#18 – Col. Charles D. Jameson

27 02 2008

Report of Col. Charles D. Jameson, Second Maine Infantry

O.R.– SERIES I–VOLUME 2 [S# 2] — CHAPTER IX, pp 356-357

[NOTE.–The first page of Colonel Jameson’s report was never received in the Adjutant-General’s Office.]

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Lieut. John Skinner, Company C, was taken prisoner while assisting Captain Jones to the hospital. Surgeon Allen remained in care of the wounded, and was also taken, together with his son. Chaplain J. F. Mines is probably a prisoner. There are still 115 privates missing, a number of whom I feel confident will yet come in, so that our loss in killed, wounded, and missing will be less than 150.

Permit me before closing this report to express my entire satisfaction with the officers and men under my command during the engagement, for with few exceptions they obeyed every order promptly, and maintained their position under a most severe fire of artillery and small-arms until ordered to fall back.

Great credit is due Lieut. Col. C. W. Roberts, Maj. George Varney, and Adjutant Reynolds for their coolness and courage on the field under the heavy fire that was thinning our ranks.

Capt. E. N. Jones fell mortally wounded while exhibiting great courage in rallying his men to the charge. Sergeant William J. Dean fell severely wounded while nobly bearing the beautiful California stand of colors presented to the regiment the day before by the ladies of San Francisco formerly residents of Maine. The colors were lost, but regained. My thanks are due Capt. F. C. Foss, Sergeant Samuel Hinckley, of Company A, and Corporal Benjamin Smart, Company H, for important extra services rendered during the day; also to Sergeant G. W. Brown, Company F; A. J. Knowles and L. Carver, Company D; A. P. Jones and H. W. Wheeler, Company A; Peter Welch, Company I, for nobly volunteering to accompany me to remove the dead and wounded from the field under a very heavy fire of artillery and musketry.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C.D. JAMESON,

Colonel Second Regiment Maine Volunteers

Col. E. D. KEYES,

Commanding First Brigade, First Division