W. M. H. French to Edwin V. Sumner, July 2, 1862

RICHARDSON’S DIVISION, SUMNER’S CoRPs, A. P., In Camp at Harrison’s Landing, James River, Va., July 2, 1862.

GENERAL: In obedience to your order that I should report to you as the officer in superior command of the Union troops engaged in the action which took place yesterday I have the honor to submit to you the following statement of the circumstances in which the brigade under my command participated and of which I was personally cognizant :

Shortly after 6 o’clock p. m., being seated at the headquarters of General E. V. Sumner, commanding the corps @armée in which my brigade is incorporated, being ordered to do so by that officer, T dispatched two of my aides, Lieut. John J. Gosson, of the Sixty-ninth New York Volunteers (the first regiment of the brigade), and Lieut. Temple Emmett, of the Highty-eighth New York Volunteers (the fourth regiment of the brigade), with orders to hurry up the four regiments composing the brigade, and to advance them as quickly as possible to the front, and to report to you. These regiments, being the Sixty-ninth New York Volunteers, the Sixty-third New York Volunteers, the Highty-eighth New York Volunteers, and the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts Volunteers, which has been recently assigned to the brigade, had been in position in line of battle from an early hour, occupying and ex- ‘ tending along aravine to the right of the headquarters of Sumner’s corps, and so protecting in some measure the right flank of the army which was still further and efficiently protected by the divisions under the command of Generals Sedgwick and Smith.

The line occupied by the regiments under my command along this ravine was held by them with marked coolness and firmness under an incessant shower of shell and round shot from the batteries of the enemy, and it is but simple justice for me to say that under an unremitting fire of some hours they exhibited a composure and steadiness which was only equaled by their eagerness to engage the enemy more actively and immediately. The orders communicated by the aides I have mentioned were promptly and enthusiastically obeyed. Advane- ing from the ravine by a flank march they deployed into line of battle in the field immediately in front of the headquarters of General Sumner, the Sixty-ninth, under the command of Col. Robert Nugent, forming the first line of attack; the Highty-eighth, under the command of the command of Col. John Burke, forming the third line, and the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts Volunteers, being under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes, forming the fourth line, Col. Ebenezer Pierce having been previously wounded whilst coolly and gallantly sustaining his regiment in their position on the previous day at the passage of the White Oak Swamp in support of Hazzard’s battery, and in co-operation with the other regiments of the brigade.

The advance of the regiments with a rapid step, displaying their colors, was marked by an alacrity and enthusiasm which found their expression in vehement cheers, which had the effect of rallying several fragments of regiments that had, after bravely sustaining themselves under’an overpowering fire, been forced to retire from the front. A few minutes previous to our entering upon the immediate scene of action my brigade had the good fortune to meet you, general, accompanied by your staff, and you will permit me to say even in this report, which is addressed particularly to you, that your presence and directions were such as to increase the ardor and render still more efficient the disposition of the regiments, for whose good name and success I was at that moment responsible.

Closely under the fire of the enemy we were met by Brigadier-General Butterfield, who, grasping the distinctive green flag of the leading regingent of the brigade, exhibited the ardor of a general who was personally interested in its henor, and thereby renewed and re-excited the spirit of the advance. Coming in contact with the enemy, the Sixtyninth poured in an oblique fire upon them with a rapid precision and an incessant vigor which had the effect of almost instantly staggering and silencing for some moments a fire which seemed to be almost overwhelming.

In the mean while the Eighty-eighth were thrown forward to the left of the Sixty-ninth, and their rapid and impetuous movement had the effect of outflanking the enemy and perfecting the success which the Sixty-ninth had already to so important an extent achieved. The oblique line thus formed by these two regiments was maintained with decisive resolution until] the enemy fell back from the range of fire.

The other two regiments of the brigade (the Sixty-third New York Volunteers and the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts Volunteers) firmly preserved the second line of attack under a fire which was all the more trying to them inasmuch as they were not in a position to return or resist it, but at this time I ordered up the Twenty-ninth to support Major Robertson’s battery. Shortly after an officer, who represented and stated himself to be an aide of General McClellan, rode up to me, and desired me earnestly to detail one of my regiments to accompany and support a battery of artillery, which was then going to relieve another, the ammunition of which had been exhausted.

