Official Records of the Rebellion

[[p.536] I now placed the artillery in battery on the crest of the hill in front of the enemy’s fort at short range, deployed skirmishers on the right and left of the road, and sent the Fifth Wisconsin Volunteers, preceded by skirmishers, under command of Major Larabee, and followed by the Sixth Maine in column of assault, across the dam and into the work, Lieutenant Custer, Fifth Regular Cavalry, volunteer aide, leading the way on horseback. Finding the fort unoccupied, and being in possession of it, I left a garrison of three companies of the Thirty-third New York to protect my rear. I immediately threw my skirmishers forward into the open field in rear of the work, the remainder of my infantry in line of battle behind them, with the artillery in the center. I now, at 12 m., sent a message to Generals Keyes and Smith that I had already occupied the position at Cub Creek Dam. Knowing that the work about 1,200 yards in advance commanded the position I was then in, I felt the importance of securing it at once, and therefore requested General Smith to send me a brigade of infantry, in order to cover accidents and to secure my rear from assault from the woods bordering the open plain on my right and left. Farther down the stream than the work at the dam, and overlooking York River, another fort was seen, which we believed to be unoccupied, and which I wished to examine.

I was now anxiously awaiting the arrival of the cavalry to reconnoiter this last-mentioned redoubt and the skirts of the timber in my front and on my right flank and rear. To my application to General Smith for re-enforcements I received a reply that he would send me four regiments of infantry and a battery of artillery immediately. I accordingly advanced in the order above mentioned and took quiet possession of the next redoubt. Feeling that my rear and right thank would be protected by the re-enforcements, I determined to advance my line sufficiently beyond the redoubt to drive the enemy out of the two nearest works in my front now occupied by him, and also to make a diversion in favor of that portion of our forces (understood to be under command of General Hooker) which were engaged with the enemy directly in front of Fort Magruder. Observing that our present position was a very important point, having a crest and natural glacis on either flank extending to the woods on the right and left, giving me about sufficient space to develop my front and entirely commanding the plain between me and Fort Magruder, I immediately threw three companies of the Thirty- third New York into the redoubt and deployed my line on the crest, with time artillery on the right and left of the redoubt, throwing my skirmishers 1,000 yards in advance, and covering time whole breadth of the plain, which at that point was considerably wider than at my position, and continuing so to Fort Magruder. I also threw flankers on my right and left, connecting with the skirmishers. From my position here Fort Magruder with all its surroundings could be distinctly [p.537] seen and all positions of the enemy on the plain between us. The two redoubts were respectively distant from my skirmishers 300 and 400 yards, the one on the left being nearest. The plain, extending about one mile to the rear and also to the front, was fringed by a dense mass of timber on my right as far as Fort Magruder, and was traversed by a narrow road, which gave a practicable passage for troops to the rear of that fort and to Williamsburg.

On arriving at the second redoubt and taking the position before referred to, the skirmishers advancing, I found that the enemy in the redoubt to the left and front were uncertain who we were. One of my staff officers here informed me that a signal was made by the enemy, in reply to which I placed the national colors on the parapet of the redoubt in my possession, on seeing which the enemy deployed his skirmishers on my front and commenced firing, our line of skirmishers being then but a few hundred yards distant from them. The enemy were soon driven off, and our skirmishers took up the position previously indicated and separated from the enemy by a line of fence extending across the plain. I then halted the skirmishers and directed them to lie down.

Captain Wheeler’s battery of four guns having joined me at this tunic, the artillery was advanced about 600 yards in front of the redoubt and placed in battery, leaving the caissons in the rear of the redoubt. At the same time I advanced the Fifth Wisconsin Regiment until it occupied a position some distance to the right of the battery, where it was partially screened from the enemy’s view by some low frame buildings and the palings surrounding them. The Sixth Maine and the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers advanced in line and took position on the left of the artillery. The infantry were then all ordered to lie down, while the battery was directed to open fire upon the redoubts in front of us preparatory to an assault when the expected re-enforcements should arrive. The Seventh Maine Volunteers was also advanced about 100 paces from the crest and diagonally to my line of battle to protect my right flank. I then threw skirmishers from the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania through the woods to my left and front, and at the same time directed skirmishers to be deployed from the Seventh Maine to my right and rear to protect me from assault from that direction, concerning which I was very anxious, as the space from my right through the woods to the creek which skirted the other side of the woods toward Williamsburg was greater than I could occupy with my troops, and I had serious apprehensions of an attack from that quarter by troops from that place or from Fort Magruder.