Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 1 (of 2) : $b A complete and reliable history of the war from its commencement to its close ... together with a complete chronological analysis of the warStephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia)
History
Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 1 (of 2) : $b A complete and reliable history of the war from its commencement to its close ... together with a complete chronological analysis of the war
Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
The statistics of this conflict show that the total number of Federal
troops that crossed the Virginia channel was about 1,853 officers and
men. Of these 653 belonged to the Massachusetts Fifteenth, 340 to the
Massachusetts Twentieth, about 360 to the Tammany regiment, and 570 to
the first battalion of the First California. The Massachusetts Fifteenth
lost in killed, wounded, and missing 322, including a lieutenant-colonel
(wounded), and 14 out of 28 line officers who crossed. The Massachusetts
Twentieth lost in all 159, including a colonel, major, surgeon, and
adjutant (prisoners), and 8 out of 17 line officers who crossed. The
Tammany companies lost 163, including a colonel, and 7 out of 12 line
officers who crossed. The Californians lost 300, including their colonel
(the general commanding), lieutenant-colonel (wounded), adjutant, and 15
line officers out of 17 who crossed. Total engaged in the fight, 1,853;
total losses, 953; field officers crossing, 11; returning uninjured, 3;
line officers crossing, 74; returning uninjured, 30.
The troops that were successful in reaching Harrison’s Island remained
there during the night of the 21st, and on the morning of the 22d were
all passed over in safety to the Maryland shore, no attempt being made
by the rebels to interfere with the movement. The condition of many of
the men was pitiful. Some of them in their encounters with the enemy,
and in struggling through the trees and thorny undergrowth, or plunging
down the rocky steep, having been almost stripped of clothing. In a
short time they were encamped in comfortable quarters, and the wounded
were provided for with the greatest care.
Large bodies of rebel troops had been brought up to Leesburg after the
battle, to defend that point, and to make an offensive movement, if
deemed expedient. About four thousand Federals, under the command of
General Stone, occupied the Virginia shore immediately opposite Edwards
Ferry, and were in imminent danger of attack from the now rapidly
increasing force of rebels threatening their front. Generals McClellan
and Banks, who had repaired to Edwards Ferry, on the Maryland shore, and
were ready to furnish large reinforcements in the event of a general
engagement, watched with anxiety the rebel movements on the opposite
side of the river. Becoming convinced that the means of transportation
were entirely inadequate to properly reinforce General Stone’s command,
the commander-in-chief ordered a withdrawal of all the Federal forces to
the Maryland shore, which was safely accomplished on the night of the
23d.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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