USA > Virginia > City of Portsmouth > City of Portsmouth > A record of events in Norfolk County, Virginia, from April 19th, 1861, to May 10th, 1862, with a history of the soldiers and sailors of Norfolk County, Norfolk City and Portsmouth, who served in the Confederate States army or navy > Part 28
USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > A record of events in Norfolk County, Virginia, from April 19th, 1861, to May 10th, 1862, with a history of the soldiers and sailors of Norfolk County, Norfolk City and Portsmouth, who served in the Confederate States army or navy > Part 28
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
Cole, Cornelius M., killed October 14th, 1863, Bristoe Station.
Core, John H., discharged for disability November, 1862.
Deiches, W., detailed in hospital, 1862, discharged for disability, 1864. Dey, James B.
Etheredge, -, captured September 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap. Fentress, Thomas, appointed Hospital Steward October 12th, 1862.
Fitchett, Julius M., transferred to Griffin's Battery, October 22d, 1862.
Fletcher, Oliver N., wounded June 21st, 1862, and never rejoined company. Freeman, Robert, captured July 13th, 1863, in Maryland, exchanged and appointed Master's Mate in the Navy, June, 1864.
Gordon, John D., captured October 27th, 1864, Burgess' Mill.
Gordon, Wm., R. appointed Hospital Steward, August 16th, 1862.
Goodridge, F. E. detached May Ist, 1861.
Goodridge, Geo. K., detached October 27th, 1862.
Hill, Chandler, W., promoted Corporal, lost arm July 30th, 1864, at Crater. Holmes, Alex. T., detailed in Quartermaster's Department, 1862, captured October 27th, 1864.
Hipkins, Richard, wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas, and de- tailed in Quartermaster's Department, February 18th, 1864.
Hardy, Thomas A., enlisted in company Sept. 14th, 1864, captured Octo- ber 27th, 1864.
Jones, John S., promoted Captain on General Garnett's staff and wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg.
Kerr, Edward.
King, J. Barry, promoted Sergeant Major 6th Va. Regiment May 25th, 1863, promoted Captain and Quartermaster Lightfoot's Artillery Battalion. Langhorne, Wm. W., detached August 12th, 1864, in Lynchburg.
274
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Lawson, Adrian S., transferred to Company A, 5th Virginia Cavalry, De- cember 9th, 1864.
Marsden, B. A., captured September 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap, ex- changed and promoted to 2d Lieutenant P. A. C. S.
Merritt, John B., mortally wounded August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas, and died in hospital at Warrenton.
Moore, Walter S., promoted Sergeant Major 61st Virginia Regiment March 22d, 1863, promoted Ensign, 1863.
McPhail, Charles H., killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
MeKenny, Wm. N., detailed in Army Intelligence Office, July 1st, 1862.
Murray, John, furnished substitute and discharged.
Myrick, David, wounded July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill, and died in hospital. Pentz, George MeK., transferred to Maryland line, 1862.
Reid, James T. S., promoted 1st Lieutenant Ordnance on General Loring's staff.
Reynolds, Henry S., detailed in Commissary Department, November 21st, 1862, discharged 1864.
Robinson, Wm. C., killed October 14th, 1863, at Bristoe Station.
Robinson, Wm., wounded August 30th, 1862, at Second Manassas, trans- ferred to 32d North Carolina Regiment.
Robertson, Cary, promoted Sergeant Major, August 24th, 1864, killed at Hatcher's Run, February 7th, 1865.
Robins, Geo. S., died in hospital, 1862, Richmond.
Rosenburg, Mich., detailed in hospital, October 7th, 1862.
Rowe, Stephen D., transferred to Company A, 5th Virginia Cavalry, Angust 17th, 1862.
Rowland, John H., captured September 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap, ex- changed and transferred to Company D, 20th Virginia Battalion Heavy Artillery, December 9th, 1862.
Ridley, Wm. G., killed August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Seal, John R., discharged for disability December 27th, 1862.
Seal, Wm. B., appointed Hospital Steward, October 30th, 1862.
Smith, Jonathan K., killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill.
Segar, John, transferred to Company H, 38th Virginia Regiment, October 8th, 1862.
Segar, Arthur S., promoted Lieutenant in another regiment.
Shipp, John S.
Smith, Henry.
Smoot, Wm., detailed October 20th, 1862, discharged for disability, Decem- ber 24th, 1862.
Southgate, Lewellyn, captured September 14th, 1862, Crampton Gap, ap- pointed Sergeant Major in Colonel Godwin's command.
Stone, David D., captured May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H.
Thomas, Richard S., detailed July 1st, 1862, in Army Intelligence Office, Richmond.
Todd, Geo. M.
Umstadter, M., furnished substitute and discharged.
Voss, Albert C., killed August 30th, 1862, Second Manassas.
Ward, Josiah J., wounded August 30th, 1862, at Second Manassas.
Whiting, Wm. N., captured July 30th, 1864, at the Crater.
Whitehurst, Frank M., promoted 1st Lieutenant Company B, September 9th, 1863.
Williams, John N., discharged for disability, April 6th, 1863.
Wise, Wm. M. B., wounded June 21st, 1862, transferred to Company A, 46th Virginia Regiment, December 13th, 1862.
Walke, Richard, Jr., promoted Ordnance Officer Mahone's Brigade, Decem- ber 1st, 1862.
Wicker, D. H. C., substitute for John Murray, died in hospital February 15th, 1863.
Walsh, Wm. V., killed July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill,
Young, Thos. A.
275
COMPANY F, COMPANY G, SIXTH VA. REGIMENT.
TRANSFERRED AND DISCHARGED.
The following men who enlisted in the company at the begin- ning of the war were transferred to other commands or honorably discharged while the company was stationed on Craney Island :
Beale, Brooke, appointed sub-officer in the navy.
Collier, Jas. M., assigned to Medical Department Aug. 30th, 1861.
Cannon, Douglas C., transferred to Signal Corps March 31, 1861.
Cason, Benj. F., promoted 2d Lieutentant Company B, 9th Va. Regiment.
Freeman, Jos. N., appointed Engineer in the navy.
Foremam, Columbus W., transferred to Company B, 5th Va. Cavalry, March 23d, 1862.
Guyot, Robert S., appointed Ordnance Sergeant 9th Va. Regiment and killed Aug. 28th, 1862, at Warrenton Springs.
Gwynn, T. P., appointed Lieutenant in the Marine Corps C. S. Navy.
Hunter, W. W., appointed Q. M. Sergeant 8th North Carolina Regiment, Dec. 2d. 1861.
Indgins, W. R., discharged for disability, 1862.
Hyman, F. M., transferred to Signal Corps March 31st, 1862.
Jacquimon, A. H., discharged 1862, over age.
Keeling, Solomon S., transferred to Medical Department, Oet. 12th. 1861.
Mapp, Richard A., transferred to Signal Corps, March 31st, 1862.
Milhado, A. G., transferred to Signal Corps, March 31st, 1862.
Marsden, James B., promoted Lieutenant in Bridgford's Provost Guard and killed.
Morris, Jesse S., promoted in Medical Department, October 9th, 1861.
Mallory, Chas. O'C., promoted Sergeant Major 55th Va. Regiment, Dec. 12th, 1861.
Portlock, Robert G., promoted Sergeant Major 9th Va. Regiment, Dee. 1st, 1861.
Saunders, Palmer, appointed Midshipman in the navy and killed at the cap- ture of the Underwriter by the Confederates.
Stokes, Montford N., promoted Lieutenant Company D, and killed at Bristoe . Station.
Sharp, Jas. H., promoted 2d Lieutenant P. A. C. S., Sept. 2d, 1861.
Stone, Geo. F., discharged for disability, 1862.
Taylor, Walter H., made 2d Lieutenant P. A. C. S., promoted Adjutant Gen- eral on staff of General R. E. Lee.
Tunstall, Alex., promoted Sergeant Major 6th Va. Regiment, May 6th, 1861, and later promoted Adjutant.
Taylor, Robertson, appointed Quartermaster Sergeant 6th Va. Regiment, promoted Adjutant 6th Regiment and Adjutant General Mahone's Di- vision and wounded at Wilderness May 6th, 1864.
Todd, H. S., elected Lieutenant Company B, 9th Va. Regiment.
Urquhart, J. W., transferred to Company H, 5th Va. Cavalry, March 17th, 1862.
Urquhart, A. B., transferred to Company H, 5th Va. Cavalry, March 17th, 1862.
Wise, Wm. B., promoted Lieutenant in a North Carolina Regiment.
Walker, R. P., appointed 2d Lieutenant P. A C. S.
