No. 171.-report of Capt, B. M. Dubroca, Thirteenth Louisiana Infantry.
____, ___, __, 1862.
Sir: I respectfully submit to you the report of the part taken by the Thirteenth Regiment Louisiana Volunteers in the battles of the 6th and 7th instant:
Being totally unacquainted with the ground, and at that time not
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dreaming that the command of the regiment would devolve upon me, I had not taken minute notice of the different movements of the regiment, and am afraid my report will be a very imperfect one.
I shall refrain from naming any of my fellow-officers for their gallant deeds on the battle-field, as my attention was principally occupied in attending to my own company until late in the engagement of the 7th.
On the morning of the 6th the regiment, commanded by Maj. A. P. Avegno, was led into action about 7 a. m. We first encountered the enemy in one of their camps, which I suppose was the first of their camps still occupied.
There we were formed in line of battle.
On our right was the First Arkansas and on our left the Fourth Louisiana.
We marched through an open field under a deadly fire of shell, grape, and musketry, and formed in line on the edge of the enemy's camp.
Our loss in crossing the field was very heavy.
Captain Caesard, of Company F, was wounded in the leg and retired from the field.
Captain O'Leary, of Company A, received a slight wound in the shoulder, but still retained his command.
We were ordered to the right to charge the enemy, who were lying in ambush at the foot of a hill, entirely hidden from us by a dense undergrowth, which screened their position.
We were first apprised of their proximity by a shower of musketry sweeping through our ranks.
Bravely did our gallant little band stand its ground and return the enemy's fire; but “there is a time when endurance ceases to be a virtue.”
Overwhelmed by numbers, we were forced to fall back and reform anew, and a second and third time we returned to the charge, leaving on the field some of our brave soldiers.
Captain Campbell, of Company B, being wounded in the arm, his company was left in charge of his orderly sergeant, two of his lieutenants being sick and one on detached service.
Major Avegno, being afflicted with a severe cold and unable to speak, transferred the command to Captain O'Leary, of Company A.
Nothing of importance transpired that night; we occupied the enemy's tents.
On Monday, the 7th, at 7 a. m., the order was given to “fall in to face the enemy again.”
Although worn out by fatigue, and after an almost sleepless night, cheerfully and gladly did the Thirteenth obey the order.
We were ordered to charge a battery in position on the hill at some distance.
It was not long before I could see our brave boys cheering and following the fleeing Yankees, who left two pieces of artillery behind them, although it was not our good fortune to hold them long.
The order to fall back to a neighboring ravine was given.
There again we had a glimpse of the Yankees and fired a few volleys at them.
Lieutenant Daly was wounded in the head by a piece of shell.
He was taken to a hospital close by, occupied by some of the enemy's wounded.
We were then ordered to the position we occupied in the morning.
There, after forming in line of battle, we charged on the enemy in an open field.
Our loss in wounded was very heavy.
Captain O'Leary, of Comp'any A, received a second wound in the thigh.
He then gave up the command of the regiment to me. With some few of our men and about 200 men from different regiments we made a last and desperate charge, in which Major Avegno was wounded in the leg. The order to retreat was then given.
All of which I respectfully submit.
