, 1863-05-28
THE BATTLE OF FREDE-
RICKSBURG.
The Part taken by the 82d--" Heck
er"--Illinois Volunteers.
Report Of Lieut, Col Solomon, and
the Accompanying Report Of
Ger. Schimmelfennig,

Ger. schimmelfennig,
HEADQUARTERS SD RECT, Ill. Vols,
ctzr NEAR Bn0okE's sTA71Gs; %s;0. vi 'iisss.}
10 D,io. Gen, 4, Sehimn,tlfsnnig, CONG lat
BrIg0de, sd Dfrision, liza army Corps:
SIR In regard to the part my regiment
took In the action on Saturday, May I'd, beg
leave to report:
place near Hokius' Farm, on the 5otn ol Apf1i
between and O'Clock ?. III. IN tue ist ..
May at 10 p. m., . working party eons1s.lns 3oa
Of zoo men, with guard Of 10y men,
for protection, under command OF MAJOR
Rolsbausen, were ordered out to blockade the
road in our front and south OF the plankroad.
This work was completed about o'clock q.
his command, returned to the regiment. In
the forenoon Of the same day the regiment
was ordered out On reconno distance. It
marched under command Of Colonel Hecker,
and after It had proceeded in a southerly d.
rection rs far rs Carpenters farm, ne received
your. order to join the brigade, which order
Was iInmediately complied with. We arrived
there between twelve and one o'clock p. NJ,
and took position in the rear Of the 18th New
York volunteers, in column. Between five
aud six O'Clock p. N. the Colonel received the
order that Lis men should make themselves
comfortable; but soon afterwards We heard 8
heary fire on our right. The brigade signal to
regiment fell in. At the same time, horses,
mules and ambulances Of the first Division
came running in the greatest confusion
aud disorder from the right, and passed iu the
rear Of the. regiment. We immediately
formed line Of battle, facing to the west, dur
III. I'll the formation Of which t"' Of our men
We then marched in line Of battle, and in
| good order to the top of little hill in our
rtar, aud there faced the enemy. During
these movements men Of the first Division
continued to run in the greatest confusion on
our right. We commenced firing, and the
| regiment fired at least SIX rounds from this
| position. The enemy advanced with steady
| and heavy fire, in compact masses. Through
| his advance from the right he drove the troops
on the right Of the regiment to our rear, ex-
| posing us to lea.y front and flank fire. You
then, personally ordered the Colonel to fall
| back a little from the top Of the hill. The
regiment fell back fifteen yalds In good order,
leaving about seventy killed and wounded OH
| the ground IT had occupied.
| Colonel Hcckcr then took the flag in his
hand, cheering his men to make charge as
soon as the enemy should arrive at the pro-
| per distance; but observing that the right Of
the regiment, which had been exposed to a
heavy flank fire, gave way. he returned the
flag to the colorbearer and FASTENED to the
| right, but, before be arrived there, received q
eEot through the left thigh. He rode behind
the centre of the regiment, where he fell from
| his horse.
The 3lajor, who vent to his assistance, was
wounded in the leg Immediately afterwards
The regiment fell back to the woods in its
rear, having received your orders to do Eo.
Tile officers rallied as many men rs possible
around the colors aud retired in good order
Keeping up steady fire, whicA considezabi,
chi ckcd tie advance of the enemy, to thc cdgt
Of the woods. The men which they gathered
here, formed In line on the right Of the l57tt
New York. The enemy had followed then
very close, and when he arrived ut about fort,
or fifty yards distance, they fired round ant
retrcatcd in good order about one hundred
yards. There they stopped again and tlre'
| two moro rounds. which were very effective
and after which tho enemy did not follow
them. The march to the rear was then cor
tibued, until We arrived on the ground, wher
the brigade was forming. At the different halt
ue loei the balance Of our killed sui wound
cd, making in Ill Il loss of 15G killed, wounde
and missing, which included seven commi:
stoned officers. After the regiment hid joiuc
the brigade, we marched with the brigade Ill
: der your command, to the Chancellor House
don't think it necessary to say anythin
! about the further movements Gf the regiment
as they have bvcn made under your person.
