OR XL P1 #282: Report of Lieutenant Colonel George W. Lewis, 3rd NY Cav, June 15, 1864

Numbers 282. Report of Lieutenant Colonel George W. Lewis, Third New York Cavalry, of operations June 15.¹

HEADQUARTERS THIRD NEW YORK CAVALRY,
In the Field, June 17, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to make the following report of the action of my regiment on the recent march:

I crossed the Appomattox about 2 o’clock the morning of the 15th instant, and joined the column about three miles from the pontoon. After marching about seven miles, my regiment being the advance, the vedettes were fired into by a strong rebel concealed behind an extensive blockade; the carbineers of my regiment were dismounted and charged, under command of Captain James R. Chamberlin;our loss was only 2 horses; 1 rebel soldier was killed and 1 taken prisoner. Nothing further of importance transpired until arriving on the extreme right of the works around Petersburg. The carbineers of my regiment there present (ninety-six in number) were deployed as skirmishers, advancing on the rebel earth-works. The casualties attending the skirmishing were as follows: During the skirmishing Colonel Simon H. Mix is reported to have been mortally wounded. As he was not in the vicinity of my regiment. I am unable to report the circumstances attending it. Private Nuttall, Company E, killed. Mortimer Odett, Company G, accidentally shot himself; Captain James R. Chamberlin, Company A; James Larkin, Company D; Sergeant Mosier, Company E; Thomas Cook, Company K; Alfred Van Buskirk, Company K; and Philander Freeman, Company M, wounded slightly; Corporal Ellis, Company I, and Sergeant Cummings, Company K, missing.

I arrived in camp at 5 p.m.

I am, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE W. LEWIS,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant I. H. PUTNAM,,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, First Brigadier, Kautz’s Cavalry Division.

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