Walker, Geo. B., transferred to Sussex Cavalry Aug. 10th, 1861, and killed. Wilkerson, Henry D., promoted 2d Lieutenant Company B, 9th Va. Regi-
ment, and mortally wounded July 3d, 1863, at Gettysburg, died in prison on Johnson's Island.
Williams, Thos. A., appointed Sergeant Major 6th Regiment, promoted Lieutenant in Company K.
Walke, Isaac T., transferred to N. L. A. Blues, March 26th, 1862, promoted Lieutenant of Ordnance Fitz Lee's Cavalry Division, and killed in 1864 at Woodstock.
Williamson, Captain Henry W., promoted Lieutenant-Colonel 6th Va. Regi- ment, lost an arm at the Crater.
Killed and died-26.
CHAPTER XXXVHI
THE INDEPENDENT GRAYS, COMPANY H, SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
At the beginning of hostilities in April, 1861, thiscompany was well equipped, well drilled, and in a very efficient condition, so that it responded promptly to the call of the governor for volun- teers, and was mustered into service on the 19th of April, 1861, under the following officers :
Captain, Richard C. Taylor.
First Lieutenant, Win. G. Wilburn ; 2d Lientenant, Josiah H. Smith ; 3d Lientenant, David Wright.
First Sergeant, Henry D. Reynolds ; 2d Sergeant, Geo. Ilog- wood ; 3d Sergeant, Wm. F. Wood.
First Corporal, Walter A. Edwards; 2d Corporal, Henry W. Hill ; 3d Corporal, Isaac Seldner ; 4th Corporal, Wm. N. Beak.
The Greys were among the first troops sent to Craney Island to take charge of the batteries which were being erected there, and had charge of a section of heavy guns. Life on Craney Island was very monotonons. The Confederates built strong earthworks there and manned them with heavy guns. They built bumb proofs and furnaces for heating shot but the enemy's vessels kept at a respectful distance, and the Grays had no opportunity while there to test their efficiency. While on the Island, the company was attached to the 6th Virginia Regiment, as Company H, but remained on the island until its evacuation on the 10th of May, 1862, when it joined the regiment upon its arrival at Petersburg. Captain Taylor was promoted to Major, commanding an ar- tillery battalion in the entrenched camp back of Norfolk, and at the reorganization of the Grays in April, 1862, Lieutenant David Wright was elected Captain, Josiah H. Smith 1st Lientenant, Wm. G. Wilbern 2d Lieutenant and Henry S. Reynolds 3d Lien- tenant. Lieutenant Smith was mortally wounded at the battle of Manassas, Angust 30th, 1862, and died at Aldie on the Sth of October. Lientenant Reynolds was discharged on the 23d of Jannary, 1863, and Thos. A. Gatch was elected 1st Lieutenant in 1864, and remained with the company until the surrender at Ap- pomattox. Captain Wright was killed at the battle of the Crater on the 30th of July, 1864.
One of the most gallant events of the whole war was a charge made on the enemy's entrenchments near Chancellorsville, May 2d, 1862, by companies B, C and H, of the 6th Regiment. Gen- eral Mahone, in his official report of the affair says: "It was during this service of the brigade that the advance line of skirm- ishers of the 6th Virginia Infantry, under command of Captain W. Carter Williams, charged over the enemy's abatis near the Plank Road, fired upon them in their rifle pits, captured there
276
277
THE INDEPENDENT GRAYS, CO. II, SIXTH VA. REGT.
prisoners from four different regiments, and the colors and color bearer of the 107th Ohio Regiment, returning to his position with his handful of men, with the loss of an officer as prisoner. This gallant and successful sortie was made a little after dark Saturday, May 2d, when General Jackson's fire was heavy, and it was in fighting over the same ground the next morning that the valliant Williams fell mortally wounded."
The charge was made for the purpose of ascertaining the posi- tion of the enemy. The officer captured was Captain Crawley, of Company C, and the manner of his capture was somewhat amus- ing. He had captured a Federal soldier, and when the company retired he thought he was following it, but in the darkness of the night and the thickness of the woods, he mistook his proper course and went towards the enemy's lines instead of his own. The prisoner he had with him told him he was taking the wrong direc- tion and, if he kept on, they would soon be inside the Federal lines, and the condition of affairs would be reversed. He said he did not wish to return to his own lines just then, but would like to be captured, so that he could get a short holiday while waiting to be exchanged, and therefore he warned Captain Crawley that he was taking the wrong direction, but Captain Crawley thought he knew best, and kept on until, sure enough, he found himself in the hands of the enemy. His former prisoner then took him a prisoner and turned him over to the provost guard.
