The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-19
HISTORY OF THE CORPS.

driven away. and the two corps reached Chan
celorsville. Va at about p. no. on the 30th.
The Twelfth Corps took position in the woods
on q line nearly parallel with the Plank road !;
the left near Charlottesville, and the right
near a church about one and half miles dis
tant. The right of the Twelfth Corps was joined
by the Eleventh, its right resting on Hunting
Run. On the evening of the goth the Major
General commanding the army arrived at Chan
celorsville, and Gen. Slocum then resumed
command of the Twelfth Corps.
On the morning of May the Twelfth Corps
advanced from Charlottesville toward Fred
cricksburg and after proceeding about a milo
met the skirmishers Of the enemy. who fell
back toward Fredericksburg flights. At about
l p. m. on the same day the corps. in obedience
to orders returned to its original line, and
during the night and following morning &C.
cupied the time in strengthening its position.
In the afternoon of the I'd the First Divis-
ion of the Twelfth Corps under Gen. Will
liams, was sent to the support of Gen. Birney.
who. in an advance movement, had reached a
brigade of the enemy strongly posted III rifle
pits. AT the same time a portion of the Second
Division under Gen. Geary was advanced for
the purpose of feeling the enemy in 'front.' but
upon its being ascertained that the enemy was
in force and strongly posted, the Second Divis-
ion was recalled, and ordered to hold its orig
inal line In the meantime the enemy had
attacked the extreme right of the Union line,
which was held by the Eleventh. Corps. and be-
fore the Second Division Of the Twelfth Corps
could regain its position, the right of the line
formerly occupied had become occupied by the
enemy, and in the effort Of Gen. Williams to
regain it. nearly 200 of the 12Sth Pa, includ
ing its Colonel, were captured. Gen. Williams
at once took possession Of the left Of his former
line. and formed the First and Third Brgades
in line OH the left of and at right angles to the
Plank road leading to the Wilderness his right
connecting with the division of Gen. Berry
Third Corps formed on the right of the road
BY this time Capt. Best, Chief of Artillery Of
the Twelfth Corps, had. by extreme exertions,
got "a guns in position on the crest of the hill
in the rear Of these divisions and i'll cOpJunc-
ton with the divisions succeeded in checking
the enemy's advance.
Atdaybreak on May 3 the enemy attacked
Wlliamss and Berry's Divisions but their
desperate efforts to break the Union lines were
unsuccessful. The supply Of ammunition be-
coming exhausted it became necessary for a
brigade of Birneys Division to relieve por-
ton of Williams's Division, but this was ac-
complished too late to prevent the advance Of
the enemy. The artillery ammunition was
also nearly exhausted, aud at about a. III. the
troops OH the right of the line fell back, soon
followed by portion OF he line of the Twelfth
Corps, and the enemy thus gained position
which enabled his infantry to be used against
the Union batteries. Inc artillery nfmiy neiu
its position, however, until two battery COM
manders were killed, 90 cannoneers were killed
or wounded. and 80 horses had been shot in the
harness. The batteries were then withdrawn
to position within the rear of the second line,
without tho loss of a single piece. The in
fantry also retired in good order, and formed
in rear of the new line. At 0 a. M. the Twelfth
Corps was ordered to take position on the ex-
trcme left of the line, and having done so occu-
,io ha ftmn in c 9th aninp their pOsit1nn
until ordered to recross the river. On the
night of the 9Th Tuesday the recrossing was
effected, and on the evening of the 9th WED
nesday) the entire command was in its former
camps near Stafford Courthouse
The casualties of the Twelfth Corps in the
battle of Charlottesville were 1892 killed,
wounded, and missing, distributed as follows: