Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

I desire to mention in terms of just commendation Gen. Patrick, whose long experience and cool bravery were never better attested; Colonel Phelps, commanding Hatch's brigade, and Col. Wainwright and Lieut.-Col. Hoffman, commanding in turn my own brigade. Their gallantry and good conduct did much toward winning the victory.

I desire, also, to mention Capt. E. P. Halsted, A. A.G., and Lieut. B. F. Marten, A. D.C., who carried my orders faithfully into the thickest of the fight, and who each spent several hours in the night in the difficult and dangerous task of verifying the enemy's position; also, Capt. George F. Noys, C. S., who stood upon the fence during the hottest of the fire, cheering on the men, and otherwise rendering me valuable assistance.

I enclose herewith a tabular statement of the killed and wounded. I am, Major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

At six o'clock on the morning of September fourteenth, the division marched from Middletown, under an order received by me from Major-Gen. Reno, directing me to support with my division the advance of Gen. Pleasanton, who, with his brigade of cavalry and artillery, was moving up the Hagerstown turnpike, toward the positions of the enemy in the pass of South-Mountain.

The First brigade of the division, Colonel E. P. Scammon commanding, consisting of the Twelfth, Twenty-third, and Thirtieth Ohio regiments, and McMullin's Ohio battery, was ordered to proceed by the Boonsboro road, running to the left of the Hagerstown turnpike, and to feel the enemy, ascertaining whether the crest of South-Mountain on that side was held by any considerable force. The Second brigade, Colonel Crook commanding, consisting of the Eleventh, Twenty-eighth, and Thirty-sixth Ohio regiments, and Simmons's battery, with Schambeck's cavalry troop, was ordered to follow on the same road, to support the First brigade.

It soon became evident the enemy held the crest in considerable force, and the whole division was ordered to advance to the assault of the position, word being received from Major-General Reno that the column would be supported by the whole corps. Two twenty-pounder Parrott guns from Simmons's battery and two sections of McMullin's battery were left in rear in position near the turnpike, where they were most efficiently served during the action, in opposition to the enemy's guns, in the centre of the line along the Hagerstown road.

The First brigade being in advance, the Twenty-third Ohio regiment, Lieut.-Col. R. B. Hayes commanding, was deployed to our left and ordered to move through the woods to the left of the road, and up to the crest of the mountain, gaining, if possible, the enemy's right, so as to turn it and attack. his flank. The Twelfth Ohio regiment, Col. Carr B. White commanding, occupied the centre of the line, and the Thirtieth Ohio regiment, Col. Hugh Ewing commanding, was on the right.

The Second brigade marched in column of reserve, and within supporting distance. The whole line in advancing was well covered with skirmishers, whose duty was very effectively performed.

The Twenty-third Ohio, having reached the crest on the left, established itself there in spite of a most vigorous resistance on the part of the enemy. On the right the Thirtieth Ohio also succeeded in reaching the top of the slope, in the face of showers of canister and spherical case from a battery of the enemy commanding that part of the line. A section of McMullin's battery was immediately advanced to the front, and opened an effective fire upon the enemy, but its position was necessarily so near the enemy's infantry as to be greatly exposed, and after losing Lieut. Croome, commanding the section, and the wounding of six gunners of the section, it was withdrawn, having rendered good service, however, in enabling the infantry to gain tenable positions along the ridge.

In the centre of the line the Twelfth Ohio was obliged to advance several hundred yards over open pasture-ground, under a most galling fire from the edge of the wood which crowned the slope, and behind stone fences. The skirmishers of the regiment, advancing with admirable courage and firmness, drove in those of the enemy, and the regiment, with loud hurrahs, charged up the slope with the bayonet. The rebels stood firmly, and kept up a murderous fire until the advancing line was within a few feet of them, when they broke and fled over the crest into the shelter of a dense thicket, skirting the other side.

The Eleventh Ohio, of the Second brigade, was now sent to support the left, and formed on the left of the Twenty-third. The enemy made several attempts to retake the crest, advancing with great obstinacy and boldness. In the centre they were at one time partially successful, but the Thirty-sixth Ohio, of the Second brigade, was brought forward, and, with the Twelfth, drove them back by a most dashing and spirited charge.

The whole crest was now held by our troops as follows: The left by the Eleventh and Twenty-third Ohio; the centre by the Twelfth Ohio, supported by the Thirty-sixth, formed in line in reserve, and the right by the Twenty eighth and Thirtieth. Two ten-pounder Parrotts of Simmons's