Numbers 89. Report of Lieutenant Colonel William B. Neeper, Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Infantry, of operations October 1-5.1
HDQRS. FIFTY-SEVENTH PENNSYLVANIA VETERAN VOLS., October 7, 1864.
CAPTAIN: In compliance with circular from headquarters Second Brigade, Third Division, Second Corps, dated October 7, 1864, I have the honor to submit the following report:
September 30, in compliance with orders, we were packed up and ready to move at a moment’s notice and remained so during the day, but did not move out from our camp. October 1, about 12 m. received orders to fall in and march to Hancock’s Station, which we did, and there took the cars which ran us down to the Yellow House, or Warren’s Station, where we got off and marched about two miles and bivouacked for the night in rear of Ninth Corps. October [2], 7 a. m., moved out to the left of the Ninth Corps, advanced through a thick woods, and charged with the balance of the brigade on a line of the enemy’s works through a thick slashing. This line appeared only to have been occupied by a few pickets, who fled at our approach, which gave us a bloodless victory. Remained half an hour in these works and again advanced; passed over a second line of works and advanced about half a mile; found the enemy strongly intrenched and obstinately resisting our farther advance. At about 3 p. m. we were deployed out as flankers and were to act as provost. The balance of the brigade charged the enemy’s works, but were repulsed and fell back to the line we occupied. Remained in this position till about 4 p. m., when we were relieved by the Ninth Corps and marched back about one mile and a half to the Fifth Corps, where we bivouacked for the night. October 3 were under arms at 4 a. m.; furnished a fatigue detail for work on the fortifications. The balance of the regiment remained in camp. October 4, were under arms at 4 a. m.; furnished a detail for fatigue, but remained in camp during the day ready to march at a moment’s notice. October 5, were under arms at 4 a. m. At 7 a. m. the regiment was sent out to work on the fortifications; returned to camp at sundown and were ordered to pack up immediately. Moved out about 8 p. m. and marched back to Fort Alexander Hays, where we arrived at midnight.
Loss: Joseph Shara, Company E, mortally wounded; Daniel Kunkel, Company E, severely wounded; Joseph Clark, Company H, severely wounded.
WM. B. NEEPER,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.
Captain J. B. TEN EYCK, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
Source:
- The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLII, Part 1 (Serial Number 87), page 377 ↩
Joseph Shara, reported above as being mortally wounded, in fact claimed (and was granted) a pension from England on July 6, 1889. However, there is an indication that he died in Corning, N.Y. in 1921. I am compiling a register of Civil War veterans buried in Great Britain (currently around 1,000) and would be grateful if you could help me establish the facts.
Michael,
Thanks for adding that bit of information. To be honest, I do not know any more about Joseph Shara than what is listed here. I keep a spreadsheet of interesting stories to follow up with research on at some future point. I’ll make sure to add Shara to the list to see what I can find.
Brett