The following is Col. Ellwell's reportof the expedition towards Smithfield.
Head-quarters 23rd Mass.Vols.,
near Portsmouth, Va., 15 April, 1864.
Sir’: In compliance with Special Order No. 14, par. 2, Head quarters Lee’s Brigade; I preceded by rail, with 16 officers and 398 enlisted men of my regiment, to Portsmouth at 5 o’clock, P. M., on the 13th Inst., and there, In compliance with orders from Brig. Gen, Graham, embarked on board the steamer “John W. Pentz “and sailed up the James River, under convoy of the gun-boat “Brewster” I landed with my command about nine miles above Smithfield, at four o’clock on the morning of the 14th inst. 1 immediately took a line of march towards the town. After marching about three miles, came upon the enemy’s pickets, and drove them in. Continued on about two miles further, when I came upon the enemy concealed behind earthworks; after a short skirmish with them, drove them out, with a loss on our side of two men (Privates Osborne, Co. ‘ G,’ and Symonds, Co. ‘ C’) slightly wounded in the leg. I followed them. on about half a mile, when they again made a stand on the further side of a mill-pond, at a place called Wren’s Mills, and there being but a very narrow place to cross, I engaged them about an hour, when one company charged across, drove the enemy from their position, and captured a Signal Officer of the confederate States service, and two privates of the Fourth Confederate States Cavalry
I had one sergeant dangerously wounded through the left shoulder (Sergeant Porter of Co. ‘I’. The enemy’s cavalry having begun to give me some trouble in my rear, and having no means to carry my wounded along with me, and not knowing the strength or position of the enemy in front, I deemed it proper to fall back to the James river, at a point called Fort Boykin. I found near this fort a Signal Station, where I captured a private of the Seventh Confederate States Cavalry ; also, a piece of artillery, and a quantity of ammunition, said to have been taken by the enemy from the U. S. gun-boat “ Barney Smith “ near Smithfield.
During my march to this point, I had a corporal (H. B. Lord, of ‘I ‘) seriously wounded in the right leg by the enemy’s cavalry, who followed our rear guard very close. I sent my wounded men on board the gunboat, and turned over to Capt. Tyffee (Phyffe?), United States Navy, all prisoners captured, together with the piece of artillery and ammunition.I have missing one private (Thomas, Co. ‘F ‘), who is probably wounded and a prisoner. He was sent with my quartermaster to the river, to communicate with the gunboats. I reembarked at 8 p. m. and sailed down to “Pagan Creek,” where we came to anchor for the night, to await the arrival of boats from Smithfield. At 10 o’clock, this A.M., in compliance with orders received from Brig. Gen. Graham, I proceeded to Portsmouth with my command ; from there, by rail, to my camp at this place, arriving at 3.30 P. M. It was impossible to find out the strength of the enemy, or their loss in killed and wounded, but should judge, from what I could learn from the prisoners taken, that they had at least 100 men, and I have no doubt but what I did Them much injury. My loss is wounded 4, missing 1, total 5. The. Enemy’s loss, as far as I am able to tell, is four prisoners, one piece of artillery and a quantity of ammunition.
I am, Sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. ELWELL, Colonel 23rd Mass. Vols. To Brig. Gen. Gramham,
Commanding Army Gun-boats.
Co. ‘ C ‘ was first deployed as skirmishers and sufficed to drive the enemy’s picket, which, however, made a stand, with its reserve, in front of their works. Co. 'I', was sent in and took place on the left of ' C ‘and Co’s, 'G‘and B ‘were sent receptively on their right and left flanks. Osborne and Symonds were hit soon after this formation was made, and Hussey, of ‘C,’ had his rifle smashed and haversack raked by two balls. The centre of the line charged with the bayonet and the enemy fled from his works which commanded a cross-road.
In half an hour the flaking companies came in and the column pushed on till they found the enemy in strong position at Wren’s Mills, where, hidden by a breast-work and the under-brush, he completely commanded the narrow road where it crossed the millpond. A brisk musketry— fire, of an hour, failed to dislodge him. Sergt. Porter, with characteristic recklessness, exposed himself, willfully, to the enemy’s fire. He received two or three fatal wounds which his astonishing vitality resisted for hours. He died during the night.Capt. Raymond, of G,’ with a platoon of his company, charged down the hill-side and across the dam. Although, few, if any, of his command Escaped some mark, in clothing or equipments, no one, except Joseph F. Vickary, was wounded. The movement resulted in the capture of the position and the prisoners mentioned.
A request was sent to the main body, for further reinforcement. Col. ElweII refused this and ordered the Column to move back towards James River. The movement was much hampered by carrying our wounded on stretchers. The enemy, favored by his familiarity with the ground and undeterred by any resistance on our part, was very annoying. Corp. Lord was wounded after the line was halted and the arms had been stacked in the fancied security of the river-bank.
Quartermaster Peirce reports, for his share of the affair:
“Under orders from Col. Elwell (to secure transportation for the ‘wounded), I went back towards the river, taking with me privates Gould of’ ‘E ‘and E. C. Thomas, of ‘F’ We could find nothing in the way of animals or wagons. We finally went to the riverbank and signaled the gun-boats one sent a small boat ashore.
The Commander and eight men came in it. When I saw them coming I sent Thomas to notify Col. Elwell to send down the wounded. When the boat landed, having heard nothing from the regiment, we went up over the hill and found that they were nowhere in sight they had moved on. Just as we were moving through a peach orchard, near the road, a squadron of rebel cavalry came up. They did not see us. We gave them a shot apiece. They turned and ran; as did we. Gould and I were taken aboard the gun-boat. The Captain (who was commander of the James River fleet) signaled a lighter-draught steamer and putting us on board told the Captain of it to land us at Smithfield. We were aground half the time till nearly night when we reached Smithfield. Found that all the other regiments had reported except ours. Reported at once to Gen. Graham, who was in command. He asked if I had any idea concerning the whereabouts of the regiment. Told him that I thought they had found the enemy too strong and had fallen back to Fort Boykin. He then gave me the Steamer John D.W. Pentz and told me to find them. It was dark long before we reached Fort Boykin but 1 found the regiment there.
With the aid of the gun-boat, which had, meanwhile, taken off our wounded, the regiment, bivouacking at Fort Boykin, was taken to the Steamer Pentz. We made our way to the fleet and returned with it to Norfolk the following morning. I afterwards learned that Thomas was wounded and captured, after he went over the hill, and, that he died In Libby Prison. Gould was killed at Cold Harbor.”
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