Today in History:

122 Series I Volume XXXVI-II Serial 68 - Wilderness-Cold Harbor Part II

Page 122 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter XLVIII.

May 15, about 5 p. m., I took an order to the Twenty-first Connecticut Volunteers to report to General Weitzel.

May 16, about 4.20 a. m., I took an order to General Ames--

To send the portion of his division then at the Half-Way House to the front.

A short time afterward I took a request to General Butler-

To order a regiment (of General Ames' division), then near his headquarters, to report to General Smith.

To which he replied:

Tell General Smith that I will order the regiment to report to him, and that I will order a regiment up from our entrenchments, and tell him to do the same.

I next carried a request to General Butler-

To order the troops of cavalry which he had temporarily detached from the squadron at our headquarters to drive up the stragglers.

General Butler then ordered the troops of cavalry to report to me and I gave then the necessary orders. About 7.30 a. m., when General Heckman's brigade was reforming at the Half-Way House, I was ordered to form the Ninth New Jersey Volunteers on the left of the Ninety-eighth New York Volunteers, which I did, the Ninety-eighth New York Volunteers having advanced to the edge of the woods before the line was formed. About 7.45 a. m. I carried an order to General Brooks "to retire slowly," and informed him that General Weitzel was advancing his line until it connected with his, when he would commence retiring again to take up a stronger position. General Brooks then requested me to inform General Smith that his right was some distance to the left of the turnpike, but that he would try to make the connection. After General Brooks had formed his line near the Half-Way House I took an order to General Witzel-

To form his line so that he held possession of the road (on the right of the Petersburg and Richmond turnpike) which led to our old camp.

About 5.30 p. m. I was sent by General Smith to see that the troops of the Eighteenth Army Corps came in on the proper road; after which I returned to camp with the rear guard. I was sent to the rear several times during the day to bring up ammunition, and carried a number of orders of minor importance during the campaign.

The different orders may not be word for word as they were given, but in substance they are the same. I have tried to give the time at which the orders were taken, but owing, to the want of a proper order book some of them are not exact.

Very respectfully,

CAMPBELL TUCKER,

First Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

Lieutenant Colonel N. BOWEN, A. A. G.


Numbers 49. Report of James A. Scrymser, Volunteer Aide-de-Camp, of operations May 12-16.

HDQRS. EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, May 23, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit this my report of the more important orders I delivered, by direction of Major General William F. Smith, during the campaign of May 12 to 16, inclusive:

May 12, 9 a. m.-To direct General Turner to advance with cau-


Page 122 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter XLVIII.