Summary:
Union Lieutenant George P. Kirtland reports on the actions of the First Ohio
Battery during the June, 1864, campaign in the Shenandoah Valley. Kirtland
reports arriving in Staunton with his battery on the 8th.
Camp Piatt, W. Va.,
July 6, 1864.
SIR:
I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by this command in the recent raid:
In obedience to orders left camp Mill Creek on the morning of the 1st June, and by easy stages reached Staunton on the 8th.
At 11 a. m. on the 11th instant was ordered in position to engage the enemy's battery that was posted on the south side of North River at Lexington, and after being engaged three hours succeeded in driving them from their position. Our loss in this engagement was 1 man killed, Private George W. Tank.
On the evening of the 17th, in obedience to orders, took a position and engaged the enemy near Lynchburg, fought till dark, advanced our line one mile, and encamped for the night.
At 11 a. m. on the morning of the 18th became hotly engaged with the enemy's guns, posted in strong earth-works. This engagement lasted forty-five minutes, and the fire very severe. Casualties, 4 slightly wounded.
On the morning of the 21st one piece in position on a hill, under command of Lieut. C. H. Fee, one and one-half miles east of Salem, to check a heavy line of the enemy's skirmishers that were advancing on our right flank; remained in position thirty minutes, using canister until the battery had passed and overtaken support.
I have the honor to report a loss of 6 artillery wheels, 14 horses, and 1 set of lead harness.
By order of Capt. James R. McMullin, acting chief of artillery, 528 rounds of ammunition (fixed) and 12 tarpaulins were destroyed at Meadow Bluff on the 26th instant.
Twenty-six artillery horses have been transferred to the post acting quartermaster at Charleston as unserviceable since reaching this place.
I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. P. KIRTLAND,
Lieut., Cmdg.
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 138-139, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
