Today in History:

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

Page 304 Chapter XLVIII. OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C.

and the regiment went into camp, greatly exhausted by fatigue and want of sleep, between 8 and 9 o'clock.

The short list* of casualties appended shows that the labor and danger of the day fell especially upon the detachment of skirmishers. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THEO. BACON,

Captain, Commanding Seventh Connecticut Volunteers.

Lieutenant E. LEWIS MOORE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Brigade.

ADDENDA.


HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEERS,
Near Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 12, 1864.

Colonel J. R. HAWLEY,

Commanding Second Brigade:

COLONEL: In reply to a verbal request from you for an expression of my opinion upon the subject, I do not hesitate to say that an assault upon the enemy's works before Petersburg, by the force under command, on the 9th instant, would have seemed to me in the highest degree unwise; in fact, considering the ample notice which the enemy had of our movement-many hours' notice-by the time our lines could been formed for an assault, such an attempt would have afforded, at the best, only the most desperate chances of success.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THEO. BACON,

Captain, Commanding Seventh Connecticut Volunteers.


Numbers 10. Statement of Lieutenant Colonel Josiah I. Plimpton, Third New Hampshire Infantry.


HDQRS. THIRD NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS,
Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 12, 1864.

SIR: Having been verbally requested by you to give my onion of the practicability of storming the works of the enemy around Petersburg, I have the honor to state that on the 9th instant my regiment first occupied a position in the edge of a piece of woods near the open field on the north of the City Point and Petersburg Railroad, and afterward moved to a high ridge on the south of the above railroad, and in front of and about 200 yards from a strong redoubt of the enemy. From these position I had a good opportunity to see the town (about 1 1\2 miles distant) and the enemy's line. I consider the lines of works quite strong and capable of being held by a small force against large numbers, the redoubts and batteries being so situation as to rake all the ground by which we could approach the town so far as i could see. It is my opinion that our forces on the 9th instant were entirely took small to attempt to enter the town.

J. I. PLIMPTON,

Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Third New Hampshire-Volunteers.

Colonel J. R. HAWLEY,

Commanding Second Brigade.

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* Not found.

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Page 304 Chapter XLVIII. OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C.