doned ; not, however, until after their arms and
equipments were rendered useless.

The pickets being all drawn in, with the ex
ception of a squad of ten belonging to the Second
Iowa, who ventured too far north and were sur
rounded, and either killed or captured, the bri
gade started upon the return march. Before set
ting out, Col. Elliott had become satisfied, by
information obtained from prisoners,, that Beaure
gard s army was retreating along the left of the
Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and hence he took the
right, and succeeded in safely reaching our lines,
meanwhile extended south of Corinth on Satur
day morning. On the way up he picked up three
rebel officers and fifty-seven privates, and brought
them into camp.

His command had marched nearly two hun
dred miles in three days and a half. His men
had hardly any sleep, in spite of their fearful
fatigue, and nothing to eat for the last twenty-
four hours of the expedition. The animals had
to subsist during the last three days on what for
age could be hunted up along the route. Yet,
notwithstanding this exhaustive taxation of men
and animals, the cavalry brigade sought no rest,
but immediate^ joined in the pursuit, and en
gaged as energetically in it as though riders and
horses had not just made the severest and long
est march in the shortest time, but were just en
tering the field fresh from camp. They kept
always in the advance, scouting in all directions,
scouring every woods for the enemy for miles



DOCUMENTS.



229



around. On the fourth of June, the brigade,
supported by Powell s battcr3 r , made a forced re-
connoissance, and encountered a strong body of
rebel cavalry, infantry, and artillery, a short dis
tance this side of Blackland, with whom they
had a successful skirmish, the Second Iowa los
ing three killed and nine wounded, and the
Second Michigan two killed and seven wounded.
Again, on the sixth, it made another reconnois-
sance in the direction of Baldwin, skirmishing
for six miles, and driving the enemy that distance
to Twenty-Mile Creek, in the bottom of which
lay a large body of rebel infantry. On the ninth
the brigade, temporarily in command of Colonel
Sheridan, was directed to proceed the shortest
possible road from near Blackland to Baldwin.
It did so, and arrived at the latter point on the
following morning at four o clock, finding the
enemy gone. Lieut. -Col. Hatch was then ordered
with a battalion each of the Second Michigan and
Second Iowa, to proceed toward Guntown and
feel the position of the enemy. He came upon
his rear, one and a half miles from Guntown, and
his bold advance forced the rebels out, with in
fantry, cavalry, and artillery ; when, having ful
filled his mission, he returned to Baldwin. This
was the last attempt made by any portion of our
forces to follow up the retreating enemy.

It was not only in the last days of the siege of
Corinth, and during the pursuit, that the brigade
made a reputation for boldness and power of en
durance. From the very day they landed at
Hamburgh, portions of it engaged almost daily
in venturesome, successful outpost enterprises.
The gallant charge of the brigade upon a rebel
battery near Farmington, on the ninth ultimo,
alone won for it the confidence and admiration
of the whole army.

Its efficiency is principally due to the efforts
of Col. Elliott, than whom a better cavalry officer
can hardly be found in the service. It is but
gratifying that he has already obtained his well-
deserved reward by his promotion to a Brigadier-
Generalship. He is now on duty on Gen. Pope s
staff, and Col. Sheridan is permanently assigned
to the command of the brigade.



Doc. 77.
BATTLE OF OAK GROVE, YA.

DESPATCHES FROM GENERAL McCLELLAN.*

REDOUBT No. 3, Wednesday, June 251.30 P.M.
Hon. E. J/. Stanton, Secretary of War :

WE have advanced our pickets on the left con
siderably, to-day, under sharp resistance. Our
aien have behaved very handsomely. Some fir
ing still continues. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General Commanding.
REDOUBT No. 3, Wednesday, June 25 3.15 P.M.

Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War :

The enemy are making desperate resistance to
the advance of our picket-lines. Kearney, and

* Further reports of this engagement will be given in the Sup
plement.



one half of Hooker s are where I want them. I
have this moment reenforced Hooker s right with
a brigade and a couple of guns, and hope in a
few minutes to finish the work intended for to
day. Our men are behaving splendidly. The
enemy are fighting well also. _ This is not a bat
tle, merely an affair of Heintzelman s corps, sup
ported by Keyes, and thus far all goes well, and
we hold every foot we have gained. If we suc
ceed in what we have undertaken, it will be a
very important advantage gained. Loss not large
thus far. The fighting up to this time has been
done by Gen. Hooker s division, which has be
haved as usual, that is, most handsomely. Oa
our right, Porter has silenced the enemy s bat
teries in his front. G. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General Commanding.
REDOUBT No. 3, Wednesday, June 25 5 P.M.
Hon. E. If. Stanton, Secretary of War :

The affair is over, and we have gained our
point fully, and with but little loss, notwithstand
ing the strong opposition. Our men have done
all that could be desired. The affair was partially
decided by two guns that Capt. Duscnbury
brought gallantly into action under very difficult
circumstances. The enemy was driven from his
camps in front of this, and all is now quiet.

G. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General Commanding. *

REPORT OF COLONEL COWDIN.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST REGIMENT MASS. VOLS., )
CAMP AT FAIR OAKS, VA., June 2<>. j

Wm. Schoulcr, Adj. -Gen. of Massachusetts :

GENERAL : In accordance with orders from the
Brigade-General commanding the First brigade, I
left my camp at Fair Oaks yesterday morning,
and proceeded with my command to the front
nto the fallen timber, where I deployed the regi
ment as skirmishers, throwing out advanced pick
ets in front of my line, and supported by the re
mainder of the brigade, advanced for the purpose
of driving in the enemy s pickets and advancing
our lines of main pickets through a swamp into
an open field, a distance of about three quarters
of a mile.

After advancing about one third of the distance,
our advanced pickets became engaged and drove
the enemy s pickets back on to their reserve,
where they made a determined stand. I now
;ent for support, as had been previously agreed,
and was promptly joined by the Second New-
Hampshire regiment, than which a more reliable
one cannot be found in the service. Our right
at this time rested in the direction of the Rich-
nond and Williamsburgh turnpike, and our left
towards Gen. Kearney s division.

Moving forward my regiment, we became en
gaged with the enemy s reserve picket in consid
erable force, and drove them back, step by step.
At this time we met with a severe loss, by the
wounding of Second Lieut. Joseph H. Dalton,
immediately followed by that of Captain* Wild,
Carruth and Chamberlin, and Second Lieutenants
Thomas and Parkinson, who were carried to the
rear, besides quite a number of non-commissioned



230



REBELLION RECORD, 1862.



officers, leaving two companies under the com
mand of corporals.



McClellan thought it desirable to advance our
lines at this point to the other side of the woods



After a brisk encounter of about an hour I or- at the risk of a general engagement. (You will
dered my whole line to move forward, which they | also observe that it is the point" in our lines n car-
did with a shout, the enemy giving way before j est Richmond on its direct lines of communica-
us, bearing with them most of their killed and tion.) Gen. Hcintzelman was accordingly ordered



wounded. We drove them through the open
fields and swamp, wading in many places nearly
to our waists in mud and water, and establishing
our lino of pickets as previously indicated by the



to push Hooker s division into the disputed ter
ritory, and hold a line near the enemy s espla
nade. Porter s batteries, meantime, had openec
a furious bombardment upon the enemy at Gar-



Commanding General, but not without quite a I net s farm and Old Tavern, fixing their attention



serious loss.

The officers and men under my command de
serve the highest praise for their attention to and
prompt obedience to orders.
I have the honor to remain,

Very respectfully your ob t servant,

ROBERT COWDIN,

Colonel Commandin- First Iles t Mass. Vols.



rather closely to those points. Generals Sickles s
and Grover s brigades deployed right and left,
and moved into the forest in line of battle, G ro
ver being commander on the actual field of battle,
with orders to report to Gen. Hooker, who posted
himself on the edge of the timber to watch the
whole line. The Nineteenth Massachusetts, Col.
Hinks, (of Sumner s corps,) was thrown out in
line to protect the right flank, and Kearney s di-

CAMP ON FAIR OAKS BATTLE-FIELD, VA., ) vision was advanced to protect the left, General
Thursday, June 20, 18G2. j Robinson s brigade joining Grover s. Hooker s

To enable you to comprehend the action, I will Third brigade, commanded by Col. Carr, Second
report its history circumstantially. It was fought | New- York volunteers, ( not Second New-York
on Fair Oaks Farm, nearly a mile in front of the State Militia,) was ordered to remain behind the
battle-field of Fair Oaks. The latter derives its j intrenchments in support.

title from the railway station. But Fair Oaks | Our force advanced cautiously, but with great
Homestead is a mile south of the station, and j difficulty, through the heavy swamps and thick-



