Official Records of the Rebellion

ENGAGEMENT OF JUNE 25.

On the 24th of June orders were received to so arrange for the next day signal parties as to be able to direct from the south side of the river the fire of heavy guns to open on the following day from positions near Hogan house and also near house. It was intended to silence the 64s before mentioned, and also to direct the fire upon an [248] earthwork in the vicinity of Old Tavern and upon some positions of the enemy near Garnett’s house. Lieutenants Camp and Wiggins, acting signal officers, who had been serving for some time at the Hogan- house station, petitioned that, as this was to be active service, they might remain during the cannonade. Three additional officers were ordered to join them, and Lieut. W. S. Stryker, Ninth New York State Militia, and acting signal officer, was sent to arrange the communications on the north side of the river. Lieut. B. F. Fisher, acting signal officer, was sent with a party of four officers to report to General Smith, and was instructed to arrange the communications on the south side of the river.

On the following morning the officers were posted, and were in communication at the following points in view of each other, viz: At the battery at Hogan’s house, at New Bridge, at the battery near Gaines’ house, on Smith’s redoubt, and in the edge of the woods near James Garnett’s. The fire commenced at daylight, and was for a time met with a spirited reply by the enemy’s guns. During this cannonade a screen which had been erected to hide Lieutenant Wiggins (station near New Bridge) from the view of the enemy was penetrated, at a moment his duties called him outside of it, by a cannon shot from their guns. The fire for a time was quite severe. Later in the day the enemy’s guns ceased to reply.

In front of our left our picket line extended through the open fields near Garnett’s, the enemy’s line of pickets being in the same field, in view and quite near them. As the shot from our long-range guns on the north side of the river fell their range and effect were noticed by an officer on our picket line. Messages were sent from time to time by him to an officer stationed behind the first fringe of woods, whence the report went by signals to the batteries on the other side of the river. In the afternoon the shots ranged near the earthworks at Old Tavern, and as they fell in the woods close to them shouts, as of masses of men, could now and then be heard. Our guns were evidently so placed that they could seriously annoy the enemy and aid us in our advance. The firing ceased at sunset. It was to be resumed on the following morning. Lieut. B. F. Fisher, acting signal officer, was ordered to take charge of all the details for this duty and to report to General Porter at daylight. The signal telegraph line was ordered this night to be reeled up and to report to General Porter in the morning. It was anticipated there might be an engagement on the north side of the river.

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