Having only the Sixty-third at my disposal for this duty I at once ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Fowler to accompany and support the battery in question. Col. John Burke, commanding the Sixty-third, having been severely wounded immediately on our coming under the musketry of the enemy and taken to the rear, the command of his regiment devolved on Lieutenant-Colonel Fowler. This officer, however, undertook to disobey the order I issued to support the battery, alleging that he was under special orders issued by you, general, and that mine were consequently without weight. Seeing the importance of having a strong support to the battery, which was rapidly proceeding, to establish the success of the day, and having no doubt whatever that the officer representing himself as an aide of the general-in-chief had the authority which he professed to have, I insisted on Lieutenant-Colonel Fowler immediately executing the order I had given. He refusing to do so, I at once placed him under arrest, and directed Captain O’Neil, the next senior officer of the regiment, to assume the command, and to have the disputed order instantly complied with. I feel extremely gratified in being able to inform you that under the command of Captain O’Neil the gallant Sixty-third promptly supported the battery, which but for them would have been left without support, and standing by it until its work was done, it was withdrawn by orders from the general commanding the corps. They sustained it ably and devotedly. ‘

Night had fallen and darkness had almost obliterated the lines of the contending forces, the desperate fire of which was still violently maintained, when Colonel Nugent, coming up to me, declared his inability to maintain his position much longer, his ammunition being exhausted and his arms rendered well-nigh unserviceable from the incessant firing of his men, and he begged of me at once to have his ammunition replenished and his regiment relieved until such time as his fire-arms would be so sufficiently cooled as to render them efficient. My aides being at the time with the other regiments of the brigade I did not hesitate to go at once, and as speedily as it was possible for me to ride to the headquarters of the general commanding the corps, with the view of obtaining what seemed to me an important relief for Colonel Nugent and his brave and brilliant regiment. On my way to these headquarters I had the good fortune of meeting Colonel -, of General McClellan’s staff, who most kindly accompanied me to General Sumner. The general directed me, in case the firing had completely ceased and all was tranquil and assured in front, to withdraw all the regiments of my brigade and re-establish them in the position they occupied previous to their advance upon the enemy. Shortly after 9 o’clock p. m. I withdrew my brigade, in conformity with this order, finding everything perfectly satisfactory in fropt of our line, and our officers and men, despite of the fatigue and excitement they had undergone, in high confidence and spirits. This, general, is all that I have to relate in connection with my brigade serving under your command during the afternoon of the 1st of July.

In justly reporting to you the excellent conduct of the brigade which I have the honor to command, the eagerness with which it rushed to the conflict, and the steadiness and fearlessness with which it bore itself under the closing fire of the enemy that day, I have to mention with sincere and deep regret that the brigade sustained in the death and disabling of many brave officers and men a loss which as yet it is not in my power accurately to estimate. The list of casualties will be furnished as speedily as it is possible to render it exact. In the mean time it is with a good deal of pride, mingled with pain, that I have to mention the wounding of Colonel Burke, of the Sixty-third, so seriously as to incapacitate him and deprive his regiment and the brigade of his intelligent and faithful services, whilst leading his men into the battlefield. With a pride and pain no less sincere and heartfelt I have to report that Capt. Joseph O’Donoghue, of Company ©, Highty-eighth Regiment; Lieutenant Reynolds, of Company A, Sixty-ninth Regiment, and Lieut. Francis J. Hackett, of the Highty-eighth, are amongst those zealous and brave young officers who suffered most severely in the action.

There are many deaths amongst the men, of which I think it my duty to make especial mention of that of Sergeant Haggerty, of the Sixty-ninth, whose brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Haggerty, fell at the head of the Sixty-ninth New York Militia at the battle of Manassas, and whose noble example of patriotism and soldiership it was the passion of Sergeant Haggerty to emulate.

In closing this report 1 have to acknowledge with grateful satisfaction the energetic and gallant conduct of Capt. William H. Hogan, Lieuts. John J. Gosson and Temple Emmett, whose labors on the field in directing and sustaining the movements of the brigade were incessant and most effective.

rejoin his company in the Highty-eighth, behaved in a manner which was in admirable keeping with the brillant character of the chivalrous young regiment.

The bearing of Colonel Nugent, of the Sixty-ninth, was a guarantee, whilst it was an inspiration from the resolute and resistless bravery of his regiment. Maj. James Quinlan, who commanded the Highty-eighth Regiment, proved himself fally worthy of the command which devolved upon him.

But I must confine this enumeration of gallant officers who pre-eminently distinguished themselves on the occasion to those whose official position in the brigade renders it no disparagement to others to have them specially mentioned.

THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER, Brigadier-General. General E. V. SUMNER, Commanding Second Corps d@ Armée.

Reports of Brig. Gen. William H. French, U. 8. Army, commanding Third Brigade, of the battle of Gaines’ Mill, engagement at Peach Orchard, battle of Savage Station, engagement at White Oak Swamp Bridge, and battles of Gendale (Frazier’s Farm) and Malvern Hill.

Hpa@rs. FRENCH’S BRIG., RICHARDSON’S Div., SUMNER’S CoRPS, July 5, 1862.

Sir: I have the honor to report the operations of my command at the battle of Gaines’ Mill, on Friday, June 27, 1862:

On Friday afternoon, June 27, at about 5 p. m., I received instructions from First Lieutenant Kip, acting assistant adjutant-general, Sumner’s Corps, to move rapidly with my own brigade and that of General Meagher’s across the Chickahominy to the support of Brig.

force of the enemy. Ina few moments these brigades were rapidly in motion, and guided by Captain Custer, of the staff of Major-General McClellan, they crossed the Chickahominy on the Grapevine Bridge. When the head of my column debouched into the meadow on the opposite bank a crowd of fugitives, encumbering the road and preventing the progress of the ambulances, were encountered. I directed General Meagher to deploy a company of his command as skirmishers to drive them back, which had great effect, being vigorously executed.

Reaching Gaines’ Mill, the main body of the right a:my corps was found in full retreat, making it almost impossible for my re-enforcements to pass through the masses of congregated troops of the various arms of the service which had fallen back uponaconfined space. I therefore ordered the heads of regiments to force their way through any intervals they might find by the foree of the bayonet, which was immediately done and my command extricated. It was deployed in line of battle and advanced to meet the enemy, who was pressing hard upon the rear with artillery, cavalry, and light infantry. When my command was interposed about three-fourths of a mile beyond Gaines’ Mill I sought for and reported to Brigadier-General Porter, and under his instructions moved the two brigades as far as the crests of the hills commanding the position, beyond which our troops were now rapidly reforming. These were occupied during the night by my command. The regulars had not lost their ground, but maintained it on my right until about 9 o’clock at night, when, by direction of General Porter, they were relieved by two of my regiments.

At 12 o’clock at night General Porter returned from the headquarters of the army, and directed me, in the name of the general-in-chief, to hold my line on the front until all the rest of our force had crossed the river. With great difficulty I communicated this to the different commanders of regiments and batteries, but in the course of two hours the whole line was in regular march, without the least confusion. Ascertaining that the object, upon which so much stress had been laid by the general-in-chief, was accomplished, I then directed myself to the withdrawal of my brigade and Meagher’s, which, far to the front, lay in close proximity to the enemy—so near that numbers of their men and officers were taken crossing our lines of pickets to communicate with regiments which had bivouacked on our right and left, separated by the darkness of night. I had now, by repeated communications by members of my staff, to prevent the possibility of mistake, so concerted it that at a given notice the entire command by the right flanks of regiments (drawing in pickets) should simultaneously move to the rear to Gaines’ Mill. Here they were put on the road in the order of march, and by 4 o’clock of the morning of the 28th of June the rear of I’rench’s and Meagher’s brigades had recrossed the Chickahominy.

Leaving the Highty-eighth New York (Meagher’s), under Colonel Baker, to destroy the bridge, which had been previously prepared for the purpose, and communicating with Colonel Hunt, of the Reserve Artillery, a battery of artillery was posted to cover the operation, which was thoroughly effected. Before crossing the river and about daylight a very heavy firing was heard in the direction of Fair Oaks Station, to which point my column was moved with celerity, where I reported to the general commanding the Second Army Corps.

It is needless for me to say anything in praise of my command engaged in this most important duty, considered by all military – authority as the highest and most honorable which can be intrusted to troops to perform, nor is it necessary to make comparison between the enthusiasm of the Irish Brigade, which has gained universal applause and the unobtrusive courage of the American soldier, who does his duty cheerfully, although unnoticed. — It is sufficient that both brigades made a most rapid march; a most bold deployment in presence of the enemy, effectually checking the career of his victorious pursuit; a most vigilant night, and having accomplished the object successfully retired, entirely deceiving the enemy, who shelled the woods in distrust of their presence for twelve hours after my command had returned to its camp. I am, captain,

very respectfully, your most obedient servant,