoulder; Jacob Coons, head, slight. Co. D – Privates Sylvester Madden, right thigh, flesh wound; Geo. Brown, finger. Co. E – Capt. Frank W. Tarbell, condyle inj. maxillary, exit mouth; Sergeant Rollin Jenkins, contusion right arm; Sergeant C. F. Harrington; Corporal George White, elbow, flesh wound; Corporal Seymour Carr, face and tongue, since dead; privates Geo. W. Mead, left scapula; Wm. Godfrey, elbow joint amputated; Michael Quinn, L. R. Woodcock, shoulder; Geo. Price, neck, slight; Eugene Kelly, left arm. Co. F – Sergeant J. S. McFaddin, thigh, flesh wound; privates John Gannon, neck and head, severe; Geo. Williams, ulna left arm; Alex. McKelvy, fractured tibia near ankle, left foot, two toes of right foot; Virgil Jackson, slight; Robert Taggart, slight. Co. G – Privates John R. Wethey, leg; Jas. Flynn, D. B. Farrell, left groin. Co. H – Privates Nelson Clemmence, abdomen, penetrating; Edward Alipaw, contusion left side; Dagobert Zeiser, inj. maxillary, fracture. Co. I – Corporal Leonard Ducharme, privates Edward Corron, side, penetrating, mortal; John Niles, right forearm, flesh wound; John Tavis, thigh, flesh wound; David Clancy, flesh wound left hip; Michael O'Brien, left forearm, flesh wound. Co. K – Sergeant Ezra Crannell, right shoulder, arm and left hand; Sergeant Albert Tompkins, right shoulder, slight; Corporal E. T. Penny, left arm, fractured radius; privates John Kennelly, left hand, two fingers; Lewis Byron, left lung and arm; Frank Gillispie, gluteus, flesh wound; Robert Martin, contusion right shoulder; James Keller, gluteus, flesh wound; Jos. Powlett, right arm, flesh wound; Louis Shaffer, shoulder and scapula; Ernest Burnman, contusion left forearm. Sergeant-Major Edgar Vanderzee, contusion inj. maxillary.
CONFEDERATE ACCOUNTS
HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON’S DIVISION, Near Petersburg, Friday, July 1, 1864.
COLONEL: In the absence of Major-General Johnson on the line I have the honor to submit the following report for the last twenty-four hours:
Brigadier-General Elliott reports that there has been no perceptible approach of the enemy’s works within the last twenty-four hours. Colonel Faison, commanding Ransom’s brigade, reports only the usual picket-firing in front of his line. His works are gradually being strengthened, the completion of which is somewhat delayed, however, on account of the scarcity of tools. General Gracie reports that he has been busily occupied in strengthening his line since yesterday, and thinks he can “hold his position against all that comes.” In the afternoon of yesterday, about 5 p. m., the enemy advanced with a skirmish line and two lines of battle on that portion of the line in the woods between the railroad cut and the branch, General Gracie’s skirmish line retiring. He opened upon the enemy with musketry, and soon repulsed them, they first throwing themselves upon the ground, and then retiring. During the engagement the enemy replied with musketry and artillery, doing but little injury with the former, but killing and wounding a few with the latter. At night General Gracie re-established his skirmish line and sent out scouts, the most reliable of whom report no change in the enemy’s rifle-pits, and contradict the report that the enemy are erecting a battery in his front. He reports all quite at 7 a. m. this day.
The following list of casualties within the last twenty-four hours is respectfully submitted: Gracie’s brigade, 5 killed, 17 wounded; Johnson’s brigade, 2 killed, 11 wounded; Ransom’s brigade, 1 killed, 6 wounded; Elliott’s brigade, 4 killed, 5 wounded. Total, 12 killed, 39 wounded.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, &c.,
R. E. FOOTE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
(For Major-General Johnson.)
Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, PART I-Reports, Volume 7, Serial No. &, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997. Pages 279-280.
Excerpt from the diary of Major-General Bushrod Rust Johnson, C.S. Army, June13- July 30, 1864.
June 30, Thursday __ At 5:15 p.m. enemy advanced with two lines of [illegible] and skirmishes on Gracie’s front between railroad and branch, about 50 to 100 yards to left of railroad, and opened with musketry and artillery. Musketry soon repulsed them, and picket line was re-established.
Gracie had five killed, seventeen wounded. Johnson’s Brigade had two killed and eleven wounded. Colonel Fulton badly wounded by shell in eye. Gracie’s reserve regiment brought into trenches. Artillery fire during night under the idea that the enemy were putting up a battery, front of Gracie’s.
