Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[350] accompaning brigade reports for details. I append also a statement of the loss sustained by the light division in the battles around Richmond.

Loss sustained by the Light Division, Major-General A. P. Hill, on the 26th, 27th, and 30th June, and 1st July, 1862.

	Killed.	Wounded.
Brigadier-Generals,		2
Colonels,	2	10
Lieutenant-Colonels,	3	9
Majors,	3	6
Captains,	10	66
Lieutenants,	32	138
Non-commissioned Officers,	94	428
Privates,	475	2,592
Total,	619	3,251
		619
Grand total,		3,870

I am, sir, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Captain: I have the honor to submit a report of the part taken by my division in the engagements around Richmond, which resulted in lifting the Young Napoleon from his intrenchments around that city, and setting him down on the banks of the James River, twenty-five miles farther off, with a loss of fifty-one pieces of artillery, twenty-seven thousand stand of arms, and ten thousand prisoners.

On the twenty-fifth of June, my division constituted the supporting force to a portion of the brigades of Generals Wright and Ransom, which were engaged with the Yankees near King's School House, on the Williamsburg road. We were exposed all day to an artillery fire, but with little loss. We marched that night through the mud to the vicinity of the Mechanicsville Bridge, and there awaited the advance of Major-Generals Jackson and A. P. Hill. The plan of operations was, for the former officer to come down by the way of Hanover Junction, and get in the rear of Mechanicsville, so as to unmask the bridge opposite it, and enable my division to cross over, followed by that of Major-General Longstreet. To the four divisions of Generals Longstreet, Jackson, A. P. Hill, and myself, was intrusted the task of turning the right flank of the Yankee army.

About three o'clock in the afternoon of the twenty-sixth of June, the firing commenced at Meadow Bridge, and was followed by the rapid running of the Yankees toward Mechanicsville. My division was put in motion, and crossed the Chickahominy, after a little delay in repairing the bridge. General A. P. Hill was then hotly engaged about the town, and my leading brigade (Ripley's) was pushed forward to his support. The Yankees were beginning to retreat across the creek (Beaver Dam) toward Ellison's Mill, but their artillery was still on the plain on this side. The three batteries of Jones's battalion, of my division, and Hardaway's battery and Bondurant's, were brought into action, and drove the Yankee artillery off the field. In the mean time I had received several messages from General Lee, and one from the President of the Confederate States, to send forward a brigade. In advancing this brigade, I met General Pender, whose brigade had just been roughly handled, who told me that, with the assistance of two regiments of Ripley's brigade, he could turn the position at Ellison's Mill by the right, while two regiments should advance in front. Brigadier-General Ripley was directed to cooperate with General Pender, and the attack was made about dark. The enemy had intrenchments of great strength and development on the other side of Beaver Dam, and had the banks lined with his magnificent artillery. The approach was over an open plain exposed to a murderous fire of all arms, and an almost impassable stream was to be crossed. The result was, as might have been anticipated, a disastrous and bloody repulse. Nearly every field officer in the brigade was killed or wounded, and a large number of officers of all grades were equally unfortunate. These hero-martyrs, Colonel Stokes, of the First North Carolina regiment, and Colonel Robert A. Smith, Forty-fourth Georgia, deserve more than a passing notice. The former had served with credit in the Mexican war, and was widely and favorably known in his own State. The latter, though in feeble health and scarcely able to walk, insisted upon being at the head of his regiment, and attracted my particular attention by his gallantry. Lieutenant-Colonel Estes, of the Forty-fourth, was severely wounded, and two captains, ten lieutenants, and three hundred and twenty-one privates were killed and wounded in this regiment. Of the First North Carolina regiment, Colonel Stokes and Major Skinner, six captains and the adjutant were killed, and one hundred and thirty-three privates were killed and wounded. These two regiments (never before under fire) were badly demoralized, and scarcely preserved their organization in the subsequent operations. Captain N. A. Brown, of the First North Carolina regiment, and Captains Beck and Lumpkin, of the Forty-fourth Georgia, rallied the fragments of their commands, and are handsomely spoken of by Brigadier-General Ripley. The Third North Carolina regiment and the Forty-eighth Georgia were less exposed than the other two regiments of Ripley's brigade, and, in consequence, suffered less severely ; but Major Savage, of the Third North Carolina, fell badly wounded. The batteries of Captain Rhett and Captain Hardaway were particularly distinguished in this engagement.

The division slept on the field that night. About nine P. M., I received an order from General Lee, to cooperate with Major-General Jackson, on the Cold Harbor road, going by way of Bethesda Church. The route we had to take was found at daylight, to be held by the enemy