HISTOKY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



115 



the casualties were large. The 86th suffered severely. At 

 this point Gen. Ward was relieved from command of the 

 brigade, and Col. Eagan, of the 40th New York, as senior 

 colonel, assumed command. 



On the 14th Birney's entire division was withdrawn a 

 short distance to the rear, and commenced throwing up a 

 new line of works. This movement was observed by the 

 enemy, who sent forward a small force to occupy the aban- 

 doned works, when the 86th and 124th were directed to 

 advance and drive them out. Hastily forming, they dashed 

 forward, under the command of Col. Lansing, and speedily 

 drove them out and recaptured the works. At this place, 

 on the 18th, a shell from the rebels struck among the 86th, 

 injuring four of its number; among them Capt. Todd of 

 Company B, who was supposed to be mortally wounded 

 and sent to the rear, but who recovered and joined his com- 

 pany, serving until the final muster-out. Early on the 

 19th, Eagan's Brigade moved about a mile to the rear, and 

 there rested until about five o'clock p.m. ; this was the first 

 rest the 86th had been allowed since the opening of the 

 campaign, having been under fire constantly. About this 

 time heavy firing was heard in the direction of the Fred- 

 ericksburg road, and shortly a mounted orderly dashed up to 

 brigade headquarters, and the next moment the assembly 

 was sounded. Leaving tents standing and knapsacks strewn 

 about, the brigade started double-quick for the scene of 

 action. It proved to be an attack of Ewell on our wagon- 

 train, and a heavy fight on the part of Tyler to protect the same. 

 Tyler's troops were exhausted, and when Eagan's Brigade 

 reached the scene they moved quickly over Tyler's troops 

 and dashed after the flying rebels, whom they followed until 

 darkness put an end to the chase. The brigade then re- 

 traced their steps, bringing with them a large number of 

 prisoners, and the brigade bivouacked that night near where 

 they struck the enemy, and at daylight on the 20th re- 

 turned to the place they had left the day before. On the 

 22d moved forward, crossed the Mattapony, and rested for 

 the night. On the 23d reached the North Anna, near 

 the Chesterfield Bridge ; here found the enemy strongly 

 intrenched. At the bridge they had two redoubts heavily 

 manned. About five o'clock p.m. the order was given to 

 make an assault. The 86th and 124th New York, to the 

 left of the road leading to the bridge, were but a few 

 moments crossing the flats, leaving many of their number 

 dead and wounded along the route. Just before reaching 

 the works the enemy became satisfied that they could not 

 hold them, hurried their guns over the bridge, and hastily 

 fled, leaving quite a number of prisoners in our hands. 

 The next morning crossed the bridge under a heavy fire. 

 After crossing, the 86th and 124th were deployed as skir- 

 mishers, and advanced, driving the rebel skirmishers for 

 about one mile. Col. Lansing was badly wounded in the 

 left fore-arm by a sharpshooter and left the field, Maj. 

 Stafford, of the 86th, assuming command. That night the 

 regiments were withdrawn, and recrossed to the north side 

 of the river. On the 28th crossed the Pamunkey at Nel- 

 son's Ford and erected a line of works near the river, after 

 which attacked the enemy and drove them into their main 

 line. The picket lines were but a few rods apart, and kept 

 up a deadly fire. More dreaded than all were the sharp- 



shooters, who kept picking off ofiicers and men, and although 

 no general engagement took place, many were added to the 

 death-roll. 



On the night of June 1, the 2d Corps started for Cold 

 Harbor, and in the assault at that place the 86th were in 

 reserve. After operations were suspended, they were set 

 to work with the pick and shovel, and continued at this 

 labor most of the time until the 12th, when they moved, 

 and on the morning of the 14th reached Wilcox's Land- 

 ing, and were transferred by steamboats to the south side 

 of the James lliver. On the morning of the 15th the 

 advance was resumed towards Petersburg. On the 16tli 

 Eagan's Brigade made an assault, but were unsuccessful. 

 Here Col. Eagan, commanding the brigade, was severely 

 wounded, and Col. Madill, of the 141st Pennsylvania, took 

 command. On the 18th a general assault was ordered, — 

 but for some reason deferred until later in the day, when 

 the assault was made, — but the troops were repulsed with 

 considerable loss (since the crossing of the James the loss 

 of the 86th had been heavy, both in officers and men). That 

 night was spent in throwing up works within short range 

 of the enemy. On the 20th the brigade was relieved, and 

 on the 21st moved to and took position on the left of the 

 Jerusalem Plank-lload. On the 22d had a skirmish with 

 the rebels. The 86th had an addition to their number 

 here ; the veterans of the 70th Begiment New York Vol- 

 unteers, one hundred and thirty in all, were transferred to 

 the 86th ; they now numbered about two hundred and forty 

 for duty. From this time until the 26th of July the regi- 

 ment was kept busy building rifle-pits, and moving from 

 one part of the works to another, almost constantly under 

 fire. On that day Hancock's command was ordered to pro- 

 ceed to Deep Bottom as a diversion in favor of the Burn- 

 side mine explosion, and returned to the lines near Peters- 

 burg on the night of the 28th. The mine explosion took 

 place on the night of the 29th or the morning of the 30th, 

 and ended in a failure, with heavy loss. 



An official report of the losses of this brigade from May 

 4 to July 31, 1864, states the killed, wounded, and missing 

 at one hundred and twenty-six officers and two thousand 

 five hundred and forty-three men. 



About the 1st of August, Col. Lansing returned and 

 took command, and on the 12Lh Hancock's Corps moved to 

 City Point and bivouacked for the night, and on the 13th 

 embarked on board steamboats, and remained until mid- 

 night, when at a signal they steamed up the James, reaching 

 Deep Bottom about four o'clock a.m., and disembarked. 

 Gren. Mott was now in command of the division, and 

 Gen. De Trobriand of this brigade, almost immediately 

 struck the enemy. The 86th was ordered to the front as 

 skirmishers, and remained on the line during the engage- 

 ment, which was severe ; the loss of the 86th was light. 



On the 18th Hancock's command was again on its way 

 towards Petersburg, reaching there on the 19th. The 86th 

 was placed in the front line of works, to the right of the 

 Jerusalem Plank-Boad, and remained there and in Forts 

 Michael and Scott for about two weeks, constantly under 

 fire, when the regiment was moved into Fort Sedgwick 

 (called by the boys Fort Hell), on the plank-road running 

 into Petersburg, and at a point where the lines were but a 



