Nelson Taylor to O. H. Harv, Hn, July 4, 1862

Camp near Harrison’s Landing, James River, Va., July 4, 1862.

Caprain: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the regiment under my command in the attack made by the enemy upon the corps of General Porter and division of General Couch on the 1st instant:

At about half an hour before sunset notice was given me that the brigade was ordered to support General Porter. The brigade in going to support marched left in front, my regiment being upon the- left of the brigade. Upon approaching the scene of action after some delay, which was occasioned by the difficulty of finding the precise point where a support was needed, General Porter appeared and directed the brigadier-general commanding the brigade to support with his command two batteries, which were then stationed to the right and rear of a large farm-house. By direction of the brigadier-general commanding the brigade my regiment was immediately formed in line to the left and rear of the left battery. In afew moments I was directed by General Porter to report to General Couch, who held the right of the position, and who, it was said, needed support.

Soon several officers, representing themselves to be of General Couch’s staff, appeared, and, in answer to my inquiry where to place my regiment, commenced to give a variety of directions, which were confused and conflicting. After some difficulty I found an aide of General Couch, who informed me that my regiment was to go to the front of a piece of woods behind which the artillery was posted. I moved my regiment by the right flank up a narrow road on the left of this piece of woods until I reached an open field on the right skirted on three sides by woods, and in this field our forces were engaging the enemy. I was to form my regiment in line and to relieve the Thirty-first Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, who were on the right of another regiment of Union troops—the Sixty-first New York, I think—and both engaging the enemy.

Soon forming my regiment in line in rear of the Thirty-first Pennsylvania they began to withdraw by the left flank, and as soon as sufficient space was opened by their withdrawal for a company to advance I pushed forward my regiment by companies, commencing with my right company, and directed each company as it was unmasked to commence firing by file. This was done, and when the front of the whole regiment was unmasked I advanced the line to the same ground as that occupied by the Thirty-first Pennsylvania.

Having been previously directed by General Porter, in the presence of the brigadier-general commanding the brigade, not to advance beyond the position then held by the regiment which I was to relieve, I maintained this same ground throughout the rest of the action. The enemy I found to be posted in my front in the edge of the woods, and. also in the woods to my right and nearer to my line there than in front. I then threw back the two right companies, so as to form an oblique line, and directed them to silence the fire coming from the woods on the right and directed the rest of the regiment to take care of the fire

146 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. (Cuar, XXII.

in front. When I reached this ground it was already dusk, and the enemy’s position could only be ascertained from the flash of their pieces. I directed my men to watch the flashes and to fire low.

After we had been a short time engaged I found that the battery in rear of my right flank was firing canister, and aiming so low as to – endanger the safety of the companies on that flank.. Two men were killed and one certainly wounded by this fire. To avoid it I threw the four right companies to the rear into column, and kept them there until the battery ceased firing, when they were again deployed in line and engaged,

The firing was kept up briskly on both sides for about three-quarters of an hour, when the fire of the enemy sensibly diminished, and only a few shots were fired by them. Believing that they had concluded to withdraw, I ordered my men to cease firing, but to load. This they did, and set up a loud cheer. This seemed to provoke the enemy, who cheered in turn, and advanced out from the woods in force so near that. they could be seen, and opened a destructive volley from the left and front. As they advanced I ordered the firing to be renewed, and so rapidly and steadily was it kept up that the enemy withdrew in haste. As they withdrew I directed my men to aim a little higher, so as to reach them as they retreated through the woods. Nothing more was heard of the enemy that night, except the slight noise of men collecting their dead and wounded. Ishould have stated that at the time my regiment took its place in line and commenced firing the other regiments of our troops ceased firing and rested in the field on their arms.

By the time the enewy had been driven away my men had fired away in a little over an hour 60 rounds each. Using the patent cartridge, they loaded and fired with great rapidity.

During this action no man left the ranks. The dead lay where they

fell, and the wounded were laid by the file-closers just in rear of the line. The men kept perfectly closed up, and obeyed with alacrity every order. Of the conduct of all, officers and men, I can speak but in terms of commendation. It was most praiseworthy. — When the firing was through 1 found that the First, Second, and Fifth Regiments of this brigade were near by to support me, and my men having nearly exhausted their ammunition, went to Major Holt, commanding the First Regiment, and obtained from him 10 or 15 rounds per man, which I distributed to my men.

I was then directed by General Couch to withdraw my command back near the edge of the woods, leaving outlying pickets on the line I was occupying, which I did, and then we lay on our arms until withdrawn, at about 2 o’clock a. m.

My list of casualties, which accompanies this, is quite large—14 killed and 47 wounded, making the total loss 61 out of the whole number engaged—about 300, I have particularly to regret the loss of Capt. Stephen M. Doyle, killed by a Minie ball, who upon this occasion, as before at Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, and in the action of the 30th of J une, was conspicuous for his gallantry. He was an accomplished officer, an ornament to the regiment and to the service, and he fell as a true gol: dier falls.

All of which is

respectfully submitted.

olonel, Commanding Regime
Capt. O. H. Harv, HN
Assistant Adjutant- General,
Cuar. XXII1.] SEVEN-DAYS’ BATTLES. 147
*
No. 51,
Keport of Capt. Alfred A. Donalds, Seventy-third New York Infantry, of