O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXV/1 [S# 39]

APRIL 27-MAY 6, 1863.--The Chancellorsville Campaign.

No. 268.--Report of Maj. Philo B. Buckingham, Twentieth Connecticut Infantry.

NEAR STAFFORD COURT-HOUSE, VA.,

May 7, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor respectfully to submit the following report of the operations of this regiment since the 27th ultimo, together with a detailed account of casualties:

By orders received from brigade headquarters, the regiment formed under the command of Lieut. Col. William B. Wooster (Col. Samuel Ross being absent from the regiment and in command of the Second Brigade as acting brigadier), with the other regiments comprising the Second Brigade, at 6 a.m. on the 27th ultimo, in front of the division headquarters, and soon after took up its line of march for Kelly's Ford, on the Rappahannock, and encamped for the night near Hartwood Church.

Two commissioned officers, 4 non-commissioned officers, and 42 men were sent out on picket, and at 6 a.m. resumed the line of march, and at 4 p.m. of Tuesday again encamped some 2½ miles from Kelly's Ford.

At 5 a.m. again took up the line of march, and crossed Kelly's Ford, and, after short delay, took the road toward Germanna Ford, on the Rapidan River, which was crossed, and the regiment encamped near the river for the night.

At 8 a.m. of Thursday, the regiment resumed the march, and arrived at Chancellorsville at about 3 p.m., when the regiment was placed in position, occupying an eminence in the woods on the right of the Second Division of the Twelfth Corps, commanded by General Geary, and forming a line with his division and the One hundred and forty-fifth New York Volunteers, which was in position on our immediate right.

On Friday, May 1, the regiment, with other forces, was ordered on a reconnaissance the road leading to Fredericksburg, when it was formed, with the other regiments composing the Second Brigade, as a reserve in the rear of the First and Third Brigades of the First Division, Twelfth (Corps, and in this position advanced under the fire of shell from the batteries of the enemy, behaving with coolness and steadiness, though for the first time under fire, until ordered to retire with the other troops to the position occupied before the advance.

On Saturday, at about 5 p.m., the regiment advanced under orders, with other troops, through the woods in our immediate front, as a part of the second line, and was again under fire of shell from the enemy's batteries. At about sunset orders were received from the general commanding the division to retire slowly through the woods, and again occupy our original position behind a breastwork which had been erected by this regiment as a protection and to strengthen our position in case of attack. The breastworks were reoccupied, and Company G was thrown out in our immediate front as a picket, and during the night exchanged a few shots with the skirmishers of the enemy, but without loss on our part. Both officers and men manifested a determination to hold the position should an attack be made upon this portion of the general line, which was momentarily expected, as the enemy had driven in the extreme right of our line held by the Eleventh Corps and were making a murderous attack upon the center of our position, which was but a short distance to the right of the portion of the line held by this regiment.

On Sunday morning, the 3d instant, the enemy appeared in force near the point of attack on the evening previous. The action soon became general, and extended along the left of the line until it reached the point occupied by the Twentieth Connecticut. The officers and men waited with great coolness the approach of the enemy, who came up yelling like fiends until they arrived in a ravine about 20 rods from the front of the regiment, when the men rose and discharged their pieces in a well-aimed volley, which covered the ground with the killed and wounded of the enemy and caused them to fall back in disorder. They again rallied, and advanced under cover of a battery of artillery--the fire from which enfiladed the breastwork occupied by this regiment--up to, and some few rushed over, the works, and were either shot down or taken prisoners by our men.

After maintaining its position for nearly five hours, and finding that the enemy had already driven our forces back both on the right and on the left, and that the entire regiment was in danger of being surrounded and captured, Lieutenant-Colonel Wooster reluctantly gave the order to retire, which order was executed in some disorder, but the men rallied and reformed under the direction of the remaining officers some half a mile in the rear of the first position. It was behind the barricade and during the time the regiment was falling back through the woods that our entire loss occurred. The men, after leaving the barricades, were subjected not only to the fire of shot and shell from the enemy's artillery, but to a crossfire of infantry. It was then that Lieutenant-Colonel Wooster, who had through the whole action manifested the utmost coolness and bravery, was seen to fall, as was supposed, wounded, and was, without doubt, taken prisoner by the enemy.

Second Lieut. David P. Griffiths, of Company F, was killed in the intrenchments by a musket-ball in the forehead, and fell with his sword in his hand, a pattern of determined courage and bravery.

Capt. Charles J. Arms was also slightly wounded in the head and had a narrow escape from death, and also received another bullet through the sleeve of his coat. His conduct both during the action and retreat is deserving of especial mention.

Capt. Ezra D. Dickerman was also wounded, in the intrenchments, and was supported off the field in the early part of the engagement. Second Lieut. George W. Sherman, of Company C, received a wound in his hand in the early part of the action, and was compelled to retire.

Capt. Wilbur W. Smith, of Company C, is supposed to have been wounded and taken prisoner, although it is not certain he was wounded. He was last seen in the woods when the regiment was retiring.

Capt. Henry C. Pardee, of Company F, is supposed to have been taken prisoner. He was last seen at the barricades.

First Lieut. Andrew Upson, of Company E, was last seen at the barricades, and is supposed to be a prisoner.

The officers who were wounded or taken prisoners behaved with great gallantry, and deserve commendation; and, in fact, there was not an officer of the regiment but might be mentioned as deserving credit for good conduct.

Sergt. Maj. John S. Root was killed by a shell at the barricades in the early part of the action, and was noted for his coolness and courage. Asst. Surg. Daniel Lee Jewett was taken prisoner.

During the action the regiment took a captain and some 30 to 40 prisoners, but was compelled to relinquish them on retiring from the contest. The regiment lost 11 killed, 59 wounded, and 98 missing.

During the succeeding days it can be said that the officers and men performed their full share of all duties assigned them both with alacrity and cheerfulness, whether the duty consisted in building barricades or standing night and day behind them watching and waiting for the attack of the enemy.

After the engagement of Sunday, the 3d instant, Capt. Sanford E. Chaffee was in command of the regiment, being senior officer present, Maj. P. B. Buckingham having received some time prior to this the appointment of acting assistant inspector-general of the First Division, Twelfth Corps, and been transferred to the staff of the general coin-minding the same, until Tuesday, the 5th instant, when Major Buckingham was temporarily relieved from duty as staff officer and ordered to take command of the same.

On Wednesday morning the regiment, with all the command, re-crossed the Rappahannock at the United States Ford, and returned to its former encampment near Stafford Court-House.

A detailed statement of the killed, wounded, and missing is subjoined hereto.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

PHILO B. BUCKINGHAM,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Capt. A. B. JUDD,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.