: command and observations, tile regiment nc
having the brigade on any detached duty.
l only beg leave to cay, as personally hav
not been In aclion, being At the time sick -;
Chicago, ILL.,, had 10 make this report accort
iur 10 lie statements solicited from the oil
ccIs Of nv regiment, Their statements yarIc
in seyea,l points, butt l Lave endeayored t
: make The rcpor, as correct rs possible
, I am, sir. very respectfully, your most OBJ
dient servant, EDWARD SALoMoN,
!, Lieut. Col. Comd'g SD Ill. Vols.
: HEADQUARTERS. 1sr BRIG, an D1y.. 11r,, conp..
AImy Of the Potomac. Nav 10Th. 1sG3. -
:. f<n,rol-phn of,;cars and mcn NJ III
. Bri,r,de nf vnur niyis;on fiilri1 Will ,ni],rn
: tinn. conc to me witt, newspapers in lie
hands. ond asks # such be tie rewards th,
:. endured, and the bravery they have disylaye
!, The most Infamous fillsehoods hare been ci
culatcil through the papers in rcgurd to b
a conduct If the troops Of your Division in Il
I battle of the I'd inst It would seem as if
!. neSt Of yipe,s had but waited for an ansr
/, sjandrrs urun this heretofore honorcl corp
Little would hsrtl, were there rcnorts i,
- tna1lations from the prurient inayjnatfons
!. those, who live bs dipping their pens in tt
r blocd Of the slaiI, instead Of staining up /;
! tic cou1,i1v. sword and musket in hSrt]I h,
= they arc dated "Heaa Quarters Of Gen Hoo
:. cr," and they are signed hy responsible name
The 1eports Of the officers commanding res
rcrts in this Brigade, will be scnt in tJ mt
S TOW, and, ut an early day, shall hare Il
# honor 10 hand in my own; but you will alto
Il nlr, here, TO mention few facts and to as
!. in behalf Of my Brigade, becoming satisf;
tlon.
It lit is known now, at least, trust, that t
Is first division, that gave way on that day II
+ cause attacked In front and from the tlal
and rear, was that Of Gen. Devens, Col. G
&c sa's brigade firing one rouhd per man, d,
It Gcn. McI-can's not firing at al1, that it "
Ie the second line. Of yonr division, 'whie
le though oyerrun By the first division, chang
o. frcnt from the south to the west in less til
two nsinutes tlmc, the brigade battery, II
h Of Capt. Digcrs. beirg on the left, and check
a tie heavy colnmn ofthe enemy pouring In L
a. on us from the front and both lanks;that the
line Of your Division, in conjunction vi
,c Col. Buschbeck's Brigade, formed in the r.
II un,eers, Col F. Hecker, and the 18th N,
N York Volunteers, Col. Brown. and mann
ID the rife pits, the I'd Brigade Of the I'd Diyisi
n. beirE, at that critic moment, detached fri
N | the corre by Maj.Gen. Hooker. Your t,
~ Brigadee, and that Of Col. Buschbeck, nu
ae bering together not quite !, ,oo0 muskcts, VT
"a "a held at bay the cnemv's masses far at ie:
~ one tour. Col. Gilsa's and Col. McIea,
10 B,icades could not be rallied arain. a
~ n. Die. rich. nv Assistant Adiutant Gencr
ii feizing the Colors Of one Of the regiments
h. Gen, Mclean, planted it in the Ground a
endeayorrd in vain to rally the regime
rn These three Brigadcs, though outflauEcd
!, boil, wings, firnIly stood their ground. mr.
- sufficient time had c1apsed for The corps
of hind 10 come to their supuort and t,ke a
~ | eition in the rear This is ni1 that r1ndnr
cs ~ circumstances could be cxnrcted from, -
~0 command, For the sunrise by the flank =