Letter from Capt. Bradford R. Wood, Jr. of the Forty-fourth, relating to the battle of Laurel Hill and his capture
The enclosed letter from Capt. B. R. Wood, Jr., of the Forty-fourth N. Y. V., has just been received, and as it may relieve the minds of some who have friends in that regiment, I send it to you for publication.
SAMUEL WOOD.
ALEXANDRIA, May 17, 1864.
*** I reached here this afternoon at 4 o'clock on the tug Baltimore from Fortress Monroe. Our regiment was first engaged in the Wilderness near a place called Wilderness Tavern, on the Fredericksburg and Orange Court House road, the right of the Fort-fourth resting on the road. We were under fire here for about twenty minutes or half an hour, but lost during that time SIXTY killed and wounded. I lost two killed and five wounded from my company. Capt. JOHNSON was badly wounded here, and taken off the field by Capt. FOX and Lieut. TEN BROECK, and died soon after in the arms of the latter. We drove the Rebels back twice, and held our own until relieved.
On the 6th we were placed in position a little to the right of the road, and remained there all day. We lost here eleven wounded by shell and sharpshooters, but were not engaged with the Rebel infantry.
At 10 o'clock Saturday night we commenced our march toward Spotsylvania Court House, and without halting at any time for more than ten minutes, were ordered to charge the enemy, who were in a strong position on the top of a grooved ridge, and protected by a slight breastwork of rails and timber. We all thought we were charging dismounted cavalry, and were a good deal surprised at the murderous fire we received. I was lying in front of our liine, between the fire of our men and the Rebels, but protected by a rise in the ground of about eight inches. I soon knew by the slackened fire of our men that we were getting cut up terribly, but heard no orders to fall back. I saw several of our color bearers shot down a little to my left, and finally some one ran up, grasped the colors and ran to the rear. I knew then we were falling back, and a few moments after I jumped up and ran to the rear, exposed for more than ten yards to the fire of the enemy, when one of my men called me and said there was no use in trying to get back, that the Rebels were all around us; and true enough, the next minute three "Johnnies" jumped up, pointed their guns at me and demanded me to surrender. I had the choice of certain death or a slight chance to live and fight a little longer, and chose the latter.
They threatened to shoot me two or three times after I was taken, but finally concluded not to; and I was even so fortunate as not to be robbed of anything I had, while other officers and men were stripped of everything. I remained with the other prisoners that night near Gen. LEE'S headquarters, and Monday we marched all day, without anything to eat, towards Beaver Dam Station, where we were to take the cars to Richmond, but were rescued by Gen. CUSTER'S brigade of cavalry when we were within a quarter of a mile of yhe Station. Capt. TAYLOR, of the Second Pennsylvania cavalry, very kindly lent me a horse, and I found Capt. TREMAINE, of Gen. DAVIES' staff, who very kindly took care of me until we reached the James river, where we were turned over to Gen. BUTLER and shipped for Alexandria. Gen. DAVIES was also very kind to me, making me one of his Aid de Camps.
We will probably be ordered from here to Camp Distribution to-morrow, and then the men will be formed into companies and battalions, shipped to Belle Plains, and marched from there to the army. I am just about played out, as you may judge; but I think two or three days rest will make me all right.
Yours, B. R. Wood, Jr.
The following are the names of the officers and men of our regiment who were taken in the charge on Sunday morning. All are here and well except the three wounded: -
Liet. Edward Bennet, Company H; Lieut. And Acting Adjutant O. L. Munger; Seregeant Pudham, Corporal Tooker, Private Hocknell, Company E; Sergeant Angus, Private Rosecrans, wounded badly in right breast and left in hands of the Rebels, Shoefelt, Kyzer, Rankin, Company K; Private Bennet, Company A; Corporal Bliss, Privates Delong, Miller, Comapny B; Privates Haven, Beal, Company D; Private McKoy, Company G; Privates Crandall, wounded in face and arm and left, Stockholm, Comstock, Comapny H; Privates Nash, Bancroft, Lewis, Comapny I; Private Thompson, Company F.
Return to Bradford Wood