Summary:
Brig. Gen. John C. Robinson commanded the Second Division of the Army of the
Potomac which included the 107th Pa. Inf. Robinson reports on skirmishing with
the enemy in order to cross Mine Run.
Lieut. Col. C. KINGSBURY, Jr., Assistant Adjutant-General, First Army Corps.
December 3, 1863
COLONEL
On the 22d of November, this division was posted at Bealeton, Liberty, and Licking Run, and on the 23d it was concentrated near Rappahannock Station. At daylight on the 26th, it started on the march, crossed the Rapidan at Culpeper Ford after dark, and bivouacked until 3 o'clock next morning, when the march was resumed. About midnight I took up a position about a mile and a half to the left of Robertson's Tavern, and picketed one of the roads leading to the front.
At daylight I moved the division about 1 mile to the right, and formed on the left of the First Division in two lines, with a reserve of four regiments and a double line of skirmishers. In this order the division advanced to the line afterward occupied by the army in front of the enemy's works on Mine Run. At this time there were no troops on my left, but the Third Corps, coming into position toward night, relieved my pickets on that flank. The enemy's works in my front appeared to be strong, and between us was a wide open space, with ravines, through which ran two streams, Mine Run and one of its branches. On the 30th, I was directed by the major-general commanding First Corps to advance my pickets across the stream in front, and build two bridges suitable for the passage of artillery and troops in column. The enemy's pickets occupied the crest of the hill immediately in front, and it became necessary to dislodge them. This was handsomely done by the Ninety-fourth Regiment of New York Volunteers, under Major Moffett, which advanced to the stream, exposed to severe musketry fire, crossed it, and, charging up the hill, drove away the rebel pickets, and took possession of the crest. Working parties were immediately set at work, who by night had completed two bridges, and were proceeding to build others, when I received orders to suspend the work, and, during the night, to withdraw my pickets to the position they occupied in the morning. The only casualties in the division are a few men wounded.
At 4 o'clock on the afternoon of the 1st of December, the division was relieved by a brigade of the Third Division, Fifth Corps, and marched to Germanna Ford, where I took position, and covered the crossing of the Fifth and Sixth Corps, and the picket details of the Third, Fifth, and Sixth Corps. The division was then withdrawn, with the exception of 100 men, who remained until the bridges were taken up, and then came over in boats. About noon on the 2d of December, I left the river and bivouacked near Stevensburg. The division left Stevensburg this morning and is now encamped, one brigade at Paoli Mills and one at Kelly's Ford.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JNO. C. ROBINSON, Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I., Volume 29. part I, Reports., Serial No. 48, Pages 693, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
