Numbers 324. Report of Colonel Josiah Pickett, Twenty-fifth Massachusetts Infantry, First Brigade, of operations June 18-December 16.

HDQRS. TWENTY-FIFTH Regiment MASSACHUSETTS VOLS.,
New Berne, N. C., December 16, 1864.

SIR: *

From this period [June 18] until August 25 the regiment remained in the trenches exposed to an incessant infantry and artillery fire, with constant skirmishing. Our casualties during this time were 6 killed, 1 officer and 24 men wounded. August 25, regiment, in connection with the brigade, recrossed the Appomattox, taking position on the left of General Butler's line of works, remaining in the trenches then until September 4; the regiment then received orders to proceed to North Carolina, reaching New Berne on the 10th of September. On the 5th of October that portion of the regiment whose term of service had expired were ordered to the place of enrollment, Worcester, Mass., and there on the 20th mustered out of the service of the United States. The regiment is consolidated into four companies, with headquarters at camp near Fort Spinola, detachments doing guard and picket duty at Brice's Ferry and on the line of railway to Morehead City. From the 9th to 13th of December the regiment participated in a demonstration on Kingston, N. C.

During the past year the regiment has lost some of its best officers. Captain O'Neil, Lieutenant Daley, Upton, Matthews, Pelton, and Graham, have nobly and gallantly fallen in the faithful discharge of their duties; the adjutant, Lieutenant McConville, a brave and accomplished officer, also died of wounds received in the battle of Cold Harbor, Va., 3rd of June, 1864. The excellent conduct of both officers and men under all circumstances elicits my entire approbation. Their vigilance, fidelity, fortitude, with the unsurpassed and unflinching valor at all times displayed, entitles them to the highest and most unqualified praise.

I append a statistical table of the alterations and casualties in the regiment from the date of its organization to the expiration of its original term of service, October 7, 1864:

Officers Enlisted

men

Original number 38 1,000

Gained by civil appointment 5 -

Promotions in the regiment 23 -

Recruits from depot - 277

66 1,277

Killed in action 4 60

Died and wounds 3 60

Died of disease - 70

Missing in action and prisoners of war 2 122

Resigned 27 -

Discharged for disability 4 268

Discharged for promotion in regiment - 23

Discharged for promotion in other - 38

regiments

Transferred from the regiment 1 15

Mustered out by reason of expiration of 15 248

term

Desertions - 13

56 917

Remaining in regiment October 7, 1864 10 360

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*For portion of report here omitted see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p. 1016, and Vol. XL, Part I, p. 719.

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