Summary:
Brig. Gen. Lysander Cutler commanded the Fourth Division of the Army of the
Potomac which included the 107th Pa. Inf. Cutler reports on the division's
acions in May and June.
Lieut. Col. F. T. LOCKE, Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
August 13, 1864.
COL
I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this division during the campaign commencing May 4, and ending July 30, 1864:
FIRST EPOCH.
On the 3d of May last, at 12 p. m., this division broke camp at Culpeper and moved toward Germanna Ford on the Rapidan. The division then consisted of three brigades, commanded by Brig. Gen. L. Cutler, Brig. Gen. J. C. Rice, and Col. Roy Stone, and having an aggregate present for duty of 8,153 men. During the 4th the march was continued across the Rapidan at Germanna Ford, encamping for the night at Old Wilderness Tavern. Early on the morning of the 5th the march was continued, this division following that of Gen. Crawford on the road to Parker's Store. The enemy soon made his appearance in front of Crawford. This division was formed in line of battle on the right of Crawford, and ordered to push forward and find the enemy and attack him. The line was formed and moved forward at 12 m. Cutler on the right, Stone in the center, and Rice on the left, next Crawford. The enemy was soon found and attacked. He was driven nearly a mile by Cutler's brigade, capturing 289 prisoners and three battle-flags. Rice lost nearly all of his skirmish line as prisoners, and a large number of men and officers killed and wounded. Stone's brigade gave way soon after meeting the enemy, thus letting the enemy through our line. The First Brigade (Cutler's) continued to drive the enemy until it was ascertained that the troops on both flanks had left, and that the enemy was closing in his rear, when he was obliged to fight his way back, losing very heavily in killed and wounded. The command was immediately reformed and ordered to the support of the Second Corps, then engaged with the enemy on the plank road. The enemy's skirmishers were soon found and driven to within half a mile of the plank road. Night coming on, operations ceased and the division remained in line for the night. At 4.30 a. m. on the 6th we moved forward, attacked the enemy, and drove him across the plank road, where a junction was made with the Second Corps. The division was then formed in four lines, the left resting on the plank road. These lines were, by order of Gen. Wadsworth, closed in mass to avoid the artillery fire of the enemy. While in this position it was furiously attacked by infantry and artillery, driven back, and badly scattered, a large portion of them taking the route over which they had marched the night before. This portion of the command was rallied and got together by me near the Old Wilderness Tavern. That portion which retired on the plank road was rallied by Gen.'s Wadsworth and Rice, and again went forward with other troops and was again repulsed, Gen. Wadsworth being killed in the assault. This ended the operations of the 6th, as far as this division was concerned, except a charge, led by Col. Hofmann, by which the enemy was driven from a line of our works which they had captured. I found Stone's brigade almost entirely without officers, Col. Stone having left, sick; some had been captured and several killed and wounded. I placed it under the command of Col. E. S. Bragg, Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers, who retained command until the brigade was detached from the division June 5, doing good service.
SECOND EPOCH.
The command left the Wilderness for Spotsylvania on the 7th at 8 p. m. by way of the Brock road and Todd's Tavern. On arriving at Laurel Hill the enemy was met in force. Before they arrival of this division the Second Division, under Gen. Robinson, had been repulsed. I immediately formed and advanced on the right of the First Division, Gen. Griffin advanced to the crest of a hill in front; my right, being uncovered and unsupported, was attacked in flank from the woods, and was obliged to retire a short distance. During the afternoon Gen. Crawford's division formed on my right, and we immediately intrenched. I remained in this position until the afternoon of the 9th, when we were ordered to assault the enemy's lines, which I attempted, but failed to carry them, suffering severely. On the 10th we were again ordered to assault in conjunction with the Second Corps, which was on the right. Being governed in my movements by the troops on my right, I advanced until the troops on my right were repulsed, when, by the orders of the major-general commanding the corps, I retired to the trenches. My loss was quite heavy. Among others Brig.-Gen. Rice, commanding Second Brigade, was killed.
On the 12th we were under arms at daylight, and again assaulted the enemy's works without success. After being under fire four hours, I was ordered to report with my command to Maj.-Gen. Wright. Col. Lyle, with his brigade (which was serving temporarily with me), was ordered to hold the works on the right of the Sixth Corps. My Third Brigade, Col. Bragg, was sent to hold the works captured that morning from the enemy, and my First and Second Brigades were sent to the assistance of the Sixth Corps, who were endeavoring to carry the enemy's works in front of the Sixth Corps, where they remained under fire until 2 a. m. of the 13th, having been constantly under fire for twenty-two hours, when they were relieved and moved back to the right, going into position again in the trenches, the line having been held during my absence by a skirmish line. At 7 p. m. I received orders to move at 8.30 to the left of the army, following the First Division, Gen. Griffin, and at daylight to charge the enemy's works in front of Spotsylvania Court-House. The men had become so completely exhausted by two days' continual marching and fighting that it would have been utterly impossible to charge the enemy, even if they had not (as was the case) been found in strong force and strongly intrenched. I went into position on the right of Griffin, my left resting on the Fredericksburg pike, my right on the Ny River, and intrenched, remaining in this position until the 21st. It should be stated that on the wounding of Gen. Robinson, one of the brigades (that commanded by Col. Lyle) was temporarily assigned to me on the 9th, and served with me through this epoch. During the epoch much hard fighting was done and serious loss sustained by the division.
