No. 33. Report of Captain William H. Terwilliger, Sixty-third New York Infantry, of operations March 25.1
HEADQUARTERS SIXTY-THIRD NEW YORK,
March 26, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to forward the following statement of the part taken by the Sixty-third New York Volunteers in the engagement of the 25th instant:
received orders to strike tents at 6.30 a. m. About 9 a. m. formed on the left of the brigade, and marched to the breast-works in front of First Brigade camp; remained until 2.15 p. m., when we moved outside the works, and formed line about half a mile in front of works. Moved line forward into woods, threw out skirmishers, and fell back to the edge of the woods; remained quiet until the skirmishers were driven in, when we opened an oblique fire on the enemy, which was kept up for two hours and a half; were then relieved by a portion of the Fifth Corps; then fell back and took up a position on the left near the picket-line occupied formerly by First brigade; remained about one hour, when we received orders to relieve a portion of the Fifth Corps between Third Brigade, First Division, and the left of Third Division; remained about one hour; was then relieved; left one officer and thirteen men to hold the line; then returned to camp about 12 o’clock same night.
During the engagement our loss was trifling, having but 3 men wounded and 1 missing from the picket-line.
I take great pleasure in stating that the officers and soldiers of this command acquitted themselves with honor to themselves, their regiment, and the brigade.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. H. TERWILLIGER,
Captain, Commanding Sixty-third New York Volunteers.
Captain J. C. FOLEY,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
Source:
- The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 1 (Serial Number 95), page 199 ↩