George W. Lewis to Lient. I. H. Purnam, June 17, 1864

LIEUTENANT:

I have the honor to make the following report of the action of my regiment on the recent march:

I crossed the Appomattox about 2 o’clock the morning of the 15th instant, and joined the column about three miles from the pontoon. After marching about seven miles, my regiment being the advance, the vedettes were fired into by a strong rebel picket concealed behind an extensive blockade; the carbineers of my regiment were dismounted and charged, under command of Capt. James R. Chamberlin; our loss was. only 2 horses; 1 rebel soldier was killed and 1 taken prisoner. Nothing further of importance transpired until arriving on the extreme right of the works around Petersburg. The carbineers of my regiment there present (uinety-six in number) were deployed as skirmishers, advancing on the rebel earth-works.. The casualties attending the skirmishing were as follows: During the skirmishing Col. Simon H. Mix is reported to have been mortally wounded. As he was not in the vicinity of my regiment, I am unable to report the circumstances attending it. Private Nuttall, Company E, killed. Mortimer Odett, Company G accidentally shot himself; Capt. James R. Chamberlin, Company A; James Larkin, Company D; Sergeant Mosier, Company E; Thomas Cook, Company K; Alfred Van Buskirk, Company K; and Philander Freeman, Company M, wounded slightly; Corporal Ellis, Company I and Sergeant Cummings, Company K, missing.

IL arrived in camp at 5 p.m. ;

very respectfully, your obedient servant,