THIRD EPOCH.
At 10.50 on the 21st of May I was ordered to retire my lines and move to the left. After strengthening my picket-line, I withdrew them successfully and moved off toward Guiney's Station. My pickets, however, were attacked while retiring and about 40 men captured. I marched to Guiney's Station and from there crossed the Mattapony and encamped, sending the First Brigade forward about 3 miles on the road, toward the North Anna, moving forward on the morning of the 22d, and encamping at Harris' Store for the night. At 5 a. m. the march was resumed, and the North Anna was crossed at Jericho Ford at about 4 p. m. At 6 o'clock I was ordered to go into position on the right of Griffin, who had formed about three-fourths of a mile to the front of the ford, and to extend my right toward the river. I immediately put my First Brigade in motion to connect with Griffin, and the Third Brigade (Col. Bragg) was moved up to join on the right of the First; Col. Hofmann, commanding Second Brigade, was ordered up to support them, and Col. Lyle was held in reserve. White riding to the front with Capt. Mink to examine a position for his battery, and before the First Brigade had got into position, they were furiously attacked by the enemy, who made his appearance on Griffin's right. Capt. Mink placed his battery in position on a slight eminence a little in the rear. My First and Third Brigades being repulsed, immediately rallied on the crest with Mink's battery and another battery which had been sent up by Maj.-Gen. Warren. Col. Hofmann immediately moved up to support of the line. Col. Lyle, from some misapprehension, moved up to the rear of Griffin's, and I lost sight of him. Col. Bates at this time reported to me with his brigade. I sent two of his regiments to the support of my right, which was hard pressed. The enemy were not only checked, but repulsed with the loss of many killed and wounded and a large number of prisoners.
After the affair was over my line was reformed and intrenched. during the 25th no fighting occurred on my front. At daylight on the 25th I was ordered to proceed down the river and form a junction with Crawford, who had moved down to cover the crossing of the Ninth Corps. On reaching the right of Crawford, I was ordered to form on in extension of his line, running from the river in the direction of the railroad to connect with Griffin, who had already gone down the railroad, and to push my skirmishers and find the enemy. The enemy were soon found intrenched. That being accomplished, I was ordered to remain quiet for the day. I lost heavily on my skirmish line during that day, and the next night the troops were withdrawn to the north side of the North Anna River.
FOURTH EPOCH.
The troops took up the line of march for Hanovertown, on the Pamunkey, early the 27th.
Crossing the river at 11.30 a. m. on the 28th my division went into position on the left of Griffin, with Crawford on my left. Early on the 29th I moved forward to Haw's Shop, with orders to form with my right at Haw's Shop, and connecting with Crawford on the left. I occupied this position until the morning of the 30th, when I was ordered to move forward to be in a position to support Gen. Griffin, who was on a reconnaissance on the Mechanicsville road. I immediately moved forward, following Gen. Crawford. At about 6 o'clock Crawford's left was attacked and driven in, but immediately reformed and repulsed the enemy. I formed one of my brigades (the Third) and three regiments from the First Brigade in line between Griffin and Crawford, holding the balance of my command as a support for Crawford. None of my command, however, were engaged.
Early on the 31st I was ordered to push forward my skirmishers to find the enemy's position. The enemy was found about three-fourths of a mile beyond Bethesda Church. I there received orders not to push my pickets until a connection was made on my right and left. This being done, I moved forward and formed in rear of the skirmish line and to the front of Bethesda Church, Gen. Lockwood, commanding Second Division, forming on my left, and Gen. Griffin, of the First Division, on my right, and intrenched. On the afternoon of the 1st of June at attack was made on Gen. Griffin. Being hard pressed, he sent to me for two brigades. Having but one out of the trenches, viz, my Second Brigade, Col. Hofmann, this I at once sent to his assistance. I received orders to swing my right forward to the edge of the wood and intrench. I moved forward all the force I had in hand, and on receiving back the troops I had sent to Griffin they were so formed as to refuse the right of my line to connect with Gen. Griffin's left. I remained substantially in this position until the 5th, and although my line was not engaged with the enemy, they were constantly under a very galling fire from the enemy's batteries, and my skirmish line being in close proximity to the enemy's works, I suffered severely from their sharpshooters. During the time we were in this position a brisk skirmish was had by a portion of Gen. Griffin's command, and in the melee an opening was made on my right, through which a small body of the enemy entered, but were repulsed by the Fourth Delaware, with a loss to the enemy of several killed, wounded, and prisoners. On the evening of the 5th the command retired from the position and moved to the vicinity of Cold Harbor. While on the march an order was placed in my hands organizing the corps and transferring my Third Brigade to Gen. Griffin, leaving me but a meager command. Resting until the 7th I moved in obedience to orders to the railroad bridge across the Chickahominy, took possession of the bridge, and picketed the river from near Bottom's Bridge to connect with Gen. Griffin near Sumner's (lower) Bridge. We remained in this position until the 12th, when we moved to Long Bridge, and crossed early on the morning of the 13th. This closes what is called the fourth epoch. During this time one regiment (the Fourteenth Brooklyn) left, their term of service having expired. Col. Lyle returned to the Second Division, which was partially reorganized, and one of my original brigades, the Third, was transferred to Gen. Griffin.
I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. CUTLER, Brig.-Gen., Cmdg.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I. , Volume 36. Part I, Reports, Serial No. 67, Page 610, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
