The national Republican., 1861-11-01
R.lort OF Acting nrigad,er Gencrai
l - Hlnkas

, R.lprt OF Acting nrigad,er General
T ~ Hinkss
HEADQUARTERS NINErssNrH RedIMEsr
MASSACHUSETTS voLUsTEERs.
s Camp Benton, Oot 23, 1851.
10 Brigddier General Lander:
Z sR, Learning that column Of our troops
was crossing the Potomac on the 2lst inst, al
q point near the centre OF Harrison's Island, In
which the companies Of my regiment stationed
As piokets upon the river had been ordered 10
Join by Cen. Baker, Tfiastened thither In anttci-
patton Of orders from Gen. Stone.
; arrived there about halfpast one O'Clock
p. NJ, and found among the troops at the point
of crossing, great confusion, no competent o1i
Ger seeming to have been left in charge Of the
barking was very slow. Il once took charge
ut this point, caused a limo to be stretched
aoross the river, by which to propel the boats,
and forwarded troops in the following order, to
wit:
Parts of California regiment not already
crossed, the Rhode Island and New York bat.
teries, the New York and Tammany regiments.
and the Nineteenth MASSACHUSETTS,. With the
latter regiment proceeded to the island.
learned that Gen. Baker had been killed. and
found everything in confusion, our column be.
ing entirely routed and in precipitate retreat.
throwing away their arms, deserving their
killed and wounded, and leaving large mum
ber Of prisoners in the hands Of the enemy.
at once took command, arrested, as far az
possible, the progress of the rout, restored
order, and to check the advance of the enemy,
who threatened to occupy the island, sent the
Nineteenth Massachusetts, regiment to the 'front.'
and placed one gun OF the Rhode Island bate
the Massachusetts, Twentieth, and 80 much of
the Tammany regiment as was on tho island
and could be induced to remain; which dispo-
siton being made, and pickets extended upon
the Virginia side Of the island, ] commenced
active measures for the gathering of the
wounded and the rescue Of struggling parties
of our troops upo" the Virginia shore, by tho
construction of RATS and the use Of small boats,
the boats used for crossing to the Virginia
shore having boen swamped and lost in the pre-
cpitate and disordery retreat. No field officer
was on duty on the island, with the exception
Of Major Bon, of the New York Tammany regi.
ment.
After the passage of the Nineteenth Massa
chusetts regiment no reinforcements crossed
to the island, although several regiments were
upon the tow.path on the Maryland side, but
returned to their camps during the night. A
considerable number rofunarmed fugitives from
various regiments, we're passed TO the Mary.
land shore during the night, and the transports.
tion Of the wounded was continued until noon
of the 22d. ..
On the morning Of the 22d, dispatched
Lieutenant Dodge, of the Nineteenth Massa
chusetts, with q flag of truce, to request Of the
wounded, of which numbers lay In view un.
cared for on the Virginia shore. This request
was denied, except in the case of few appa
rently mortally wounded. The remainder were
taken prisoners. Permission for my surgeon
| to cross and treat the wounded was also re
fused, except upon condition that he should
remain a prisoner in their hands. Subse
quently ! dispatched Captain Vaughn, of the
| Rhode Islapd battery, with another flag o
trace, to obtain permission to bury the dead
which was acceded to, with the stipulation
that no movement Of troops should be made
from the island to the Maryland shore in retreat
while the burying party were Employed" and
| ! dispatched Captain Vaughn, with party Of
ten men for that purpose. who remained unit
seven bodies, which he reported to be abou
two thirds ofthe number lying upon the ground
but, night coming on, he was unable to bury
| the remainder.
During tho afternoon, factious complaint wa.
made by the rebel commander that had VIC
| lated the stipulations under which the fl tg o
truce was protected accompanied by Il threa
to retain Captain Vaughn and his party rs pris
| oners of war. l at once addressed note to III,
threw up new entrenchments and made dispo
| sition of troops, with view Of renewing hos
tilities If tho threat WAS carried into execution
Subsequently, however,, Captain Vaughn re
| turned with his rariy and informed mo that my
explanation was deemed satisfactory by thu
rebel commander.
Immediately after Captain Vaughn returned
under cover Of the night commenced retreat
in pursuance of orders previously received
| from General Hamilton, and transported three
pieces of artillery, with oaissons and ammuni
ton, thirty six horses, and the eleven companies
of infantry under my command, numbering
some seven hundred men, in good order, to thu
| Maryland shore, without any casualties or los
whatsoever; and completing the retreat at !,
O'Clock, Immediately passed my compliment
| to the rebel commander in the form of fou
shells from Captain yaughn's guns, which ha,
been placed IN battery upon the high groun
| overlooking the canal and river.
During the retreat was reinforced by fiv
companies of the Massachusetts, Second, unde
the command Of Captain Tucker, who remaine
upon this side of the river, where statione
him with his command in support Of the battery
and ordered to camp the companies Of tn
Nineteenth and Twentieth, who were great
exhausted, having been constantly employed ii
the entrenchments, burying the dead, removn
the wounded, and transporting the artillery t
and from the island.
sisted of the Eighth Virginia regiment, unde
command Of Colonel Jennifer, and the Seven
teenth and Eighteenth Mississippi regiments
with squadron of horse and battery, the whol
under command of General Evans.
Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing can
not be determined, as large numbers Of wound
ed and unwounded were drowned when tn
boats we're swamped, rs well rs In the attempt
to swim the river during the night, and n
reports as yet have been made to me. Tn
|
California regiment, and part the Tamman
regiment, lost n large number Of men who we r
made prisoners.
4 Colonel Lee and Major Revere, of the Twer
tieth, and Colonel CogsweIl, of the Tamman
regiment, are reported missing. Lieutenan
Colonel Ward, Of the Fifteenth Massachusetts Is
was severely wounded.
We have lost two howtzers and one rife
cannon belonging to Captain Yaughn's Rhod
Island battery, and number of small arms sa
], 500, with equipments. shall make Il furthe
J report of the killed that were identiffed befor
burial.
have to report that the remnant of the Tan
many regiment, under command Of Major Boz
deserted its post in the entertainments on tn
island at an early hour in the forenoon of tn
22d, and passed to the Maryland shore, in di
obedience of orders, while | was engaged /
arranging for the removal of the wounded an
the burial Of the dead.
, cannot close this report with justice to on
troops, who fought valantly, without commen
ing upon the causes which led to their defei
and complete rout.
The means of transportation for advance
support, or for IA retreat, were criminaly d