No. 72. Report of Captain James McKenna, Seventy-third New York Infantry, of operations March 25.1
HDQRS. SEVENTY-THIRD NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS,
Near Hatcher’s Run, Va., March 26, 1865.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this command in the action of the 25th instant;
This command formed on the left of the Twentieth Indiana Volunteers and advanced to the position formerly held by enemy’s outpost pickets. Capturing this position the command was deployed to the left and connection made with the Third Brigade, and the line then advanced, taking the enemy’s first line of pits, capturing 3 commissioned officers and 124 enlisted men. Upon this advance the men of this command conveyed thirty stand of arms to the rear, and were compelled by the heavy fire of the enemy to destroy sixty stand of arms, which were found in the captured pits. Owing to no support on the left, the command withdrew to the line formerly occupied by the enemy as outposts, which position was held until the men were relieved.
The officers, under my command all acted splendidly, but I cannot refrain, from mentioning Captain John G. Noonan, who, by his noble example, inspired the men to many deeds of valor. With regard to the men, all behaved nobly, and to mention any one individually would be an act of injustice to many brave and deserving soldiers.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES McKENNA,
Captain, Commanding Seventy-third Regiment New York State Vols.
Colonel ANDREWS,
Twentieth Indiana Infantry.
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 232 ↩