CT AG 65-66: Report of Lieutenant Colonel Samuel A. Moore, 14th Connecticut, of operations March 25, 1865

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Samuel A. Moore, 14th Connecticut, of operations March 25, 1865¹

HEAD-QUARTERS 14th Conn. Vols.,
March 27, 1865.

Brig. Gen. H. J. Morse,
Adjutant-General of Connecticut,
Hartford, Conn.

General:

I have the honor to report that upon the 25th instant I was detailed by General William Hayes, commanding the Second Division, Second Corps, to take a force of five hundred men and make a demonstration near the left of the line held by the corps, for the purpose of drawing the attention of the enemy from movements which were taking place further to the right.

The regiments assigned to me for this purpose were the 14th Connecticut, the 12th New Jersey, 69th and 106th Pennsylvania Volunteers.

On our way out to the picket line several shells were thrown at the column by the enemy, without, however, doing any harm. Upon reaching the picket line, near the Armstrong house, I deployed four companies of the Fourteenth as skirmishers, under the command of Captain Murdock. One company under Lieutenant Russell was also deployed upon the left, as flankers. The remainder of the command being formed in line of battle, we advanced for about half a mile, most of the way through

thick woods, when we found an entrenched skirmish line of the enemy, strongly posted on the opposite side of Hatcher’s Run.

We attacked them, but for a time it seemed impossible for the men to ford the Run, it being wide and deep, and the trees from both banks being felled into the stream, so that their branches presented a very serious obstacle to crossing.

At length, however, our skirmishers effected a passage, capturing the enemy’s works, with about seventy prisoners, one of whom was a commissioned officer. Another commissioned officer was taken at a house about half a mile further on. Near this house an earthwork was found which had been thrown up for artillery, but which was unoccupied.

I did not think it advisable to advance any further with the small force under my command. A bridge was built across the Run and a skirmish line established, the main part of the force, however, being kept on this side. The enemy were seen moving in the woods beyond, in considerable numbers, but they made no effort to retake the ground that they had lost.

At about 11 o’clock P. M., the object for which we were sent out having been accomplished, we returned to camp, after having destroyed the bridge across the Run.

The following is a list of the casualties sustained by the 14th Connecticut Volunteers:

2nd Lieut. John T. Bradley, Co. K, wounded in arm, severely.
1st Sergt. Russell Glenn, Co. A, wounded in breast, [severely]
Private Dennis Driscol, Co. D, wounded in leg, [severely]
[Private] Wm. Young, Co. I, wounded in leg, [severely]
[Private] John Bayhan, Co. K, wounded in neck, [severely]
[Private] Jesse J. Hoadley, Co. K, wounded.

We lost no officers or men killed or missing.

I am happy to state that the officers and men behaved well in all respects in this affair. Capt. Murdock, commanding the skirmish line, Captain Morgan, commanding the remaining companies of the regiment, and Adjutant Hincks, all rendered me valuable assistance.

The following named enlisted men distinguished themselves, being the first to cross the Run, some of them wading in water up to their necks:

1st Sergt. Russell Glenn, Co. A.
Private Pierce Barron, Co. B.
Sergt. Everett L. Dudley, [Co.] G.
[Private] Edward Riley, [Co.] E.
Corp. Hiram H. Fox, [Co.] B.
[Private] Geo. W. Smith, [Co.] F.
Private Patrick Moore, Co. A.
Private Geo. W. Sanford, Co. H.
[Private] James Kerns,  [Co.] B.
[Private] Pierre Morel, [Co.] K.

I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,

SAM’L A. MOORE,
Lieut. Col. Comd’g 14th Conn. Vols.

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