A NATIONAL ACCOUNT.



south of the Williamsburgh stage-road. The fight,
in military parlance, was an " affair." I am al
most tempted to denominate it the Battle of
Casualties. Wherefore ? Six hundred and forty
brave men were killed and wounded and we



ets, skirmishers in front, until the rebel pickets
were ousted. A brisk engagement opened im
mediately with their supports. They were speed
ily forced back, but rallied upon strong reCn-
forcements, and the battle became general. It



gained a barren victory. Its true result was a ! was impossible to distinguish anything but smoke
reconnoissance of some value, which might have ! and mounted officers dashing back and forth
been better made, (it seems to me,) by a single ; along the line. The furious tumult within the
courageous man. The operation was intended to woody recesses was a sufficient assurance of hot
be highly important, but under the present cir- [ strife. The firing on both sides was very heavy,



cumstances its real value is obscured in a sea of
uncertain speculation.



and it was as easy to distinguish the respective
volleys as it is to distinguish between two human

Knowledge of the situation is necessary to an voices our own being sharp and ringing, those
understanding of the affair. You will bear in I of the enemy dull and heavy, like the reports of
mind that Gen. Porter s batteries, on the east shot-guns. Our men were armed with Spring-
bank of the river, command several important j field and Enfield guns, the enemy with Harper s
rebel batteries on this side including those on I Ferry muskets, which their officers prefer. I was
James Garnet s farm and at Old Tavern. By re- j impressed that the enemy were most numerous,
ferring to your maps, you will discover that the j Gen. G rover was so satisfied of the fact that he
Williamsburgh stage-road, and the Richmond and i notified Gen. Hooker. He begun to think that
York River Railroad, run almost parallel at Fair j it would have been wiser had he brought Colonel
Oaks station. The deviations will not affect the I Wyman s Sixteenth Massachusetts regiment into
general description. By running a line due south j battle. He had left him in reserve on the edge
from Fair Oaks station, you will intersect the Wil- j of the wood, consoling him with the remark that
Uamsburgh road at Hooker s camp. Given the j his regiment " had won glory enough at Fair
enemy s line of intrenchments, a mile, or perhaps Oaks." Sickles commanded not only his brigade,
more, in advance, and you have the figure of an but each of his regiments, leading and inspiring
irregular parallelogram of which the east end is j each with his own fiery ardor,
occupied by Hooker s command, the west by the j The first reports of picket alarms had hardly
enemv. In front of Hooker there is a wide field | subsided before ambulances, loaded with wound-
and entanglement, which is our territory ; a belt | ed, began to debouch from the forest, and it was
of timber and thicket, perhaps five hundred yards) not a great while before a long procession of
wide, which has been bloodily debated now some ! bloody forms upon stretchers followed them. A
twenty-five days ; still further beyond, another \ half-hour or more, perhaps, after the first attack,
broad field, intersected by the stage-road and j the fire extended across Hooker s entire line, to
railroad, and commanded by rebel rifle-pits, and! Hinks s flanking regiment, which was as hotly en-
a redoubt near the railroad. I gaged as its neighbors. The fire gradually in-

For reasons best understood by himself, Gen. I creased in intensity, indicating the arrival of new



DOCUMENTS.



2IU



combatants from the other side. Birney s brigade
was then deployed in line of battle as reserves.
Meanwhile two of our batteries opened gingerly,
and hurled a few shells over the combatants, to
disturb the enemy s supports, but the firing was
not effective and it soon ceased. Not long after
the fight had extended along the whole line,
there was a perceptible change in the enemy s
mode of firing. It appeared to me like heavy
skirmishing fire, but our own continued in a
steady stream and was sustained until the rebels
had been driven clear back to their lines. Our
gallant fellows, however, pushed forward steadily
under a murderous fire, and evinced no symp
toms of weakness, while the enemy as constantly
retired until they reached the edge of the timber,
when they retreated in disorder to their advanced
rifle-pits. When about to follow in mad pursuit,
our line was suddenly halted by order of supe
rior authority. The lads burst into a series of
jubilant cheers of triumph that rang through the
forests like a concert of trumpets. Alas ! how
many of their gallant comrades had been left in
the dismal swamps, weltering in their gore.

