No. 9.

Report of Capt. William H. Trickey, Third New Hampshire Infantry, of operations January 15.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD NEW IIANTSHIRE VOLUNTEERS,

Near Fort Fisher, N. C., January 18, 1865.

CAPTAIN: In accordance with instructions received from the brevet brigadier-general commanding, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken in the affair of the 15th instant by the Third New Hampshire Volunteers: We left our position near General Terry’s headquarters, with six officers and about eighty men, at 4.30 p. m. of same date, and proceeded to Fort Fisher, where we arrived soon after dark. I was directed by Colonel Abbott, commanding brigade, to move my regiment to the extreme advance held by the Second Division and open fire upon the enemy was thus engaged for nearly an hour, having to a great extent silenced the enemy’s fire- was then directed by Colonel Abbott to take and hold with twenty men the next traverse in front, the remainder of my command being left in several traverses to keep up the fire upon the enemy. We took the traverse as directed, driving the enemy out. Thinking we could go farther, we charged and took the next two, with a like result. After taking the third traverse, having met with considerable resistance, I did not deem it prudent to go farther with so few men, and opened a vigorous fire upon the enemy, who was rallying for the recapture of the traverses; we held the enemy in check until the arrival of the Seventh New Hampshire Volunteers and Sixth Connecticut Volunteers, who charged and took the remainder of the work. I then assembled my command, and, under orders from Colonel Abbott, moved to the inside of the fort and collected the prisoners there; also assisted in collecting others outside of the fort and sending them to the rear. After collecting all of the prisoners in the fort I sent them to the rear, remaining with a small portion of my command until 4 a. m. of the 16th instant, when I was ordered to return to the position near General Terry’s headquarters. Our casualties were as follows: 1 man killed and 5 wounded.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. H. TRICKEY, Captain Third New Hampshire Volunteers. Comdg. Regiment.

Capt. E. L. MOORE,

Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Brig., First Div., 24th Army Corps.

SOURCE:  The war of the rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies. ; Series 1 - Volume 46 (Part I); page 413-414.