APRIL 27-MAY 6, 1863.--The Chancellorsville Campaign.
No. 94. --Report of Col. Samuel S. Carroll, Eighth Ohio Infantry, commanding First Brigade.
HDQRS. 1ST BRIG., 3D DIV., 2D ARMY CORPS, May 10,1863.
SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the late expedition across the Rappahannock and in the action at Chancellorsville: I moved from my present camp at 6 a.m. on the 28th ultimo, and arrived in the vicinity of the United States Ford about 11 a.m. Picketed the river from about a mile below the ford up to and including Richardson's Ferry.
On the 30th ultimo, at 3.30 p.m., the pontoon bridges having been laid, this brigade was the first to cross, forming line of battle on the hills opposite, and skirmishing through the woods, finding no enemy. A short time before dusk we were put en roule, and marched to the white house near Chancellorsville, where we bivouacked for the night.
On May 1, at 1 p.m., I was ordered to move the brigade on the road to Chancellorsville. The column had not cleared camp before the action was commenced by the forces in our front. We remained in this position for an hour, and I was then ordered to mass my brigade in the woods on the right of the road, which was done. After retaining this position for some two hours, I was ordered to occupy the same ground I did the night before. About dusk I was ordered to form line of battle in the edge of the woods to the right of the road, which position we occupied during the night.
Between 7 and 8 a.m. on the 2d, I was ordered by the Major-General commanding the division to occupy the edge of the woods on the left of the road, the line of battle being nearly perpendicular to the line occupied the night before, joining with Major-General Hancock's division on my right and Major-General Sykes' division on my left, and to throw out skirmishers on the same line with theirs. Between 10 and 11 a.m. I was ordered by the major-general commanding the corps to dig rifle-pits and fell an abatis in my front, which were completed by sunset. I retained this position during the night.
At 7 a.m. on the 3d, I received orders from the major-general commanding the division to take four regiments and form line of battle facing the woods, parallel to the Plank road, which I did, taking the Eighth Ohio, the Fourteenth Indiana, the Fourth Ohio, and the Seventh West Virginia, leaving the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth New Jersey to occupy the rifle-pits we had dug. I then received orders from the same source to have the right wing of the right regiment form behind the houses and outbuildings occupied by the division commander as his headquarters.
In about half an hour, I received orders from the division commander to move forward through the woods and attack the enemy who had just driven the force in front of us from those woods. I did so, leaving, by some misapprehension of the lieutenant-colonel commanding, for which no blame can be attached to him, the Eighth Ohio, which remained, supporting the battery on our right. We engaged the enemy, consisting of about eight battalions, some 30 yards in the woods; received one volley from them (fired at random), and drove them at a quick pace through the woods, over the Plank road, and out of their rifle-pits. Some 30 yards beyond their pits they had a column of at least a division massed, which also started in retreat when the first line reached them; but, perceiving our small number, they turned and drove us back, at the same time opening a battery on the Plank road, enfilading us with grape and canister. In their rifle pits we captured two stand of colors; had possession of a large quantity of small-arm ammunition, lying in boxes in front of their works, and captured I major, 5 captains, 7 lieutenants, and 270 enlisted men, and released a regiment of Zouaves belonging to the Third Corps that was held as prisoners behind those pits. In my pinion, had we been supported by a division, we could have retained possession of the Plank road. In retiring through the woods, they followed us slowly and at long range, doing but little damage with small-arms, but playing upon us heavily with shell. We met Caldwell's brigade going to the front as we were emerging from the woods, retiring.
The Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth New Jersey afterward moved in on our right, separated from us by the First Delaware and One hundred and Thirty-second Pennsylvania, of another brigade, and, consequently, not knowing of their movement or being able to see them on account of the thick underbrush, I could not supervise them. They joined me after I came out of the woods, retiring. It was about three and a half hours from the time I formed line to move forward until I returned. My men behaved in the most gallant style, and I had much more trouble to make them retire, when it was found useless to advance, than to move forward.
The pioneer corps, under the command of Capt. N. Willard, was formed across the road to stop fleeing stragglers. They took possession of our prisoners, as they were brought out of the woods, and turned them over to an aide of General Patrick, and rejoined me at the same time with the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth New Jersey.We then re-occupied our rifle-pits for about an hour, when I was ordered to move to the left and occupy the position at right angles to our rifle-pits, which General Sykes' division had formerly occupied. In moving to this position, we were heavily shelled by the enemy and met with some loss. The rest of the day was occupied by us in constructing rifle-pits along this line. Skirmishers were placed about 600 yards in front of my works, connecting with General Hancock on .the right and the Eleventh Corps on my left.
At 5 p.m. on the 4th, the enemy shelled our rifle-pits for about half an hour, doing no damage. About 12 midnight there was an alarm caused by a portion of the Eleventh Corps firing on an unseen and unheard-of enemy.
Between 9 and 10 a.m. on the 5th, a reconnaissance of the enemy in our front drove in our pickets some 300 yards, but, sending out a re-enforcement, forced them to retire. At 8 p.m. I received orders to be ready to move back toward the United States Ford.
At 3 a.m. on the 6th, 1 was put en route for the rear, crossing the United States Ford about 5 a.m., marching to our old camp, which we reached between 11 and 12 o'clock.
Where all, both officers and men, behaved so gallantly it would seem invidious to particularize, and as it would require too much space to record the personal gallantry of even the commissioned officers, I will confine myself to the mention of the cool judgment and indomitable courage of Colonel Coons, Lieutenant-Colonel Cavins, and Major Houghton, of the Fourteenth Indiana; Lieutenant-Colonel Carpenter (commanding), Captains Jones (acting major), and Grubb, of the Fourth Ohio; Colonel Snider and Lieutenant-Colonel Lockwood, of the Seventh [West] Virginia. The preceding are the only regiments that went into action with me on the 3d instant.
My thanks are due to Captain [Samuel] Fiske, acting assistant inspector-general, who was either killed or wounded and taken prisoner while carrying an order from me to the Seventh [West] Virginia, on the Plank road: Lieut. J. G. Reid, of the Eighth Ohio, acting assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. Joseph H. Carr, of the Fourth Ohio, and Lieut. A.M. Van Dyke, of the Fourteenth Indiana Volunteers, acting aides-de-camp, for their promptitude and valuable assistance in a trying emergency. I would also state that no surgeons or their assistants, except Asst. Surg. W. F. Hicks, of the Seventh [West] Virginia, and no ambulance men or stretchers, were furnished me from the time I formed line to move forward until we came out of action Surgeon [Henry M.] McAbee, brigade surgeon, was detailed on the operating board at the division hospital. I found that a Merrill rifle, furnished one of my men by the division commander, reached the enemy's sharpshooters when none of our other guns seemed to have any effect on them, and would respectfully recommend that two companies of my brigade be armed with them. I in close herewith the reports of the regimental commanders, and append a list of our killed, wounded, and missing:
0 Officers. T Total.
M Enlisted Men.
--Killed-- -Wounded- Missing.
Command. 0 M 0 M 0 M T
8th Ohio .... 1 .... 10 .... .... 11
7th West Virginia 1 4 1 18 .... 13 37
24th New Jersey 1 2 2 17 .... 14 36
28th New Jersey .... 1 2 30 .... 26 59
14th Indiana .... 7 8 42 .... 7 64
4th Ohio .... 14 2 53 .... 4 73
Total 2 29 15 170 .... 64 280
Sir, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. S. CARROLL,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Maj. JOHN M. NORVELL,
Asst Adjt., French's Division, Second Army Corps.