History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

52 FIFTY-SECOND PEGIMIENT. 1862
right and open communication with the headquarters of the General-in-Chief
and the great body of the army on the opposite bank. For this puixpose, the
whole pioneer corps of his brigade, with heavy details, was sent with minute
instructions for its construction. The point selected was, at this time, above,
and outside th e Union lines, and the troops on the left bank, hearing the work,
opened fire on the party, and sent two regiments to drive it away. The bridge
thus comsmenced, and rendered passable on the day of the battle cf Fair Oaks,
was afterwards chosen by the engineer corps for the great highway between
the two wings of the army.
The battle of Fair Oaks was fought on the 30th of May. The position of
the Fifty-second, a half mile to the right, and front of the Seven Pines, brought
it into action on a different part of the field from that of the other regiments of
the brigade, and at a somewhat later hour. Two companies were on the picket
line, and a heavy detail upon the Chickahominy Bridge. It movedfrom its camp
in line of battle towards Seven Pines, and at first held the extreme right. By the
time it had become engaged, the enemy had turned the left flank and had broken
through on the Williamsburg road. General Naglee, who had been up on this
part of the field, in his official report, says: e Returning rapidly to my Fiftysixth New York, Eleventh Maine, and Fifty-second Pennsylvania, my anticipations here were realized; being sugcessftd in turning our left flank, the enemy had opened a most destructive cross-fire upon them, from pieces near the
redoubt, and this with the fire from their immediate front, was no longer to
be endured, and they were withdrawn, marched down the Nine Mile road,
and placed in position in rear of this road, about three hundred yards from the
Seven Pines, where soon their services were required. In the meantime Colonel Neill of the Twenty-third Pennsylvania, had come upon the ground occupied by Colonel Dodge, and induced him to advance in front, and to the right
of the position that had been assigned to him, whilst he, Colonel Neill,, occupied
that which the Fifty-second Pennsylvania vacated. But these dispositions
were scarcely made, before the masses of the enemy broke through, and a few
minutes sufficed to leave the half of Dodge's command on the ground, and to
force Neill precipitately from his position. The remaining portion of the Fiftysecond-for it was now reduced to a little over ovne hundred men —was conducted along the Nine Mile road to the Seven Pines, where, finding the rifle
pits occupied they took possession of a fence and some out-houses, and did
most effective service. Afterwards they crossed to the left of Coneh's position,
and advanced two hundred yards into, and along the woods, to the left, and
front of the Seven Pines, where they remained actively employed until near
dark, when the enemy advancing rapidly in masses to the rear of the Nine Mile
road, inclined towards the Williamsburg road, sweeping every thing from the
field, our forces making one general simultaneous movement to fte rear, which
did not stop until all had arrived at the line of defence. The Fify-second
having their line of retreat cut off, escaped by passing through the woods to
the left and rear of the saw-mill at the White Oak Swamp, and thence to the
line above referred to, where they re-joined their comrades of the First Brigade." General Cleellan in his report, says: " the offcial reports of Generalls
Keyes, Casey and ITaglee, show that a very considerable portion of the division fotught well, and that the brigade of Naglee is entitled to credit for its gallantry.' T)he companies on the right of the picket line, and the pioneers on the
Cllcekahom ny, reported to Geeneral Sumner, when he arrived on the ground,