But there had been an incomprehensible mis
conception of orders. It might have proved dis
astrous had not Gen. Grovcr taken a responsibil
ity. While he was pressing back the enemy, he
received an order to recall the troops. Remark
ing that there was a misunderstanding, he de
termined to push onward until an explanation
^ould "be made. Fortunately, he had time to
achieve victory, and somewhat later he was again
ordered to fall back. Gen. McClellan, who had
remained at headquarters to communicate with
General Porter and our left wing, now appeared
upon the field, and ordered the reoccupation of
the conquered territory. Birney s brigade had
already returned to camp, and Grover and Sick
les s were resting on our side of the timber, hav
ing left a powerful picket in front. Part of
Couch s division was sent forward, and a section
of De Hussy s battery, consisting of two Napo
leon guns, was advanced. During the afternoon
one ineffectual effort was made by the enemy to
recover lost ground, and a desultory picket-firing
and considerable sharp-shooting was going on
all along the line. The battery was vigorously
worked, and the rifle-pits were soon cleaned out.
An hour before sunset, a strong force of the ene
my suddenly appeared on the left of Hooker, and
sharply attacked Robinson s brigade, but they
were soon driven back, with mutual loss. At
sunset the day was ours, indisputably. Birney s
brigade relieved Robinson, and Couch s division
remained on the field. We had conquered a bet
tor position, and fatigue-parties were ordered to
intrench the lines under cover of darkness. It
was a dearly-bought victory.

Our new line was established over half a mile
in advance of our old intrenchments, in a position
which menaced the enemy in his vital points. It
was apparent that he must come out and drive us
away, or be driven back upon Richmond. Dur
ing the entire afternoon Gen. McClellan sat upon
the parapet of the redoubt where bullets had



whistled rather dangerously during the fight
awaiting developments, and apparently pleased at
his success. When the labor of the clay closed,
it was supposed that a general attack would be
made upon us in the morning, and the men were
urged to work earnestly in the trenches. Until
ten o clock at night, it was profoundly quiet in
every direction. At that hour a thundering vol
ley, commencing at the quadrilateral, rolled along
our front, close down to the left of Kearney s
line. Bullets rattled through the foliage of the
forest like hail. An instant later our troops wer&
swarming at the defences like angry bees. Sim
ultaneously there was a vicious response frorr
our picket supports, and a big battle seemed
looming up in the darkness. It was awfully
sensational during some three or four minutes,
when silence asserted itself again. After that
furtive effort to steal revenge for defeat, the
rebels concluded to let us alone, and, with the
exception of occasional picket-firing, our camps
were not disturbed again until about daybreak,
when the irritated enemy repeated the experi
ment of the night before. Unfortunately for
both sides, the result was rather sanguinary.
Our men had laid upon their arms all night, and
at three o clock were in line of battle, awaiting
attack. It did not come for sufficient reasons,
as you will see.

At eight o clock the mystery was explained.
Gen. McClellan had tidings that Stonewall Jack
son was moving swiftly down the isthmus, be
tween the Pamunkey and Chickahominy, to
crush his right flank. It was necessary to yield
part of the fruits of the sanguinary field of Fair
Oaks Farm, and dispositions were made to repel
any attempt the enemy might make to assist
Jackson. Our pickets, powerfully supported,
were left upon the conquered field, and to this
hour (three o clock P.M.) no effort had been made
to dislodge them. We understand it, however.
It is interpreted by an awful cannonading on our
right wing, indicating that the hero of the valley
has struck against McCall and his Pennsylvania
reserves. It is the most terrific cannonading ever
heard. We now look for battle to open in front
immediately.

The affair of Fair Oaks Farm, considered in the
light of a mere victory, although it was bravely
won, was most dearly purchased. I am informed
that our casualties amount to the shocking total
of six hundred and forty men including the
night s tragedies. Of these about sixty were
killed, and perhaps seventy-five to one hundred
are missing. But the latter may report them
selves soon. The enemy had no opportunity to
capture prisoners. The rebel loss does not ap
pear to have been half so severe. They had
more killed, but fewer wounded. The explana
tion is obvious. They bushwhacked and our
men fought in line of battle. They sought thw
cover of trees and skirmished successfully, while
our troops were exposed. Many of our ^casualties
may be charged to sharp-shooters posted in trees.
It is surprising that our officers did not adopt
the crafty tactics of the enemy. We captured a



232



REBELLION RECORD, 1862.



few Georgians and Louisiana volunteers, includ
ing a Louisiana major, of Blanchard s brigade.

