Lieutenant Colonel James D. Kirk.
102nd., Pennsylvania infantry, company F. & S.
Mustered in August 15, 1861.
Promoted from Captain, Company L to Major, December 1, 1864; to Lt. Colonel, May 15, 1865; resigned June 23, 1865.
Here is part of a report by A. S. M. Morgan on the death of Charles W. Chapman.
Captain Chapman, Quartermaster Lysle, Williamson, and myself walking a little in front of the main body. The advance guard proceeded very cautiously, several times motioning us to stop and then to come on. Captain Chapman and Lieutenant Lysle gradually moved forward until they got half way between the two parties. When the guard reached a run a mile from the lines they stopped, motioning to us to stop. The two officers above named went on and joined them. They all soon moved in together. We crossed the run, and soon after again stopped on seeing them appear to suspect, something wrong, in a dense thicket, which runs close up to the road and commencing about 125 yards from the run.
The advance guard stopped just before they got opposite the thicket. The two officers who were with it moved slowly in. Captain Chapman stopped once and turned back, then turned and went forward, he going close to the bushes and evidently looking into them, but no signal of any kind was made to me by any one of them. The officers were fairly in front of the thicket when a volley was fired from it by the concealed enemy, when both officers fell and one of the advance party was shot through the elbow. The main body at once, and without any order, fired into the thicket, and then left the road and took shelter behind a house opposite to which they were standing. As soon as they had retreated I ordered Captain McHenry to deploy across the road so as to enter the thicket in the flank and to the rear of the enemy, which was at once done, the men charging forward with a shout as they reached the edge of the woods, the enemy running and escaping back through the woods. One private of my command was shot and killed as he entered the woods. After the enemy was fairly driven some distance I had the bodies of Captain Chapman, Quartermaster Lysle, and Private Moore, Company G, carried into the lines. Besides these who were killed the only other casualty was that Private Ferguson was shot through the elbow.
Respectfully submitted.
A. S. M. MORGAN,
Lieutenant-Colonel Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Captain Charles Wes. Chapman.
63rd., Pennsylvania infantry company K.
Mustered in September 23, 1861, for 3, years.
Killed on picket, March 5, 1862.
First Lieutenant St. Clair Cooper.
102nd., Pennsylvania infantry company A.
Mustered in August 16, 1861.
Promoted from 1st Sergeant to 2d Lt., August 12, 1862; to 1st Lt., August 29, 1863; discharged May 15, 1865.
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