Editor’s Note: Dave Richards passed along this unpublished official report of Captain John R. Ross of the 84th Pennsyvania covering the fighting his regiment did at Peebles Farm on October 2, 1864. Dave transcribed this material and the transcription is copyrighted by him. It may not be used without his written permission. Dave maintains a Facebook Page on the 84th Pennsylvania which contains a lot of interesting material on the regiment.
Unpublished Report of Captain John R. Ross, Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, of operations September 30-October 5, 1864.1
Head Qurs 84th Regt. P.V.
October 7th / 64
Sir:
In obedience to circular of this date I have the honor to make the following Report.
On the 30th of Sept. This Regt. lay in camp near Fort Prescott under marching orders.
October 1st at about 12 1/2 p. m. we marched, in conjunction with the 2d Brig., to Hancock Station; took the cars and rode to Warren Station on the Weldon Road from which place we marched to Peeble’s House 3 or 3 1/2 miles west of the Weldon Rail Road and bivouacked for the night.
Oct. 2d marched about 3/4 of a mile further to the left when the Regt. was deployed as skirmishers, joined on the right by the 1st U.S.S.S. and on the left by the 141st Penna Vols supported by the 93rd N.Y. Vols and we advanced through the woods crossing a strong line of fresh Rebel works which were evacuated; we pushed on about one mile where we found the enemy strongly entrenched. About 1 P.M. the skirmish line charged the enemy but without success. We withdrew about one hundred yards, reformed our line and remained in that position untill about 4 P.M. when Lt. Col. Geo. Zinn rec’d orders from the Brig.
Com’d’r to form the part of the Brigade then present and charge the enemies works again, which was done, but without success. About 5 P.M. we were relieved and marched back to near the Peeble House where we remained during the night.
Oct. 3rd: lay in camp near the Peeble House.
Oct. 4th: ” ” ” ” ” ” ” .
Oct. 5th: about 4 P.M. we moved a short distance to the left into a line of breast works, at 6 P.M. we took up our line of march for our old camp near Fort Hayes arriving there about 11 P.M.
Respectfully
Your Obedt. Servt.
John R. Ross
Capt. 84th P.V.
Comg Rgt.
[Nominal Casualty list for the 84th P.V. during Operations Sept. 30 – Oct. 5, 1864.]
The following is a list of the casualties_
Sept. 30th _ none
Oct. 1st _ none
Oct. 2nd
Capt. James J. Wirsing Co “C” Killed2
Lt. Col. Geo. Zinn 84th P.V. Wounded
Corpl. James J. Ruch Co. H do
Privt. James Burk Co. H do
Sergt. Josiah Henninger Co. D do
Sergt. Peter Smith Co. E do
Corpl. H. Nilson Co. A do
Privt. E. Baish Co. D do
” John Miller Co. E do
” Jacob Nevel Co. H do
” Joseph Enders Co. E Missing in Action
” G.W. Sanders Co. D do-[actually KIA]
” David Osman Co. B do
” E. Bender Co. G do
Corpl. Joseph Krall Co. G do
Oct. 3, 4th & 5th _ no casualties.
Source:
- This Official Report of the 84th P.V.I. for Operations September 30 – October 5, 1864 was never published in the Official Records, Vol. 42, part 1. It was uncovered November 29, 1993 by David L. Richards, Gettysburg, PA in the 84th P.V.I. Regimental Papers (boxed) at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. ↩
- Capt. James J. Wirsing was seriously wounded and taken prisoner. He did survive his injuries. ↩