"Gen. Mansfield had been mortally wounded at the commencement of the
action, while making a bold reconnoissance of the woods through which
we had just dashed." (Page 495, Vol. XIX.)
VII. We find the following in the report of Gen. Edwin V. Sumner,
"commanding 2d and 12th corps." He also commanded the 1st corps upon his
arrival in our part of the field, about 9 A. M.:
"General Mansfield, a worthy and gallant veteran, was unfortunately
mortally wounded while leading his corps into action." (Page 275,
Vol. XIX.)
VIII. Gen. Hooker, commanding 1st corps and having the 12th under his
orders, makes no mention of the wounding.
IX. Gen. McClellan, commanding the Union army, thus refers to the
deployment of the 12th corps:
"During the deployment, that gallant veteran, Gen. Mansfield, fell
mortally wounded while examining the ground in front of his troops."
(Page 56, Vol. XIX.)
It should be stated that Vol. XIX was not published until October,
1887--twenty-five years after the battle.
Besides these unsatisfactory official reports, we have the following
authentic accounts, that have been made public from time to time, and
should have furnished the world with the truth. I noticed that the
newspapers of the day had little to say about the event; accordingly, a
few weeks after the battle I wrote an account and forwarded it to my
father, who sent it to the Hon. Benjamin Douglas, a prominent citizen of
Middletown, Conn.--Mansfield's home. Mr. Douglas acknowledged the receipt,
and showed his appreciation when we were publishing our regimental
history,[18] by furnishing gratis the portraits of the general. This
letter was published in the Portland, Me., papers.
The regimental history, published in 1871, has a very minute account of
the event. About 700 copies of it were sold.
The report for 1862 of the Adjutant General of Maine also has a narrative
of the battle, embraced in the report of Col. Beal, who returned to duty
before the end of the year. (Page 74, main report.)