No. 35. Report of Captain John Smith, Eighty-eighth New York Infantry, of operations March 25.1
HDQRS. EIGHTY-EIGHTH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS,
March 26, 1865.
In compliance with instructions, I have the honor to submit the following report of operations:
This command received orders to strike tents at 6.30 a.m. 25th instant, and left camp at 9 a.m., and with the several regiments of the brigade occupied the first line of works. At 2 p.m. we received orders
to advance and form line of battle at the enemy’s rifle-pits. We then stacked arms and threw out skirmishers, covering our front. About 4 p.m. the enemy attacked in force, driving in our skirmishers and charging our line. After a severe engagement of over two hours and a half, during which we held the enemy at bay, never yielding an inch of ground, we were relieved by part of the Fifth Corps, and moved back a short distance to the rear and formed line. We remained here for about fifteen minutes, when we received orders to move farther to the rear, stack arms, and permit the men to rest, and at 12 p.m. we received orders to fall in and return to our camp.
I feel great pleasure in reporting that the officers and men behaved in a most gallant manner when under fire, and that their conduct throughout was in the highest degree creditable.
Our losses were 9 enlisted men wounded and 2 missing.
I am, very respectfully, yours, &c.,
JOHN SMITH,
Captain, Commanding Eighty-eighth New York Volunteers.
ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, SECOND BRIGADE.
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), pages 201-202 ↩