No. 40. Return of Casualties in the Union forces at the battle of Cross Keys. [Compiled from nominal lists of casualties, returns, &o.] *Only partial reports of casualties on file; losses embraced in the brigade total. Return of Casualties in the Union forces at the battle of Cross Keys--Continued. NOTE.-Lieuts. Nicolai Dunka, aide-de-camp; James M. Vance, 60th Ohio; Frederick Lueders, 27th Pennsylvania, killed; and Lieuts. Henry Grassau and Bruce B. Rice died of wounds. Remarks No. 41. Report of Brig. Gen. Robert C. Schenck, U. S. Army, commanding brigade, of the battle of Cross Keys. HDQRS. SCHENCK'S BRIGADE, MOUNTAIN DEPARTMENT, I have the honor to report the part taken by the Ohio Brigade in the engagement at Cross Keys on the 8th instant. It was about 1 p. m. when I arrived near the point of the road leading to Port Republic, where the advance guard had already come upon the enemy. A staff officer, after indicating the position where my cav alry was to be left in reserve, informed me that I was to pass into the field and take position on the right, forming my line of battle and placing my batteries so as to support Brigadier-General Milroy, whose brigade preceded mine in the march and was already getting into line. I was entirely without knowledge of the ground, but immediately proceeded to find the best position I could, according to these instructions, in the direction indicated. I turned my artillery (De Beck's and Rigby's batteries) into and across the fields, supported by infantry, throwing the body of my infantry into line of battle and extending it in the rear of Milroy's brigade. As I advanced, however, upon the open ridge first pointed out as probably the best on which to establish my batteries, about one-fourth of a mile from the main road by which our column arrived, I discovered that I was brought into the rear of a line of woods through which Milroy was passing, also to the right. These woods at the same time concealed the enemy and the character of the ground he was occupying, while they afforded no eligible position for placing my guns so as to reach him. I became satisfied, too, from the character of the ground beyond, as it now opened to us, that the enemy would seek to extend the line of his forces on his left, so as, if possible, to outflank us. I hastened, therefore, to press forward to the right to anticipate any such movement, and to occupy an extended ridge of higher ground half a mile farther to the south, which I found gave me a more commanding range and advanced me farther to the point, while it enabled me also to cover an easy pass leading up from the enemy's position in front between the two ridges and all the open ground sloping away to the valley at the foot of the mountain, by one of which approaches the rebels were to be expected to advance on that side. This position placed my brigade on the extreme right wing, which I occupied for the rest of the day. To reach this point of advantage I had to cross a road in front of my first position, and passing through the skirt of the wood in which General Milroy had advanced, went over some wheat fields, along the edge of another wood. This I accomplished without loss, though exposed to a pretty severe fire of shell from the enemy, marching my line-composed of the Seventy-third, Fifty-fifth, and Eighty-second Regiments of Ohio Volunteer Infantry-directed by the flank, detaching the Seventyfifth and Thirty-second Ohio to cover the artillery moving by a more circuitous route. While effecting this I was ordered, by a messenger from the general commanding, to detach Rigby's battery and send it to the relief of General Milroy. This was immediately done. Reaching the farther position, which I had selected, I found the line of woods extended still to the right and shutting in our front. An examination of these woods by companies of the Seventy-third and Thirtysecond, immediately thrown forward as skirmishers, discovered the enemy concealed there in force and still endeavoring to extend himself to the left, with the evident object of turning our right, as I had expected. A few shells thrown into the woods on that side by De Beck's battery checked this movement and drove back the rebel infantry farther to our left. The whole of the Seventy-third, Eighty-second, and Fifty-fifth Regiments, being then deployed in the woods on my left front, formed in line of battle and slowly advanced, feeling the enemy's position and gradually bringing the concealed line of the rebels to close quarters. The firing of small-arms at once became brisk, especially with the Seventy-third, which seems to have been brought nearest the enemy's line, and at this time had several men killed and wounded by the fire. It was at this point of time, too, that Dr. Cantwell, surgeon of the Eighty-second, fell severely wounded by a shot through the thigh, received while he was passing along the line of his regiment carefully instructing the men detailed from each company to attend to conveying the wounded to the ambulances. I believed that the moment for attacking and pressing the rebels successfully on this wing had now arrived, and I brought forward the Thirty-second to advance also in the woods and form on the Seventythird, extending thus the line to the right, and