The strength of the enem}^ opposed to us has
not been satisfactory ascertained. The prison
ers assert that Longstrcct s division and part of
Hugcr s were in the field. It is probable, as we
know that Longstreet s and Huger s divisions,
supported by Hill s corps, hold that line.

We lost no prominent field-officers, but many
.i no-officers were wounded several killed. Two
of Hooker s aids had horses killed under them,
and Lieut. Whiting, aid to Gen. Robinson, lost an
arm. Colonel Morrison, a volunteer aid, was also
wounded. The most painful misfortune of the
day was the mortal wounding of Lieut. Bullock,
of the Seventh Massachusetts, who was struck in
the back by a fragment of one of our own shells,
while he was leading his company to support the
battery. Massachusetts again suffered heavily.
The First regiment lost ten killed and one hun
dred and nineteen wounded ; the Seventh, two
killed, fourteen wounded ; the Eleventh and Six
teenth suffered somewhat, and the Nineteenth
lost some forty-five men. Sicklcs s and Robin
son s brigades also suffered severely. But the
casualty lists will appear in the papers before
this can reach you.

The conduct of officers and men throughout
was admirable. There was little opportunity for
conspicuous exhibition of gallantry. But the
field was far more trying than an ordinary
battle. Men could not be subjected to a severer
test of courage, endurance, and discipline. But
our gallant volunteers gave evidence of qualities
which inspires the Commander-in-Chicf with per
fect confidence in them. Surely they have been
tried in fire and have not been found wanting.
Yorktown, Willianisburgh, Fair Oaks and Fair
Oaks Farm attest their unflinching firmness and
courage.

Among the few incidents of the battle which
deserve conspicuous attention, it is pleasant to
rescue from oblivion one involving a humble pri
vate. Charles Blake, company E, Seventh Mas
sachusetts, was severely wounded in the shoulder,
but not disabled. lie was sent to the field-hos
pital, and when his wound was dressed, he re
sumed his musket and pushed into the fight
again, against the remonstrances of the surgeon.
Not long afterwards he was brought back on a
stretcher with a disabling wound in the leg.

During the afternoon Gen. McClellan took a
scat on the parapet of a redoubt in front of
Hooker s intrenchments. Several Brigadiers, staff-
officers, and others, were clustering near him
when a peculiar whistle, something of a pro
longed chirp of a very big cricket, was heard.
Every body began to u duck," I m sure I did, and
a moment after a three-inch shell whisked direct
ly over our heads. Another, at the same instant,
passed a few feet to the right of us. Neither ex
ploded. The first lodged in the clay a few feet
beyond us, and was exhumed by a soldier. I am
quite positive that Gen. McClellan dodged. Even |
uld iron- sided Ileint/elman squirmed behind the i
magazine. No more explosions annoyed us. I



One of our lieutenants had his clothing cut by
seven balls. Two struck him fairly in the chest,
He wore a steel-plated vest, which undoubtedly
saved his life. He frankly confesses that when
he discovered the first ball did not hurt him, he
" was ten times as brave" as he had been. It ;$
probable that the rebels shoot at the legs of our
men, under a belief that their breasts are pro
tected by steel-plated vests.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

The correspondent of the New- York Herald
gives the following graphic account of the engage
ment :

It should be clearly understood what this par
ticular fight was for. It was not an interruption
of our march to Richmond, in which, as might be
supposed, the rebels threw themselves in our way
and stopped us at a mile from our original line.
It was a fight for a position a determined strug
gle for a piece of ground which it was deemed
necessary that we should "have and hold." This
piece of ground is barely a mile beyond our form
er line, and we have it, "and hold it.

It will be remembered that the field on \vhich
the battle of Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines, was
fought, is bounded on the side toward Richmond
by a line of woods. This wood extends on either
side of the Williarnsburgh road for a mile, and
beyond it is a piece of open country. Our outer
pickets have been hitherto posted in that edge
of the wood which is furthest from the sacred
city, and the line of rebel pickets was drawn only
a little further in the woods, and so near to our
line that the men could talk to one another, (t
appeared to be well understood that any further
advance on our part would bring on a general en
gagement ; and in that view our line was kept
stationary. But finally it was deemed necessary
that our pickets should be posted at the other
edge of the wood.

Accordingly Gen. Heintzelman was ordered to
advance the pickets on his front to the point
named, and to advance the pickets on his left in
i line with those in front. At seven A.M., there
fore, the greater part of his two divisions was in