No. 46. Report of Lieutenant Colonel George C. Anderson, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, of operations March 25.1
HDQRS. FIFTY-THIRD PENNSYLVANIA VETERAN VOLS.,
March 26, 1865.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of this regiment in yesterday’s engagement:
Received orders from Colonel Mintzer, commanding brigade, at 3 p.m., to move by the left flank, following the Sixty-sixth New York Volunteers. We moved forward and formed in line of battle in rear of a house in front of the Fourth Brigade picket-line, connecting with the Sixty-sixth New York on the right and the One hundred and sixteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers on the left. Shortly afterward received orders to move by the left flank, following the One hundred and sixteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers to the position formerly held by the Fourth Brigade picket-line. Soon afterward we again moved by the left flank, following the One hundred and sixteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers; formed line of battle to the right of the Fourth New York Heavy [Artillery]; was ordered by Colonel Mintzer to move forward until we engaged the enemy. I advanced to the edge of the woods, threw out a strong skirmish line,drove the rebel pickets from their position, and captured five prisoners. I was ordered to let my regiment remain there and hold the position. While we were in this position the enemy charged on the brigade to my left. I ordered my men to fire on them, thus subjecting them to a cross-fire. I have reason to believe that good execution was done. At about 11 p.m. I received orders from the colonel commanding brigade to withdraw, moving by the left flank. We moved back to camp arriving at 12 m.
During the engagement I had five men wounded and one man missing. Officers and men behaved well.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. C. ANDERSON,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.
Lieutenant S. P. CORLISS,
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 209 ↩