The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-24


division was sent over from Harrison
Landing to Malvern Hill, and drove of
the Confederate outpost and seized tho
hill. The third corps accompanied the
army of the Potomac from Harrison's
Landing to Manassas, arriving at War
renton junction on the Goth OF August,
1862. On the 9th, Hooke.'s division was
engaged with Ewell's division at Bristoe
Station forcing Ewell to fall back to
near Manassas On the 29th, Hooker's
division was engaged at Groveton, Grow
er's brigade of Rockers division, con-
sisting of the First, Eleventh and Six
teenth Massachusetts,, the Second New
Hampshire and Twenty-sixth Pennsyl
vania, was ordered to charge theConfeder-
ate brigade Of Gen. Thomas, who held
the railroad embankmeut at Groveton.
Steadily and in fine order they moved
across the space that separated them
from the railroad embanknent, DIS
tance OF three-quarters of mile, de-
liyered single yolley upon the Confed-
crates, and then carried the railroad en-
bankment at the point of the bayonet
and pressed on beyond. The fighting
was so close according TO the official TO
port OF Col. Blaisdell of the Eleventh
Mass, that muskets were freely used as
clubs by the Massachusetts, boys. Hays
and Fields Confederate brigades came to
the assistance of Thomas's brigade, and
forced Grover back to the heights from
which he came. Of the two thousand
officers and men that composed Growers
brigade, forty-one were killed, 1927
wounded, and 118 were missing The
contest lasted only twenty minutes.
During the battle of Groyeton
GEN. KEARNY LED AN ATTACK
| upon portion of A. p. Hill's Confed-
crate division. The contest was SO violent
and determined upon both sides that
Gregg's Confederate brigade lost 613 off,
GERS and men, killed and wounded, in
Guiding all of the field officers of his bri-
gade except two Lawton's and Early's
brigades came to Hill's assistance and
checked Kearny's advance On the 91st
portion of Hookers division, Berrys
brigade, had skrmish with tho Confed-
crates near the Carter House. On Sep
tenn bel lst, during the battle of Chantil-
ly. Koarny sent forward Birney's bri-
gade to Gen. Reno's support, Gen. Ste
vens' division which formed Reno's left,
| having been forced back by the Confeder-
ates in his front consisting of Brnnch's,
Brockenbrough's, Grogg's and Thomass
| brigades. Birney threw his troops con-
slsting OF the Srd and 4th Me-, the 1st
and 10th New York, at once into action
to check the advance Of the Confederates,
and according to the official report of Gen.
| Birney, his brigade received a most
murderous fire from the Confederates,
while holding them in check. Kearny
came upon the field with Randolphs
battery and placed it in position upon
knoll in rear of Birney's line and poured
into the ranks of the Confederates over
q hundred rounds Of solid shot, and ms
terlally aided Birney i'll holding mis- DO
sition. A gap on Birney's right was
pointed out to Kearny and Gen.
Heintzelman, in his official report, says
sKearny in his usual gallant, not to say
reckless, manner, dashed past his lines
to examine the grounds. 1t was growing
dark, and, as Cooke says in his life of
SfoneWall jackson, terrific thunder
storm broke over the two armies. The
rain fell in torrents and the lighting
overpowered, with it's sp1endor, the
flashes of the musket and of the artillery.
| The thunder claps were deafening. The
roaring storm
dashed THE WOODS
into fury which drowned the noise of
the gus. Kesrny dashed forward and in
ate lines. He was ordered to surrender
by Confederate soldier He turned his
horse's head instantly, aud bending low
in his saddle plunged his spurs into his
horse and attempted to gain his own
lines. The Confederate leveled his
musket and fired upon the gallant Kear-
ny, who fell pierced through the body
which with his horse and trappings fell
into the hands of the Confederates. The
next morning Gen. Lee ordered the body
to be senU into our lines under a flag Of
truce with the following letter.
Headquarters, Army. OF Northern Vir-
ginia, h9
Sept 2nd, 1862.
Maj. General John Pope, u. S. A.,
Sir: The body of General Philip Kear-
ny was brought from the field last night,
and he was reported dead. send it for
ward under flag of Truce, thinking
the possession of his remains NAV be a
consolation to his family.
| / am, Sir, respectfully,
| Your obedie Mt servant,
ROBT. e. LEE General
The losses in Hooker's and Kearny's
divisions at Manassas including Bris-
! toe Station, Groveton and Chantilly,
were two Thousand two hundred and
| ftty-seven killed, wounded and missing,
| or fourteen per cent. Of their effective
strength upon the field. In Kearny's
division there were one hundred and
| eleven officers and men killed, seven
| hundred and forty -one officers and men
wounded and ono hundred and seventy
eight missing. In Hooker's division
there were one hundred and fifty four
men and officers killed, seven hundred
and ninety three officers and men wound
ed and two hundred and eighty missing.
During the early part of September, 1869,
Hooker's and Kearny's divisions were
ordere into the
1