OR XLVI P1 #64: Report of Captain Charles McAnally, 69th PA, Mar 29-Apr 9, 1865

No. 64. Report of Captain Charles McAnally, Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Infantry.¹

HDQRS. SIXTY-NINTH PENNSYLVANIA VETERAN VOLS.,
April 10, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this regiment since the 29th ultimo:

On the morning of the 29th of March the regiment broke camp and moved along with the brigade across Hatcher’s Run to the vicinity of Dabney’s Mills, at which place the regiment was thrown out as skirmishers to connect with the pickets of the Twenty-fourth Corps; in so doing the enemy opened a brisk fire of musketry, and kept it up till dark. During the night I captured two prisoners, who were sent to brigade headquarters. At daylight I found that the enemy had abandoned his position, which fact I immediately reported to brigade headquarters. About 8 o’clock on the morning of the 30th my regiment was relieved, and I joined the brigade at Gum Run, where I remained until evening, when I was ordered to report with my regiment to Captain Howell, U. S. Engineers, on the Vaughan road, by whom my regiment was employed in constructing corduroy roads until the morning of the 2nd instant, when I rejoined the brigade, in compliance with an order to that effect from General Humphreys, and marched with it to Cox’s road, where I bivouacked the regiment for the night.

Nothing of event transpired until the afternoon of the 6th instant, when I was ordered to take my regiment upon the right flank of the brigade, which I accordingly did. The road upon which the column moved took an oblique direction to the left, whilst I moved my regiment directly in the direction indicated to me by a staff officer of the division, and in this manner I became so far separated from the brigade as to be unable to rejoin it until the day following. During the time that I was this separated I took 29 of the enemy as prisoners, and captured 1 mule, all of which I turned over to Major Palmer, provost-marshal, Second Corps. I rejoined the brigade with my regiment at noon of the 7th instant. On the morning of the 8th instant I deployed my regiment as skirmishers for the division, and during the day the regiment captured 7 prisoners. With this exception none of the enemy was met with until about 5 p. m., when we encountered a force and drove it back a distance of about one mile, after which we were with drawn and rejoined the brigade. Nothing of note has occurred in this regiment since.

During the foregoing operations no casualties occurred for which they deserve great credit, and I would deem it an injustice to particularize one above another.

I would further state the One hundred and sixth Battalion Pennsylvania Volunteers operated along with my regiment.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. McANALLY,
Captain, Commanding Regiment.

The number of prisoners captured on each day was as follows: March 29, 2 enlisted men; April 6, 29 enlisted men; April 8, 6 enlisted men and 1 officer. Total, 1 officer and 37 enlisted men. Captured 1 mule.

Captain THERON E. PARSONS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

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