The company was a small one, but its losses were heavy com- pared with its numbers. Nearly one third of those who left Nor- folk with it and did service in its ranks were either killed or wounded. First Sergeant Seldner was killed May 3d, 1863, and Walter A. Edwards was promoted to fill the vacancy. He was present with the company in every battle in which it was engaged except two, and escaped without a wound. He was captured at Cumberland Church April 7th, 1865, two days before the surren- der at Appomattox Court House.
Below will be found the roll of the company after it left Nor- folk, together with the list of casualties :
Captain David Wright, promoted Captain May 1st, 1862, killed July 30th, 1864, Crater.
First Lieutenant Josiah H. Smith, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, 2d Manassas, died Oct. 8th.
First Lieutenant Thos. A. Gatch, elected 1864, surrendered at Appomattox. Second Lieutenant Win. G. Wilbern.
Third Lieutenant Henry S. Reynolds, discharged Jan. 23d, 1863.
First Sergeant Isaac Seldner, captured Sept. 14th, 1862, exchanged and killed May 3d, 1863, at Chancellorsville.
Second Sergeant H. W. Hill, appointed Ordnance Sergeant June 29th, 1862, captured on retreat from Petersburg.
Third Sergeant Walter A. Edwards, promoted 1st Sergeant May 8th, 1863, captured at Cumberland Church April 7th, 1865.
Fourth Sergeant Geo. Hogwood.
First Corporal Alex. M. Smith, promoted color bearer 6th Regiment, woun- ded Aug. 30th, 1862, at 2d Manassas.
278
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
Second Corporal Jas. A. Wirmington, promoted Sergeant May 8th, 1863. Third Corporal Walter R. Wellons, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, at 2d Manas- sas and July 30th, 1864, at the Crater.
Fourth Corporal John L. Sinnons, wounded Aug. 30th, 1862, at 2d Ma- nassas, wounded May 2d, 1863, at Chancellorsville, and died May 3d.
PRIVATES.
Anderson, John T., wounded May 6th, 1864, at Wilderness, and disabled.
Abdell, Wm. H., wounded May 3d, 1863, at Chancellorsville, disabled and detailed in Richmond postoffice.
Boush, John T., detailed as wagon driver Dec. 4th, 1862.
Brown, Henry F., wounded Sept. 14th, 1862, lost arm May 8th, 1864, Shady Grove.
Barnes, James, killed March 23d, 1863, by Provost Guard, Petersburg. Bonfanti, John, promoted Corporal.
Beane, Wm. W., wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania.
Crockett, Geo. wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater, died Aug. 6th.
Dashields, Jas. J., killed May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H.
Dunbar, John T., appointed Sergeant May 8th, 1863.
Dunn, Wm. F., promoted Corporal, wounded June 22d, 1864, captured April 5th, 1865, at Cumberland Church.
Dunn, Win. A., died in hospital, Dec. 8th, 1863.
Ferris, James.
Gray, Wm.
Gillerlain, Peter J., killed July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Higgins, Francis C., wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Ironmonger, L. M., promoted Sergeant May 5th, 1864, captured June 16th, .1864.
Johnson, Wm. B.
Johnson, Jacob T., died in hospital Aug. 7th, 1864, Richmond.
Jacobs, Julius, wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H., and supposed to have died.
Laylor, Geo.
Lewis, Geo. E.
Mordecai, Phillip M.
Mannix, W. R., died in hospital, Aug. 19th, 1862, Danville.
Mitchell, Edward F., detailed and not with the company.
Nottingham, W. W., wounded May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H.
Plummer, Joshua.
Peek, Wm. N., killed July 1st. 1862, Malvern Hill.
Ross, John R.
Roberts, Wm. J., killed July 30th, 1864, at Crater.
Reynolds, Wm. C., transferred to navy Sept. 3d, 1863.
Shirley, John, died in hospital, June, 1862.
Smith, Andrew.
Smith, John E., promoted Corporal, transferred to navy Sept. 3d, 1863. Smith, Wm. J., wounded and captured May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania.
Stubbs, Wm. J., detailed in Army Provost Guard.
Stryker, Martin, captured Oct. 27th, 1864, at Burgess' Mill. Sykes. Wm. A.
Scott, Win. T., wounded May 12th, 1864, at Spotsylvania C. H.
Tomlinson, Geo., transferred to navy April 8th, 1863.
