Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[482] were killed, and Lieutenant Brockenbrough and two or three color-bearers wounded. On Sunday, June twenty-ninth, we marched from Gaines's Mill to the south side of the Chickahominy. Monday morning, we marched a few miles, and were halted in the woods until about five o'clock P. M., when we were ordered, with the brigade, to go to the support of General Kemper. We marched at a double-quick, when we were formed in line of battle on the right of the road, the Sixtieth Virginia on our left. We advanced through the woods until we came to the brow of a hill, where was a battery recently taken from the enemy. The brigade which had taken it had disappeared, and the enemy had advanced to within a few yards of the battery. We halted, fired a few volleys, and charged, driving the enemy about a mile into the woods, when we halted to re-form; and finding that the enemy were about to flank us, we fell back to the edge of the woods, where we remained until the firing had ceased. The regiment was ordered to remain at this point until the captured battery could be taken off, when we marched back across the field, and bivouacked for the night. In this engagement, Lieutenant-Colonel Christian was seriously wounded, Major Burke and Captain Wright killed, and Lieutenants Hall and Blair, and Adjutant Williams, wounded. The regiment was in readiness to participate in the engagement of Tuesday, July first, but was not actively engaged. The officers and men who remained with the regiment acted well; but many of them, who had been on the sick list previously, and were just returned to duty when we started, being weak, were compelled to fall out during the march.

I beg leave to call the attention of the General commanding to the following named officers for coolness under fire, and the efficient manner in which they performed their duties: Lieutenant-Colonel Christian, who fell mortally wounded in the charge of the thirtieth; Adjutant Williams, Captain Fauntleroy, Captain Saunders, Captain Rice, Captain Roy, Captain Jett, Captain Healy, Captain Lawson, and Captain Alexander, and Lieutenants Brockenbrough, Roane, Reynolds, Davis, Healy, and Street; particularly Captain Fauntleroy and Lieutenants Brockenbrough and Roane.

The General's attention is also called to the following named non-commissioned officers and privates: Sergeant-Major Mallory; Color-Sergeant Fauntleroy; Corporal Micon, company A; private Nicholson, company C; and Costenbader, company E.

The following are names of non-commissioned officers and privates honorably mentioned by their Captains:

Company A. Privates Ruffin Starke, E. T. Smith, Robert Carter, R. H. Dunmead, A. F. Allen.

Company C. Private Thomas Thurston.

Company D. Privates Archibald Brooks, G. E. Minor, Reuben L. Dyke, G. Shackleford, and Burwell Mitchell.

Company G. William T. Garrettes, J. W. Carter, R. S. Burch, T. M. George, A. W. Hundley, W. C. Wayne, and E. D. Munday.

Company H. Privates A. E. Vaughan, G. W. Vaughan, N. Mason, E. Clagville, and J. R. Trader. Corporal Stilf fought through all the battles with a sick leave in his pocket.

Company I. William T. Cowan, James Yates, R. Todd, and V. H. Fauntleroy.

Company M. Sergeants Bullock and Morris; privates James W. Smith, R. O. Perry, McGary Burress, Blanton Humphreys, Johnson Newton, S. Rice, and Goodrich. Sergeant Robinson, company M, acted well.

The aggregate loss is as follows: Killed, twenty-two; wounded, ninety-four; missing, three.

I am, Captain, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

General: The Thirty-seventh regiment left its camp on the twenty-fifth June, pursuant to orders, with the other regiments composing your brigade, and on the twenty-sixth crossed the Chickahominy. On the evening of the twenty-sixth, my command reached Mechanicsville, and was exposed to a severe artillery fire, which wounded severely several men and two officers; but the regiment was not otherwise engaged. On the evening of the twenty-seventh, we reached Cold Harbor, and my command was ordered into action. Not knowing the position of the enemy, we moved up the road some two hundred yards, when the enemy opened a deadly fire upon us, killing several and wounding a large number. The swamp and undergrowth rendered it very difficult to form the regiment in line of battle, which, together with the destructive fire of the enemy, threw it into considerable confusion, thereby rendering it inefficient for a short time, until order could be restored. During the rest of the engagement it behaved very well.

On Monday evening, the thirtieth instant, my regiment, with the other regiments of your command, charged the strong position occupied by the enemy's artillery and infantry. Throughout this engagement, my regiment behaved with great gallantry, driving the enemy before them with great loss.

On Tuesday evening, the regiment was again under arms, and under fire, but was not engaged. All the officers of my command behaved well, except those who have been reported to General Hill, under previous orders. I take pleasure in mentioning, specially, Captain Melon, who remained with his company during these trying scenes, although more than sixty years old, and worn out by exposure and fatigue. In the action of Monday evening, Colonel Lee was killed while gallantly leading the regiment into action. He was a brave, experienced officer, and a pure man. His loss will be severely felt.

Lieutenant Isham Hartjoy was mortally wounded