Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by researcher and author Kathryn Lerch, who generously donated a large collection of material on the 8th New York Heavy Artillery for use at The Siege of Petersburg Online.
Head Quarters 8th N.Y. Vol.1
Near Petersburg, Va., June 23, 1864
Friend Waite:— I mailed you a very hurried note this morning in reference to our charge of last evening, but will give you the particulars now.
About 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, the rebels flanked a division in front of us, and captured four guns of the 12th N.Y. battery, drove our men back, and turned the guns upon us, as we lay only a short distance to the rear. About five o’clock we were ordered to advance and recapture the guns. We advanced some 500 yards, and prepared for the charge, but were not supported at all. The order came to charge and our men went steadily forward under a terrible fire, and succeeded in getting within fifty yards of the enemy’s works, where we halted and built up a line of works under a heavy fire, and held them. This morning at daylight we were again ordered to advance and take the works, which we did in splendid style, driving the ‘rebs’ out, but found they had taken away the guns in the night. The loss is very heavy, in fact our whole brigade suffered severely, which consists of the 8th N.Y. Art., 164th, 155th, 190th, and 69th N.Y. Volunteers, or ‘Irish Legion.’ This brigade has done more charging the past four weeks than any brigade I know of. [partial list of casualties June 22]
I cannot at this time give the names of all the wounded, but will say that eighty-seven men have thus been reported wounded last night and this morning, an accurate count cannot be given.
Capt. S. Dexten Ludden, is reported a prisoner; as he was in the skirmish line and has not been seen since, this is probably the case.
Col. Blaisdell, commanding our brigade, was killed; this being the third brigade Commander we have lost.
Yours, &c., “Jack”2
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