Summary:
Union Colonel William R. Brown recounts the role played by the Thirteenth West
Virginia Infantry during the June, 1864, Union advance in the Shenandoah Valley.
Brown reports arriving at Staunton on the 8th, and encountering skirmishing in
the area.
Capt. R. HASTINGS,
Acting Assistant
Adjutant-Gen.
Camp near Charleston, W. Va.,
July 2, 1864.
SIR:
In compliance with orders received July 1 instant, requiring a "full report of the action taken by your regiment since leaving Meadow Bluff, embracing the number of men at your departure, loss in killed, wounded, and missing," I have the honor to submit the following report:
On Monday, May 30, orders were received to march at 8 a. m. the 31st in the following order: Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Thirteenth Virginia, Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Fifth Virginia. At the time of departure this regiment numbered 720 men.
Passed through Lewisburg, W. Va., June 1, at 8 a. m.
Crossed the main Alleghanies June 2.
Passed the Hot Springs June 4, at 6.30 a. m. Part of this regiment was deployed as skirmishers at Warm Springs Mountain, at which place the rebels appeared in some force on the top of the mountain. Camped at Goshen, on the Virginia Central Railroad, in the evening of June 5.
June 6 was devoted to destroying the railroad.
June 7, after crossing the mountain at Pond Gap, part of this regiment was deployed as skirmishers; past the village of Middlebrook to a rebel camp, which was found deserted. Arrived at Staunton June 8.
June 10, Privates William L. Harris and Taylor N. Hogg, of Company B, were wounded near the village of Newport, on the Staunton and Lexington road.
June 11, this regiment was present at the battle of Lexington, and entered the town at 6 p. m. by the burnt bridge.
Crossed the James River at Buchanan at 6 p. m. June 14.
Crossed the Blue Ridge and passed near the foot of the Peaks of Otter June 15.
Arrived at Liberty, county seat of Bedford, at 9 a. m. June 16. The remaining part of the day was devoted to destroying the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.
June 17, at 10 p. m. this regiment was assigned its place in line of battle for the following day before Lynchburg.
June 18, at sunrise the enemy opened heavily with artillery. During the morning this regiment was deployed to the right of the town; at noon the force was concentrated at the center. This regiment was deployed in line of battle in front of brigade at 1 p. m., and slowly advanced under a heavy artillery and musketry fire toward the enemy's works, and remained before the works until 8 p. m., when this regiment received orders to march one mile beyond the village of New London. Loss in wounded in this day's battle Company D, 2, F. Ohlinger and L. C. Johnson; G., 3, M. W. Maybee, W. J. Dillon, and S. H. Clendenen; G, 1, A. J. Harper (missing in action); total, 6. G should read K. Correction from General Index.
June 20, reached Buford's Gap at 2 p. m., at which place this regiment was deployed as skirmishers until sunset. Philip Wintz, Company A, wounded severely.
Recrossed the Alleghany Mountains in the evening of June 24.
Camped at Meadow Bluff June 25.
Crossed Gauley River at 11.30 June 28.
Encamped below Elk River at 1 p. m. July 1.
Distance marched since May 30, 480 miles.
Loss in wounded, 8; missing in action, 1; total, 9.
Respectfully,
WM. R. BROWN,
Col. Thirteenth Regt. West Virginia Vol. Infty.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 37, Serial No. 70, Pages 124-125, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
