Raynors HCA 2017-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/7/2017
A good war-date Union battle/operational report for the 11th Massachusetts Battalion, 4pp. folio, concerning their movements and engagement with the enemy from June 12 through July 30, 1864, signed by Major Abram L. Lockwood as commander of the Battalion, to acting Assistant Adjutant General, 1st Lt. William J. Rushing, reading, in part: "…I have the honor to forward the following report of the proceeding of this command since its organization on the 13th of June 1864…on the 12th day of June 1864, the Battalion left its camp near Coal Harbor and after marching 28 miles halted within a mile of the James River…crossed the James at Powhattan Point…June 16th at sunrise the enemy opened on our position with shot and shell killing 1 and wounding 11 men. The firing lasted about half an hour…the men were exposed to a deadly fire without cover of any kind being stationed in an open field about five hundred (500) yards from the enemy's battery. At 3 o'clock…ordered to the skirmish line and was engaged in skirmishing…until dark…when we built rifle pits in which we remained until the night of the 17th…the morning of the 21st…moved to the left of the 5th Corps and threw up a line of works…June 23rd, Colonel Wm. Blaisdell…was killed…while in command of the Corcoran Legion…June 27th. The command moved some distance to the left and occupied the works of the 6th Corps which had been withdrawn…and sent to the support of the cavalry at Ream's Station…remaining in camp furnishing daily details for picket until the morning of the 10th of July…at 1 o'clock a. m. the command moved out and marched…to an open field formerly occupied by a part of the 6th Corps…relieved a regiment occupying the breastworks a little to the left of the position we vacated on the morning of the 10th. While in this position the force of the Battalion was increased by two companies from the 16th Mass. Vols. composed of veterans and recruits…on the 12th inst…the breastworks were leveled and the command moved out at 3 o'clock a. m…while in this camp the command has been engaged in leveling works and building covered roads…after a severe march bivouacked within a mile of the James River…on the morning of the 27th inst. we crossed the James River and moved out to the front of the position occupied by Genl. Foster's forces and halted in an open field…shortly after getting into line the enemy opened a Battery in our front and for a short tie they shelled the woods in which we lay with great vigor but without inflicting any casualties…we moved out in line of battle and crossed the open field…which was held by the enemy…remained in this vicinity till late in the afternoon when we moved to the front and right of our position…remained here in front of the enemy's works until…the 28th …took up a new line running parallel with the road held by the enemy during the morning of the 27th. Commenced to turn the enemy's works so as to face the opposite direction; at 8 o'clock p. m. orders to suspend operations on the works…recrossed the James River. Marched to that part of the line in front of Petersburg held by the 18th Corps…remained in the trenches during the operations of the 30th inst. During the day the enemy kept up a constant fire of musketry and artillery and succeeding in wounding one man [Pvt. William Muldon, severe left arm wound, amputation] by a fragment of a shell. On the night of the 30th we were relieved by a portion of the 18th Corps and returned to our former camp…A. S. Lockwood, Major Commdg. Battalion." Near fine
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