OR XL P1 #164: Report of Lieutenant Colonel Aaron W. Ebright, 126th OH, June 12-July 6, 1864

No. 164. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Aaron W. Ebright, One hundred and twenty-sixth Ohio Infantry, of operations June 12-July 6.¹

HDQRS.126TH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, August 27, 1864.

LIEUTENANT:*

V.

On the 13th [June] we crossed the Chickahominy at a point near Jones’ Bridge. Our picket detail joined us to-day at noon.

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*For portion of report [here omitted] covering operations from May 3 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.747.

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On the morning of the 15th my regiment received 114 drafted men and substitutes. With this accession to my strength I moved with the corps on the 16th to a point near the river and assisted in constructing a strong line of works facing to the rear and with each flank resting on the banks of the river. In the evening we moved to the river, and, embarking on steam transports, reached Bermuda Hundred at 11 p.m. At this place the corps lay in or near the works until Sunday, the 19th, when, having been relieved by the Eighteenth Army Corps, we moved across the Appomattox in direction of Petersburg.

At 10 p.m. on the 21st, having reached the extreme left of the line in front of Petersburg, after marching a short distance in line of battle, we took position, the men constructing slight defenses without the aid of intrenching tools.

On the 22nd we completed a strong line of works, but at 10 a.m. moved out of them to the front, the brigade in two lines of battle, my regiment in the front line. Having built breast-works of rails, we lay behind them until evening, when we about faced and moved back to our original works. Considerable skirmishing had occurred in our front during the afternoon. This day I had one man accidentally and mortally wounded while lying in the rail breast-works. In the evening we moved forward again in two lines, and, charging through the woods with a yell, captured a line of works from the enemy, from which he fled, offering but little resistance. During the night and succeeding day we held a position in the woods [having built new works] until evening, when we retired to our original works on the line first formed. In this position our line remained unchanged till noon of the 29th, when the corps marched to the left to operate on the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad. Having destroyed a considerable portion of the railroad, in which my regiment took no part, we returned again to original works without meeting the enemy in battle, arriving July 2.*

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. W. EBRIGHT,

Lieutenant-Colonel 126th Ohio Volunteers, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant JOHN A. GUMP,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General,2nd Brigadier,3rd Div., 6th Army Corps.

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*For continuation of report, see Vol. XXXVII, Part I, p.211.

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