Official Records of the Rebellion

ACTION IN FRONT OF FAIR OAKS ORCHARD.

On the day that this cannonade was taking place on our right the action in front of Fair Oaks Orchard was fought upon our left. At this engagement there were present at different times Generals Hooker, Heintzelman, and McClellan. A detachment of four signal officers, with their men, Lieut. W. G. McCreary, One hundred and second Pennsylvania Volunteers, and acting signal officer, commanding, had been sent at daylight to report to General Hooker. In the action which ensued Lieutenants McCreary and Denicke, acting signal officers, were posted in a tree-top in front of Casey’s redoubt, from which they overlooked the positions of the enemy not visible from the ground. Hence messages were sent in reference to the direction and range of our artillery when engaged to Lieut. C. S. Kendall, First Massachusetts Volunteers, and acting signal officer, stationed with the batteries on the Williamsburg [249] road. The movements of the enemy’s troops visible from this position, and some of them important, were reported to Lieutenant Beckett, acting signal officer with General Heintzelman. The station on the tree-top was rendered unpleasant by now and then musketry fire and occasional shots from the enemy’s sharpshooters. In addition to the services rendered by reporting the location and movements of the enemy, the reports from this station caused to be stopped during the action the fire of one of our batteries which was persistently throwing its shells among our own men. The station was held until after the action had ceased. General Hooker had requested that this detachment should be returned to him each day while he held this position.

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