intending to order a charge which should sweep around the enemy's left flank and press him back toward our sustaining forces on the left. Never were troops in better temper for such work; but just as the Thirty-second was marching to the front for this purpose, leaving only the Seventy-fifth in the rear to cover the battery, I received the order of the general commanding to withdraw slowly and in good order from my position and go to the relief of the left wing, composed of the brigades of Blenker's division. I felt reluctant to obey, because I was satisfied that the advantageous and promising position and condition of my brigade could not have been known at headquarters. I held my place, therefore, and sent back instantly to ascertain whether the emergency was such as to require me with all haste to retire. The order came back repeated. To prevent my being followed and harassed by the rebels while falling back I then began to withdraw my infantry, moving them carefully by the flank toward the left until I could uncover the enemy's line sufficiently to enable my battery to throw shot and shell into the woods. This done, I returned the Thirty-second to the support of the battery and commenced drawing off the whole of my force to the left along the same lines in which I had advanced them. Here, again, however, I was met by a messenger from the general commanding, informing me that if I thought I could hold my ground I might remain, but stating that Milroy's brigade, my supporting force on the left, had also been directed to retire, I stopped and threw the artillery again into battery at a point a few rods in the rear of the place which it had at first occupied and ordered a number of rounds of quick, sharp firing into the woods occupied by the rebels. The severe effect of this firing was discovered the next day by the number of rebels found lying on that part of the battle-field; but while thus engaged Captain Piatt, my assistant adjutantgeneral, ascertained for me that General Milroy, under the order he had received, was rapidly withdrawing his brigade, passing toward the left, and sc I had to follow him or be left separated from all the rest of the forces. I returned, however, only to the ridge (half a mile to the left) which I had at first occupied, and there remained, in pursuance of or ders, encamped for the night. My other battery (Rigby's) which I un derstood had been very effectively engaged during the action on the left, was here returned home. It was now perhaps 5.30 or 6 o'clock. Late in the evening the enemy from the opposite point opened a brisk fire upon our camp and upon Hyman's battery, occupying the point of a hill at our left with what seemed to be a battery of two 6-pounders. This was probably a cover to his retreat, but he was replied to with so quick and hot a return by Hyman, Rigby, and De Beck that his fire was very soon silenced and, as afterward ascertained, both his guns dismounted. Subsequently a company of skirmishers from the Seventy-third had an encounter with skirmishers of the rebels in the woods immediately in front of us, in which we had 1 man killed and another man wounded; but otherwise we rested undisturbed until called to march in pursuit of the enemy again in the morning. I regret to have to state that in the night a party detailed from the battalion of Connecticut Cavalry-Sergeant Morehouse and 4 men of Company D-being sent to ascertain the position of Colonel Cluseret, commanding the advance brigade, lost their way, and were captured, as is supposed, by the enemy's pickets. The whole number of effective men of my brigade that I was enabled to take into action was as follows: The casualties were, altogether, but 4 killed, 7 wounded, and 4 missing. I append in a separate report the names and corps of the killed and wounded.* I cannot close this report without expressing my satisfaction with the officers and men generally of my command. Although worn down and reduced in numbers by days and weeks of constant fatigue and privation, under long marches with insufficient supplies, which they have necessarily had to undergo, they were actively and cheerfully eager to meet the rebel forces, and only regretted that it could not be their fortune to encounter them for their share in more obstinate and decisive battle. To the officers commanding my several regiments and detached companies who had any opportunity to be in the engagement my acknowledgments are especially due: Lieutenant-Colonel Swinney, of the Thirty-second; Colonel McLean, of the Seventy-fifth; Colonel Smith, of the Seventy-third; Colonel Lee, of the Fifty-fifth; Colonel Cantwell, of the Eighty-second; Captain De Beck, of the First Ohio Artillery, and Captain Blakeslee, of Company A, Connecticut cavalry, commanding my guard. To the officers of my staff also-Capt. Donn Piatt, assistant adjutantgeneral; Captain Margedant, of Engineers; Captain Crane, commissary of subsistence, and my two aides-de-camp, Lieutenants Chesebrough and Esté-I am greatly indebted for their constant energy and activity in conveying orders and attending to other duties during the day. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Col. ALBERT TRACY, Asst. Adjt. Gen. ROBT. C. SCHENCK, •Embodied in revised statement. p. 665. |