William R. Bourne, 44th., New York.

Born at Lyons, New York, March 6. 1836; went westward March 6. 1855, residing in Illinois, ^linnesota Ter., Missonri and Tennessee; returning to Lyons at opening of Civil War, was chosen a representative of that town in the 44th N. Y. V. (People's Ellsworth) Regiment: Enr. August 20, 1861. served continuously as Private. First Sergeant. Lieutenant and Captain, until at Gettyshurg July 2. 1863, he was thrice wounded in action, the last bullet remaining in his hip; honorably discharged for wounds, October 9, 1863. As Captain U. S. Vet. Reserve Corps he was military assistant to Surgeon in charge Armory Square Hospital. Washington. D. C. November. 1863 to September, 1865 : then ordered to Wheeling. West Va.. in command of three Companies of 3d U. S. V. R. C. : assigned to duty in the Ereedman's Bureau, he served 22 months in Tennessee and Kentucky, leading a tempestuous and hazardous life among a disorderly element of the population who acted upon the legend that "the negro had no rights a white man need respect": then joined his regiment (42d U. S. Inf.) serving at Plattsburg. N. Y.. Sacketts Harbor. N. Y. and Fort Gibson, Ind. Ter. : then in charge of the Green Bay, Wisconsin. Indian Agency until retired from active U. S. service : he was in charge of the Relief Committee of the State of Wisconsin, distributing immense quantities of supplies to the thousands made destitute by the terrilble Peshtigo Fires, Octol)er 9. 1871 : in lumber trade in 1880 and following years at Barronett and Shell Lake. Wis. : engaged in banking at Shell Lake, Wis. Brevetted Major U. S. Vols, and First Lieutenant. U. S. A.: a comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic and a companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion and Past Commander of the Minnesota Commandery. Died, Oct., of 1910, at Shell Lake. Wis.

BOURNE, WILLIAM R.—Age, 26 years. Enrolled, August 20,1861, at Albany, to serve three years; mustered in as first sergeant, Go. K, September 5, 1861; mustered in as second lieutenant,May 14, 1862; as first lieutenant, December 18, 1862; as captain, January 11, 1863; wounded in action, July 2, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pa.; discharged for disability, October 9, 1863, at Washington, D. C; commissioned second lieutenant, July 21, 1862, with rank from July 4, 1862, vice O. D. Gaskill, promoted; first lieutenant, January 14, 1863, with rank from December 18, 1862 vice 0. D. Gaskill, resigned; captain, February 25, 1863, with rank from January 11, 1863, vice 0. A. Woedworth, resigned.

Numbers 200. Reports of Lieut, Colonel Freeman Conner, Forty-fourth New York Infantry.

HDQRS. FORTY-FOURTH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS,
July 6, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following report of the action taken by this regiment in the engagement on July 2: About 4 p. m. our regiment, Colonel J. C. Rice commanding, was placed in position on Round Top hill, with the Eighty-third Pennsylvania on our left and the Sixteenth Massachusetts on our right. Company B was immediately thrown out as skirmishers. When they had advanced about 200 yards, they met the enemy advancing in three lines of battle. Orders were immediately given by Captain L. S. Larrabee, commanding the company, to fall back upon the battalion. It was while executing this order that that faithful and brave officer was shot through the body and instantly killed, being the first officer that this regiment ever had killed in battle. The enemy continued to advance until the first line came within about 40 yards of our line. Upon their first appearance we opened a heavy fire upon them, which was continued until they were compelled to retreat.

After they had disappeared in our immediate front, we turned our fire upon those who had advanced in the hollow to our right, and continued it until we were out of ammunition. After we had been engaged about one hour, Colonel Vincent, commanding brigade, was wounded, and the command fell upon Colonel J. C. Rice, and the command of the regiment upon myself. We remained in our position until the next morning about 8 a. m., when we were relieved by Colonel Hayes, Eighteenth Massachusetts. We were then moved to the right about three-eights of a mile, and formed in line of battle, the Sixteenth Michigan on our left and the Twentieth Maine on our right.

I regret to add that in addition to Captain Larrabee, whose death I have already noticed, the officers are called upon to mourn the loss ofFirst Lieutenant Eugene L. Dunham, Company D, a brave and efficient officer, who was instantly killed during the heavy firing from the enemy in our front. Captain William R. Bourne, Company K; Captain Bennett Munger, Company C; Adjt. George B. Herendeen; First Lieutenant Charles H. Zeilman, commanding Company F, and Second Lieutenant Benjamin N. Thomas, Company K, were wounded, the latter, it is feared, mortally. It affords me great pleasure to be able to state that both officers and men behaved with the greatest coolness and bravery, not a single case of cowardice having come to my ear.
Most respectfully, your obedient servant,
FREEMAN CONNER, Lieutenant Colonel, Comdg. Forty-fourth New York Volunteers.