manding general the impossibility of successfully storming the position of the enemy in front of that corps, in consequence of its great strength, and there being no suitable place in the rear to mass troops for the attack. Already three desperate attempts had been made to force the position, and each was repulsed with very heavy loss. The army was directed to intrench its line and render it as strong as possible. Major Morton, U. S. Engineers, who had been assigned, upon reporting for duty on the North Anna, to the Ninth Corps, took charge of the works on its front. Lieutenant Howell, with a company of the U. S. Engineer Battalion, was sent to the Sixth Corps to construct batteries and covered ways, and Lieutenant Mackenzie, with a company of the same command, to report to the Second Corps to attend to the same duties. The latter officer remained superintending the works on that front until the 10th, when he was placed in command of the Second Connecticut Volunteer Artillery. From the 4th to the 9th, inclusive, various changes in the disposition of the troops were made. On the last of these days the right was refused back, resting near Madelon on the Matadequin Creek; thence passing by Woody's and about half a mile in front of Old Cold Harbor in a very direct line to Parker's Mill, with one division of the Fifth extending beyond the left of the Second down the left bank of the Chickahominy and covering Bottom's Bridge. The two armies remained closely confronting each other during this time, each strongly intrenched in his own position. On the 7th, two divisions of cavalry left the Old Court-House Tavern on an expedition toward Gordonsville, and, at the request of Major-General Sheridan, an officer of Engineers, Captain Turnbull, was directed to accompany him. This officer, after a long and most interesting duty, did not report to his command until the return of the cavalry to the vicinity of Petersburg, and then only to remain a brief time. Selected to report in Baltimore to the commanding officer of that military district for service in defense of the city he did. not afterward rejoin the battalion of Engineers. On the 9th, I was ordered by the major-general commanding to select a new line in the rear of the intrenched position then occupied by the army, to be held temporarily by two divisions. The object was to enable the troops to retire from the immediate front of the enemy without being molested, and to cover the movement off toward the east and along the east bank of the Chickahominy. The ground selected lay between Elder Swamp and Allen's Mill-Pond, passing almost directly in front of Cold Harbor. On the morning of the 10th, the construction of the batteries and connecting parapets commenced, Captain Gillespie superintending one portion and Lieutenant Benyaurd the other, working parties having been furnished by the Second and Sixth Corps. The work was finished on the following morning. Captain Mendell, accompanied by Lieutenant Howell, made a reconnaissance to Windsor Shades, on the Chickahominy, to ascertain the practicability of crossing at that point the supply train, but reported unfavorably.* I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, General S. WILLIAMS, Major of Engineers, U. S. Army. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Army of the Potomac. *For continuation of report, see Vol. XL, Part I. Table of distances between the separate camps [and that] of the major-general commanding during the campaign from May 4 to July 12, 1864. Report of Brig. Gen. Henry W. Benham, U. S. Army, commanding Engineer Brigade. HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER BRIGADE, Camp at City Point, Va., August 6, 1864. In reply to Special Orders, No. 209, paragraph 5, headquarters Army of the Potomac, I have the honor to state that no casualties have occurred in this command from May 4 to July 30. The oper ations of the command during the campaign have been as follows: First epoch.-Remained at engineer depot, Washington, preparing siege material, bridging, &c. Second epoch.-Laid two bridges at Fredericksburg over the Rappahannock, repaired roads between Belle Plain and Fredericksburg, and built docks at Belle Plain. Third epoch.-Built the docks at Port Royal. Fourth epoch.-Remained at Fortress Monroe awaiting orders.* Very respectfully, your obedient servant, General S. WILLIAMS, H. W. BENHAM. Brigadier-General, Commanding. Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac. *For continuation of report see Vol. XL, Part I. No. 13. Report of Lieut. Col. Ira Spaulding, Fiftieth New York Engineers, including operations April 29-June 30. HDQRS. DETACH. 