Men of The Thrid United State Infantry

Captain Henry W. Freedley.

In the engagement at Gettysburg: Captain Henry W. Freedley, commanding a regiment was wounded, on or about July 14, 1863. Two years before while a Lieutenant in Texas he was taken prisoner on May 12, 1861, was later exchanged.

Lieutenant Richard G. Lay.

Lieutenant Richard G. Lay, company I., was taken prisoner in Teas, on May 12, 1861, was later exchanged. Two years later will a Captain of the third U. S. Infantry was wounded at Gettysburg on or about July 14, 1863.

First Lieutenant George B. Butler.

First Lieutenant George B. Butler, was severely wounded, at Gettysburg on or about July 14, 1863, his arm was amputated.

J. Ford Kent.

At the battle of Fredericksburg, Lieutenant Colonel J. Ford Kent, inspector-general, slightly wounded in the action of Sunday morning;

Charles B. Atchison.

1865, Captain Charles B. Atchison, Third U. S. Infantry, additional aide-de-camp, is hereby announced as aide-de-camp on the staff of the major-general commanding, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly.

William Dickinson.

In December 1861,William Dickinson, first liuetutenant, Third Infantry, was to be exchanged for T. S . Wilson, first leitenant, Marine Corps.

Battle of Gettysburg
July 1-July 14, 1863.Wounded.

Second Lieutenant. Isaac A. Helm.
Second Lieutenant, George K. Pomeroy.
Second Lieutenant, August Kaiser.
Second Lieutenant, William Mitchell.
Lieutenant, Daingerfield Parker.
Lieutenant, Stanley Mourton.
First Lieutenant, John Page.

Numbers 141. Report of Captain Thomas W. Walker,

Third U. S. Infantry, of the battle of Gaines' Mill, engagement at Turkey Bridge, and battle of Malvern Hill.

CAMP ON JAMES RIVER, July 4, 1862.

The regiment, under command of Major N. B. Rossell. left bivouac near Hall's shops and marched to Camp Lovell; left Camp Lovell at 3.30 p.m. and marched in the direction of Mechanicsville, 1 1/2 miles, and took position for battle. Bivouacked in position that night. June 27 marched at 4 a.m. to Camp Lovell; then back beyond Gaines' Mill, and took up position near the right of the line of battle, with Weed's and Tidball's batteries on our right and Griffin's battery on our left, Twelfth and Fourteenth Infantry to our left. Battle began at noon. The regiment remained in its position under fire, though not engaged, until about 4 p.m. when, the Twelfth and Fourteenth Infantry having moved forward to charge the enemy, the Third Infantry was ordered to the front under a heavy fire, and to the right of the Twelfth and Fourteenth, to take position along the edge of the woods and support those two regiments and prevent the enemy turning their flank. I was here ordered by Major N. B. Rossell to report to General Sykes that the enemy's cavalry and infantry in large force were attempting to turn our right flank.

On returning to the regiment I found its whole left exposed to a murderous fire from the front, flank, and rear, and almost surrounded, and that in my absence Major N. B. Rossell had been mortally wounded. I then took command of the regiment, and the Twelfth having retired to its original position and not seeing the Fourteenth, I withdrew the regiment slowly to its first position in support of the batteries, the Twelfth Infantry being to our left. The enemy suddenly appeared in front of the Twelfth in the woods and almost decimated the regiment at a volley. I pushed forward four companies (Companies C, D, H, and I, under Captain Davies, Lieutenants Sheridan, McGuire, and Eckert), who, in conjunction with the Twelfth, which formed on their left, vigorously attacked the enemy and drove them back to the woods. This position I maintained until after night-fall and until all on my left hand had fallen back. Weed's and Tidball's batteries were still in position, and, supported by the Fourth Infantry on the right and the Third on the left, still held the enemy in check.

About 8 o'clock p.m. all on my right retired, and I slowly fell back to a line of batteries established about 600 yards in my rear, and took up a position on their right flank, and held this position until all the batteries had retired to the rear. I then withdrew from the field, the regiment being the last to pass the hospital in rear of the battle ground.

About 5 p.m. I discovered that Lieutenant Williams, commanding Company G, was unaccountably missing, and that Sergt. Wiliam Hessian, of the same company, had assumed the command of the company and was handling it well. I then detached Lieutenant Page from Company D and assigned him to the command of Company G, in which position he has since remained. Bivouacked that night near the bridge over the Chickahominy. I believed that, with the exception named, all the officers and men did their duty well, and would especially refer to the good conduct of Sergt. Major August Kaiser, First Sergt. David Grier, Company E, and First Sergt. Stanley Mourton, of Company H, all of whom have heretofore been recommended for promotion. Company K, Lieutenant Whitney, was detailed on picket early in the morning, and acted with the Fourth Infantry during the day.

June 28, left our bivouac at 1.20 a.m. and marched across the Chickahominy, and took up a position on the hill previously occupied as general headquarters, where we remained until about 5 p.m., when we took up the march through Savage Station to a point where the baggage had been left,where we halted some hours.

June 29, marched, about 1 o'clock a.m., through White Oak Swamp, to a point near New Market road.

June 30, marched to camp on James River-name unknown to me. About 4 p.m. Lieutenant Woods McGuire, and Corporals Montford, Company D, and Jansen, Company H, were killed by the firing of a battery posted on the hill immediately in rear of the Third Infantry, and commanded, I believe, by Lieutenant Nairn.

July 1, the regiment was under arms, Captain Wilkins commanding, in the woods till near night, when we were pushed forward through the woods under a heavy fire, and took up position near the left of the battle then progressing. Here the regiment remained, supporting Robertson's battery, until the battle ended, and bivouacked on the field, and collected many prisoners during the night.

July 2, detailed on extreme rear guard, and marched in rear of the whole army, except Averell's cavalry command, to a point about 3 miles from Turkey Bridge, where it was relieved from rear-guard duty, and marched into camp with the brigade.

In obedience to instructions from brigade headquarters I would mention the names of Sergt. Major August Kaiser, First Sergt. David, Grier, Company E, and First Sergt. Stanley Mourton, Company H, Third Infantry, as being in my opinion entitled to promotion to commission on account of their abilities, past good conduct, and excellent bearing in the engagements.

On this march all the regimental and company property has been destroyed and abandoned by order.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, T. W. WALKER, Captain, Third Infantry, Commanding Regiment.
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