OR XL P1 #221: Reports of Captain Edward W. Rogers, 19th NY Btty, June 12-July 30, 1864

No. 221. Reports of Captain Edward W. Rogers, Nineteenth New York Battery.¹

CAMP NINETEENTH NEW YORK BATTERY, Before Petersburg, August 12, 1864.

SIR: +

FIFTH EPOCH.

On the evening of June 12 marched with the Second Division toward the Chickahominy, which we crossed on the 14th, and parked near the James River the same evening. Crossed the James on the pontoon

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+For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 5 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.938.

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bridge the morning of the 15th, went into park in a clover field, and remained there until near midnight, then joined the Second Division and marched toward Petersburg, near which place went into park on the afternoon of June 16.

On the evening of June 18 put my battery in position in rear of Second Division and threw up earth-works. Remained there until the evening of June 27l, when I received orders to withdraw my battery and park it at the rear. The evening of the 28th I sent a section to relieve the Fifteenth New York Battery, of the Second Corps, which was in position near the left of the Ninth Corps line.

July 9, this section was taken from that position and the entire battery was returned to the position it took June 18, and there it remained While in this position I have opened on the enemy’s lines at different times, as circumstances required it. My loss here in killed and wounded has been quite severe.

List of casualties in Nineteenth New York Light Battery from May 4, 1864, to July 30, 1864.*

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. W. ROGERS,

Captain Nineteenth New York Battery.

Lieutenant SAMUEL CHAPIN,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
HEADQUARTERS NINETEENTH NEW YORK BATTERY, Before Petersburg, Va., July [August] 5, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Nineteenth New York Battery, under my command, in the action near Petersburg, Va., on July 30, 1864:

At 3.30 o’clock on the morning of that day the battery was ready to commence firing, cannoneers at their posts, and the direction given to each piece. At the given signal – the explosion of the mine – I immediately commenced firing and continued it at intervals as occasion required during the entire engagement. This fire was mainly directed against a battery of the enemy which was in position and strongly intrenched some 500 yards to the left (their left) of the crater and whose fired only solid shot, but was finally directed by General Potter to try shell, which I did, and the result was very satisfactory. Although I did not completely silence the fire of the enemy’s battery I succeeded in causing it to slacken very much and to stop entirely at times, and also in causing the battery to change position several times (each time toward the rear), which it did under cover of the woods. It kept inside of its works, which were very strong and so extensive as to allow it to change position without much exposure, the woods also preventing us from observing its movements. I fired 670 rounds of ammunition, mostly from five guns, one gun being temporarily disabled early in the action. The only casualty I have to report is one enlisted man wounded.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. W. ROGERS,

Captain Nineteenth New York Battery.

Lieutenant SAMUEL CHAPIN,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Artillery, Ninth Corps.

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*Nominal list (omitted) shows 8 enlisted men killed and 18 enlisted men wounded.

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