50TH NEW YORK VOL. ENGINEERS, Near Petersburg, Va., August 30, 1864. MAJOR: In compliance with Special Orders, No. 209, headquarters Army of the Potomac, dated August 5, 1864, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this command since the opening of the campaign to the assault on the enemy's position in front of Petersburg, July 30, 1864: To make this report intelligible, I should premise that the command consists of eleven companies of this regiment, numbering in all an average of about 40 officers and 1,500 enlisted men present; that small details from these companies and the twelfth company of the regiment were at the opening of the campaign with Colonel Pettes at the depot of the Engineer Brigade in Washington, and that a short time previous to the beginning of the campaign this command was divided into the First, Second, Third, and Reserve Battalions. The First Battalion, composed of Companies B, F and G, commanded by Maj. Wesley Brainerd, had in charge a pontoon train of fourteen boats (French pontoons) together with the intrenching tools of the Second Corps, to which it was assigned for duty. The Second Battalion, composed of Companies E, H and L, commanded by Maj. E. O. Beers, had in charge a pontoon train of thirteen French pontoons together with the intrenching tools of the Sixth Corps, to which it was assigned. The Third Battalion, composed of Companies D, K, and M. commanded by Capt. J. H. McDonald, Major Ford not having joined, had in charge a pontoon train of thirteen French pontoons, and also the intrenching tools of the Fifth Corps to which it was assigned. The Reserve Battalion, under my own immediate command, consisted of Companies C and I, having in charge two pontoon trains of twelve canvas boats each and two wing trestles each, Capt. W. W. Folwell commanding pontoon train No. 4, and Capt. M. Van Brocklin, Company C, commanding pontoon train No. 5. All these pontoon trains were arranged under my directions, acting under the general orders of the chief engineer, and the whole of the above battalions and trains were to operate under my immediate supervision and inspection. On the 28th of April, 1864, Major Brainerd was encamped with the First Battalion and trains near Stevensburg; Major Beers with the Second Battalion and trains at Welford's Ford, having a bridge in use over Hazel River; Captain McDonald, with Third Battalion and trains, was at my winter camp near Rappahannock Station. My headquarters were also at the same camp with the Reserve Battalion and trains. FIRST EPOCH. Reserve Battalion. On the 29th of April I sent Captain Folwell with his company and pontoon train No. 4 to Kelly's Ford to bridge the Rappahannock for the passage of Gregg's division of cavalry. The bridge was completed in short bays of 16 feet at 1 p. m.; length of bridge, 180 feet. That afternoon and evening the Second Division of cavalry crossed well closed up in twos, followed by a long and heavily loaded wagon train. This was the first trial in actual service of the canvas bridge in its present form (Duane's modified bridge), and it proved itself in the short spans at least equal to anything required of it in the field. At 4 a. m. on the 30th this bridge was dismantled, loaded, and Captain Folwell marched with his command to Paoli Mills. On the same morning (April 30) I moved from my winter camp to Paoli Mills with Captain Van Brocklin and his company in charge of pontoon train No. 5, leaving Captain McDonald with the Third Battalion in camp, awaiting orders from General Warren to take up the bridge at Rappahannock Station after all the troops of the Fifth Corps had crossed the river. From this time until the evening of May 2, the officers and men of the Reserve Battalion were occupied in completing the improvements upon the trains which were found necessary to fit them for the field, and which were unfinished when they left Rappahannock Station. May 3, at 7 a. m., I moved in the direction of Ely's Ford, at the head of General Gregg's cavalry, with pontoon train No. 4, Captain Folwell commanding, and halted at Richardsville until midnight. Captain Van Brocklin was left with his train at Paoli Mills to await orders. At midnight the train was started from Richardsville, arriving at Ely's Ford on the Rapidan at about daylight on the morning of May 4. The material was immediately unloaded, the bridge commenced and completed at 6 a. m.; length of bridge, 150 feet. There was no opposition by the enemy to the crossing at this point. While this bridge was being built, General Gregg's cavalry forded the river. A few minutes after this bridge was completed, Major Brainerd reached the