OR XLVI P1 #155: Report of Colonel Charles W. Diven, 200th PA, commanding 1/3/IX/AotP, March 25, 1865

No. 155. Report of Colonel Charles W. Diven, Two hundredth Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding First Brigade, of operations March 25.¹

HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., THIRD DIV., NINTH ARMY CORPS,
March 30, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the operations of the 25th instant, near Fort Stedman:

The Two hundredth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel W. H. H. McCall commanding, and the Two hundred and ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel George W. Frederick commanding, were engaged on the right of the line, under the personal direction of the general commanding the division, and I respectfully refer to the reports of these regiments, giving detailed accounts of the movements of each. At about 5 a.m. the Two hundred and eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Heintzelman commanding, was moved into position on the right of General McLaughlen’s headquarters, left resting within about 100 yards of Fort Haskell, facing northward. There were a number of squads from the Third Brigade, First Division, numbering some 200 in all, under command of several captains and lieutenants, which I placed on the left of the Two hundred and eight Pennsylvania Volunteers, and which acted under my orders. The Two hundred and eighth Regiment, upon arriving on the ground, discovered the enemy, and immediately fired two or three well-directed volleys on him, causing him to fall back in some confusion to the cover of a ravine. The regiment then advanced and drove him out of the ravine to the cover of Battery Numbers 12 and the lines of works connecting it with Fort Stedman, capturing about 100 prisoners. In this position it remained until about 7.30 a.m., when orders were received, through an orderly from your headquarters, that General Hartranft would charge in fifteen minutes, and before the order could be sent to Lieutenant-Colonel Heintzelman the other troops of the division moved forward in the charge. Colonel Heintzelman seeing this, also moved forward in handsome style, retaking Battery Numbers 12, and the main line on the right of it, capturing-battle-flags, about-prisoners, and-small-arms.

While this charge was made I was wounded by the explosion of a shell, after which the command of the brigade devolved upon Lieutenant Colonel W. H. H. McCall, Two hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteers, the senior officer present.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. W. DIVEN,
Colonel Two hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Commanding Brigade.

Major JOHN D. BERTOLETTE,
Asst. Adjt. General, Third Division, Ninth Army Corps.

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