Wise, H. A., wounded July 30th, 1864, at Crater. Westbrook, D. A.
Wise, Geo. W .. wounded September 14th, 1862, lost arm May 6th, 1864, Wilderness.
Winhall, Hiram, captured September 14th, 1862, and May 12th, 1864, Spotsylvania C. H.
Wyatt, John L.
Wood, Wm. F., wounded Sept. 14th, 1862, at Crampton Gap, and died in hospital July 14th, 1863.
Killed and died-16.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE SIXTII VIRGINIA REGIMENT-MAHONE'S, WEISIGER'S BRIGADE, HUGER'S, ANDERSON'S, MAHONE'S DIVISION.
Ilaving given brief sketches of the five Norfolk. companies which were in this regiment, their history would not be complete without telling the part which the regiment played in that great drama which was marked by so many deeds of noble heroism. Of the fifty companies composing the five regiments in Ma- hone's Brigade, Norfolk county, including the cities of Nor- folk and Portsmouth, contributed sixteen, or one-third of the whole. Of those sixteen, six were from Norfolk city, six from Norfolk county, three from Portsmouth, and one from Ports- mouth and the county jointly, while in another, Company B, 6th Regiment, Norfolk and Portsmouth were both liberally repre- sented, though the bulk of the company was from Princess Anne county. The 6th Regiment was organized almost immediately upon the beginning of hostilities and was composed of the follow- ing companies :
Company A, of Norfolk city, Captain W. N. McKenney.
Company B, of Princess Anne, Captain W. Carter Williams.
Company C, of Norfolk city, Captain Wm. Lamb.
Company D, of Norfolk city, Captain John R. Ludlow. Company E, of Portsmouth, Captain John H. Myers.
Company F, of Princess Anne, Captain George T. Rogers.
Company G, of Norfolk city, Captain Henry W. Williamson.
Company H, of Norfolk city, Captain Richard C. Taylor.
Company I, of Manchester, Captain Louis Bossieux.
Company K, of Chesterfield, Captain David M. Goode.
The officers of the regiment were :
Colonel-Wm. Mahone.
Lieutenant-Colonel-Thos. J. Corprew.
Major-Wm. T. Lundy.
These officers were assigned to the regiment by Governor Letcher. First Lieutenant Robert B. Taylor, of Company A, was detailed as Adjutant, and Alex. Tunstall, of Company G, was appointed Sergeant Major. Subsequently Quartermaster Sergeant Robertson Taylor was appointed Adjutant. Companies G and HI were detached and placed on duty on Craney Island, and Company I was stationed at the Naval Hospital battery. The seven other companies were together in the entrenchments near Norfolk. On the 1st of September, 1861, Company E was dis- banded by orders from headquarters, and the Nansemond Guards, Captain Williams, became Company E. Some time in the fall
279
280
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
of 1861 the 6th, 12th, 16th and 41st Virginia Regiments were or- ganized into a brigade, and on the 16th of November, 1861, Col- onel Mahone was promoted to Brigadier General. This occa- sioned the promotion of Lieutenant-Colonel Corprew and Major Lundy, and Captain George T. Rogers, of Company F, was elected Major.
On the 10th of February, 1862, upon the fall of Roanoke Is- land, which occurred on the 8th, the seven companies which were with the regiment were ordered to Coinjoek, or Curritnek bridge, at the North Carolina terminus of the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, to protect that work should the enemy put in an appear- ance there, and also to cover the retreat of General Wise with such troops as he might have saved from the wreck at Roanoke Island. There was a battery of three 32-pounder guns at Curri- tuck bridge. General Wise reached Currituck bridge on his re- treat and, ranking Colonel Corprew, took command and ordered a retreat to Great Bridge, where General Huger found the regi- ment. General Wise was transferred to another department, and affairs at Great Bridge were turned over to General Mahone. The regiment remained in that section until General Huger re- ceived orders to evacuate Norfolk, when it was marched to the city, reached there May 10th, crossed the Eastern Branch on the draw-bridge and took the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad cars for Petersburg, where it was joined by Companies G, H and I. On the appearance of the Federal fleet, composed of the Monitor, Galena, Naugatuck and Aroostook before the fort at Drury's Bluff on the 15th of May, Companies G and I were sent to the Bluff to act as sharpshooters, and every man on the vessels who exposed himself became a mark for their fire. They were very efficient aids to the fort. They were scattered along the Bluff lower down the river than the position at which the fort was lo- cated. The next day the regiment was ordered to Chaffin's Bluff and remained there until after the battle of Seven Pines, in which the other regiments of the brigade took part.