river with his train, and immediately commenced the construction of a second bridge. The head of the column of the Second Corps arrived about the same time and began crossing rapidly on the canvas bridge. Major Brainerd's bridge was completed at 9.15 a. m., when the column was turned upon it, and Captain Folwell's bridge immediately dismantled, loaded in about one hour, and the train moved on with the troops of the Second Corps. to a point near Chancellorsville, where it was halted all night. On the 5th, this train moved in the road toward Todd's Tavern on the plank road. But little progress was made, as the road was very much blocked up with troops. Toward night I was ordered back with the train. Reached Chancellorsville about dark, and sent Lieutenant Folwell to report to you at headquarters of the army near Wilderness Tavern. Train No. 5. At dark on the evening of May 3, Captain Van Brocklin moved with his train in the direction of Germanna Ford on the Rapidan. He arrived within half a mile of the ford at 10 p. m., and communicated with General Wilson. At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 4th, Captain Van Brocklin moved his train within 1,000 feet of the river as ordered, and unloading his boats carried them to the river and completed his bridge in about one hour and a half; length of bridge, 220 feet. There was some slight skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry at this point, but no serious opposition to the crossing. Captain McDonald arrived at this point about the same time that Captain Van 20 RR-VOL XXXVI, PT I Brocklin parked his train on the hill, moved down to the river and built his bridge, completing it a few minutes in advance of Captain Van Brocklin. At 6 p. m., on the same day, most of the Fifth and Sixth Corps having crossed the river, Captain Van Brocklin dismantled his bridge, leaving Captain McDonald's bridge to pass the supply trains and the Ninth Corps, and on the morning of the 5th moved his train to Old Wilderness Tavern. During the day his company was occupied in repairing the bridges over Old Wilderness Run and the roads in its vicinity. First Battalion. On the morning of May 3, at 7 a. m., Major Brainerd broke camp at Stevensburg and moved with his battalion at the head of the Second Corps, arriving at Ely's Ford about 6 a. m. on the morning of the 4th, where he laid his bridge as already described; length of bridge, 190 feet. The whole of the Second Corps having crossed the river this bridge was dismantled at 2 p. m. on the 5th, and Major Brainerd moved with his battalion to Chancellorsville the same evening. Second Battalion. On the 2d of May Major Beers took up his bridge at Welford's Ford, on the Hazel River, except one boat left in the river for a ferry, and went into camp on the south side of the river. On the morning of the 4th, at 4 o'clock, he broke camp and marched with his battalion and pontoon train for Culpeper Ford, on the Rapidan, and had a bridge completed at that point at 5 p. m. the same day; length of the bridge, 160 feet. Most of the supply trains crossed on this bridge. On the 5th, this battalion was occupied most of the day upon roads in the direction of Richardsville and in the vicinity of the river to facilitate the passage of trains. At 5 p. m., on the 5th, this bridge was dismantled, the trains moved back about 14 miles from the river and parked about midnight. Third Battalion. On the 1st of May Captain McDonald, by order of General Warren, dismantled the bridge at Rappahannock Station, and parked his train on the south side of the river. At 1 p. m. on the 3d, he marched with his battalion and train, via Paoli Mills, for Germanna Ford, arriving at a point near the ford at 10 o'clock the same evening. On the morning of the 4th, at 5 o'clock, he moved his train to the river, and laid a bridge, as heretofore described; length of the bridge, 220 feet. Most of the Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth Corps crossed on this bridge. During the 4th and 5th, Companies D and M of this battalion performed very efficient service upon the roads in the vicinity of the ford. This brings my report of the operations of all the battalions up to the evening of May 5. At that time the only pontoon bridge remaining in use over the Rapidan was that of the Third Battalion at Germanna Ford. About midnight on the 5th of May Lieutenant Folwell returned from general headquarters with orders for me to report there at daylight the next morning with my command, and notice that all the other battalions had been called to rendezvous there at the same time to be consolidated under my command for duty as infantry |