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[315]

Some of these batteries suffered a good deal from the enemy's fire of small-arms, but all held their ground. At one time those of Captains Rice and Raines had to be withdrawn to the rear for a short distance for this reason. Captain Raines's battery was particularly well and gallantly managed, he having his horses shot and serving a gun himself when short of cannoneers. The enemy's fire soon ceased, and his guns withdrew from the field. None of our guns or caissons were lost or injured in this affair.

On Monday morning, June ninth, I rode down from Port Republic, on the Swift-Run Gap road, and found the pickets of General Shields's advance being driven in by Brigadier-General C. S. Winder, with skirmishers and Carpenter's battery. The enemy had a battery of six guns (five of them rifled) posted on an old coaling, at Lewiston, from which they soon opened an accurate fire upon our approaching infantry. Their battery was at once engaged by two rifled guns of Captain Poague's battery, posted in an open field, to the left of the road. Just then the Major-General commanding sent me back to Port Republic to hurry up the Eighth brigade of Brigadier-General R. Taylor. Having done this, I proceeded to order up the rifled guns from our different batteries. Many of them I found short of ammunition, from the previous day's engagement and their ignorance of the exact locality of our ordnance train. To supply them consumed some time, and they could only go into action in succession. Those ordered up were guns from the batteries of Captain Chew, Brockenbrough, Raines, Courtnay, and Lusk, the latter of whom did not get his ammunition in time to engage in action. As they came up they were posted near Captains Poague and Carpenter, on the left of the road, and fired, advancing, a part on the battery and a part on the infantry of the enemy. Their fire was good, and they were generally well managed, particularly that of Captain Poague, which was subjected to a heavy infantry fire, and only fell back under orders.

At one time the enemy's infantry, observing, perhaps, the smallness of our supporting force of infantry, advanced across the field, somewhat to our left and front, and, by a heavy concentrated musketry fire, forced back our infantry support, in consequence of which our guns had to retire. The enemy's advance was soon checked by an attack on their flank by Major-General Ewell, and our batteries enabled to resume the engagement, but not before the enemy had got one of Captain Poague's six-pounder guns, which they either carried off or managed to conceal. When the enemy were finally routed, the pursuit was continued by parts of the batteries of Captains Wooding and Caskie, with just spirit and serious effect, and the enemy forced to abandon the only gun they were seen to carry from the field. With the exception of the one gun of Captain Poague's battery above referred to, none of our pieces or caissons were lost, and none damaged. There were captured from the enemy six guns and a twelve-pounder howitzer, with caissons and all the limbers, except one. One or two of these caissons and limbers were slightly damaged and one spiked, and the carriage broken and pretty much destroyed. They were all reported to the quartermaster, and brought off. The guns were turned over to Brigadier-General R. Taylor, as also the unhurt caissons, except one gun, which was assigned to Captain Wooding, and a travelling forge given to Captain Brockenbrough.

Your obedient servant,

S. Crutchfield, Colonel and Chief of Artillery Valley District.


Report of Lieutenant-Colonel Martin.

headquarters Forty-Second regiment Virginia Vols., camp near Port Republic, June 15, 1862.
Captain in R. N. Wilson, A. A.G.:
Captain: I have the honor to transmit to you, for the information of Colonel Patton, commanding Second brigade, Valley District, the following report of the operation of the Forty-second regiment Virginia volunteers, during the recent engagements of the eighth and ninth, near Port Republic.

Between eight and nine o'clock, on the morning of the eighth instant, the Forty-second regiment received orders from headquarters to load their wagons, form quickly, and proceed from their encampment, which was about one mile and a half from Port Republic, on the Harrisonburgh road. The regiment was promptly conducted to the heights near Port Republic, and stationed on the left of the road, in an open field, in rear of our batteries, and in view of the retreating enemy, on the opposite side of the Shenandoah River. We retained that position until about one o'clock, in hearing of heavy cannonading and musketry in our rear, when I was ordered by Colonel Patton to move my regiment quickly in that direction. I accordingly promptly put my regiment in motion, and conducted them back along the Harrisonburgh road to a church, a distance of three miles, where I was met by Colonel Patton, and received orders to throw my regiment in line of battle, to the right of the road, and march them in quick time in the direction of the firing, which I accordingly did; and, after marching them several hundred yards, I received orders to conduct my regiment to the left of the position occupied by our batteries. I accordingly placed myself at the head of the regiment, and conducted it through an open field, a distance of half a mile, in rear of our batteries, under a heavy fire of shells and Minie balls from the enemy. On reaching the woods, I was met by Captain Nelson, of General Ewell's staff, who conducted us a short distance to General Ewell, by whom I was ordered to place my regiment in position on the brow of the hill to the left of our batteries, which position we occupied about half an hour, many shells and Minie balls passing over us. We were then conducted by Colonel Patton about three hundred yards further to the left, and formed on the left of the First Virginia battalion, when I threw out two companies of skirmishers, commanded by Captain Dobbins. We marched a short distance,


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