At the reorganization of the regiment in April, prior to the evacnation of Norfolk, the following officers were elected:
Colonel-George T. Rogers.
Lieutenant-Colonel-Henry W. Williamson.
Major-Robert B. Taylor.
Adjutant-Alexander Tunstall.
Adjutant Robertson Taylor was appointed by General Mahone Adjutant General of the brigade when the latter received his ap- . pointment as Brigadier General. The field officers of the regi- ment were peculiarly fortunate, for, though they did their duty well and faithfully, only one of them received a wound during the war. Lientenant-Colonel Williamson lost an arm at the bat- tle of the Crater, on the 30th of July, 1864. Colonel Rogers and Major Taylor escaped unhurt.
281
THE SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
After the battle of Seven Pines the regiment rejoined the bri- gade and remained with it until the close of the war. On the 21st of June a very unfortunate affair ocenrred with the regiment. A report reached the lines that a regiment of Federals was ad- vancing up the Charles City Road, and the first battalion of the 6th Regiment was ordered to advance and intercept them. It was understood also that the 41st Regiment would take part in the movement. Two small private roads ran parallel with the Charles City Road, one on each side, and the 41st Regiment took the right hand one and the detachment of the 6th the other. The detach- inent was under Colonel Rogers, and the idea was that the expe- dition would proceed until they came up with the enemy and then close in on their rear and capture them. The batallion of the 6th passed through the outer line of Confederate pickets and these mistook Company I, who were uniformed with light blue pan- taloons, for Federals, and fired on them, wounding one man. After proceeding about two miles down the road, a single musket shot was fired from the rear and wounded three men in the de- tachment. A halt was then made and the men were ordered to retire into the woods and lie down. After waiting a few minutes for the appearance of an enemy or a repetition of the shot, and there being no indication of either, the line was again formed in the road and the march resumed. It was then getting towards dusk, and some of the men of the first battalion, looking to the rear, noticed the second battalion of the regiment following them, and only abont a hundred yards behind. The second battalion was under command of Major Taylor, and was ordered out after the first battalion had left camp, and just as it was noticed from the first battalion, the men in the second battalion began firing upon the first, mistaking it for the enemy, Some of the men in the first battalion returned the fire until the voice of Major Taylor was heard and recognized, ordering his men to fix bayonets, and the firing on both sides ceased. The regiment was united, and having passed the point at which the enemy was reported to have been seen, without seeing anything of them, it returned to camp. In this unfortunate affair twenty-eight men were killed or wounded in the two detachments. It was in this affair that Dr. Wise, now a practicing dentist in Norfolk, lost his leg, and James N. Bell, afterwards Sergeant Major of the regiment, lost a portion of his hand. Some of the men in the first battalion recognized their comrades in the second before the firing began, and it was through them that it was brought to a stop just about the time that Major Taylor's voice was recognized when he gave the order to fix bay- onets.
The 41st Regiment, failing to find the enemy, likewise returned to camp, but without having had any mishaps. Nothing of in- terest occurred in camp until the 25th of June. There was, in
19
282
NORFOLK COUNTY, 1861-5.
the meantime, an occasional skirmish with the enemy, but the 6th Regiment did not take part in any of them. They were confined principally to Wright's and Armistead's Brigades, but the action of the 25th seems to have been considered by General Mcclellan as of some importance. This was the first battle with the enemy in which the 6th Regiment was engaged, and was known as the battle of Oak Grove. It was an initiatory move on the part of General Mcclellan to advance his left wing nearer towards Rich- mond. The attack was made upon Huger's Division, and fell principally upon the brigades of Generals Wright and Mahone, thongh a portion of Ransom's Brigade was engaged quite heavily, and a portion of Armistead's Brigade slightly. All four brigades suffered some loss. The enemy was successfully repelled along the whole line of attack. On the 30th the 6th Regiment was exposed to a very heavy artillery fire and had three men killed and two wounded. In the action of the 25th the enemy was handsomely repulsed in front of Wright's Brigade, but one of the regiments, (Hill's) of Ransom's Brigade, had been forced to give way. Its place was occupied by the 12th Virginia and the 1st Battalion of the 6th, while the 49th and 41st Virginia Regiments and the 2d Battalion of the 6th attacked the enemy on his flank and rear, causing a precipitate retreat.
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