No. 118. Report of Major James A. Cunningham, Thirty-second Massachusetts Infantry.1
HEADQUARTERS THIRTY-SECOND MASSACHUSETTS VOLS.,
August 11, 1864.
CAPTAIN: *
FIFTH EPOCH.
June 13, crossed the Chickahominy; after some delay took up the line of march in the direction of Charles City Court-House, and encamped for the night at 11 p.m.
June 14, marched to Wilcox’s Landing on the James River and remained until the 16th of June, when the regiment crossed the James River on transports and took up the line of march toward Petersburg.
June 18, early in the morning formed in line of battle, charged across an open plain, driving the enemy across a deep cut on the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad. Here Colonel Prescott fell mortally wounded. Toward night moved to the left, charged and took the crest of a hill, now occupied by the left of the Ninth Corps, with a loss to the regiment of 6 killed, 17 wounded.
June 19, the regiment was relieved and moved back to a position near the railroad, and remained until June 21, when it moved farther to left into a piece of woods, where it encamped.
June 22, formed in line of battle and moved to the front under a heavy artillery fire; advanced through a dense wood to rifle-pits previously occupied by the Second Corps.
June 23, the regiment was relieved by a portion of the Second Corps, and moved about two miles to the left to support the Sixth Corps.
June 24, moved back into the woods occupied on the 21st, where the regiment remained with the brigade, as a reserve for the division, until July 12, when the brigade moved to the front into breast-works.
July 28, the brigade moved to the right; the regiment remained in its position on the left of the division, which it held on the 30th of July, 1864.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAS. A. CUNNINGHAM,
Major, Commanding Regiment.
Captain J. D. McFARLAND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
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* For portion of report (here omitted) covering operations from May 3 to June 12, 1864, see Vol. XXXVI, Part I, p.569.
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Source:
- The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XL, Part 1 (Serial Number 80), page 460 ↩