No. 158. Report of Colonel William S. Truex, Fourteenth New Jersey Infantry, commanding First Brigade, Third Division, of operations June 12-July 6.1
HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION, SIXTH CORPS, November 19, 1864.
CAPTAIN: *
FIFTH EPOCH.
June 12, Colonel Truex having reported for duty again assumed command of the brigade. At dark moved forward in the direction of Charles City Court-House, by way of Jones’ Bridge, on the Chickahominy River.
June 13, after a severe march the Chickahominy River was crossed at 9 p.m.
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*For portion of report [here omitted] covering operations from May 4 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.724.
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June 14, at 5 a.m. moved forward again, and at 12 m.halted near the James River, about four miles east of Charles City Court-House.
June 16, at 5 p.m. proceeded to Harvey’s Landing, opposite Wind Mill Point, on the James River, where the command embarked upon transports and reached Bermuda Hundred about midnight.
June 17, at this place the command was ordered to report to Major-General Butler, where we remained until the afternoon of the 19th, when we crossed the Appomattox River on pontoon bridge at Point of Rocks, and arrived in front of Petersburg about midnight.
June 21, in the afternoon moved to the left of the line southeast of Petersburg, near the Williams house, where earth-works were immediately thrown up. No movement of importance was made by this brigade until the afternoon of June 29. At 3 o’clock moved forward to Reams’ Station, on the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad, in the support of Wilson’s cavalry division. Reached the depot at 8 p.m., where we bivouacked for the night.
June 30, at daylight a portion of the troops were directed to throw up earth-works whilst the balance were employed in destroying the railroad. The object of the expedition having been accomplished we were ordered at dark to return to our former camp at the Williams house.
Arrived at our former position the morning of July 2, where we remained until daylight the morning of July 6, when we proceeded to City Point. In the afternoon embarked on transports for Baltimore, Md., which city we reached on the afternoon of the 7th, 1864.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. S. TRUEX,
Colonel, Commanding.
Captain ANDREW J. SMITH,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
Source:
- The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), pages 504-505 ↩