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

sir: I have the honor to forward the following report of the action of my brigade, in the affair near Garnett's house, on Saturday, twenty-eighth June. The disposition of the regiments was as follows: The Seventh and Eighth Georgia near the overseer's house, the Eleventh on picket near New Bridge, and the First and Ninth Georgia on duty at Mrs. Price's house.

It was determined that morning, by Brigadier-General D. R. Jones, commanding division, to place some heavy guns in position on the New Bridge road, and drive the enemy from their works near the river, if possible; and Brigadier-General Toombs was directed to attack the enemy, if, in his discretion, it could be done without too serious loss to ourselves, and I was to support him, if necessary, with my brigade.

The enemy was driven from the works by our batteries on the New Bridge road, and by Captain Brown's Wise artillery or Captain Moody's batteries, near Garnett's house; and Captain Thurston, of General Jones's staff, was sent to General Toombs, to notify him of the fact. From some cause, not understood by me, General Toombs sent Captain Thurston to me to make the attack, and as Captain Thurston was on General Jones's staff, I supposed the order had been changed, and, expecting to be supported, ordered the Eighth and Ninth Georgia to advance, which they did in most beautiful order, and with their usual gallantry, driving the enemy before them over and beyond their works, all the time exposed to a galling fire from artillery and musketry. Satisfied that these two small regiments could not cope successfully with the enemy, I asked General Toombs two or three times to send forward men to support me in the attack, but before this was done an order came from General Magruder to cease the attack, and I recalled the troops.

I cannot express too highly my appreciation of the gallantry and good conduct of all the officers and men of both regiments in this action, in which our loss was very severe, as the list of casualties will show. The Eighth Georgia led the attack, under command of the heroic Lamar, and suffered severely. Colonel Lamar was wounded and taken by the enemy, but has been recovered from them; Lieutenant-Colonel Towers and Lieutenant Harper taken prisoners; Major Magruder seriously wounded; Captain Butler, Lieutenants Montgomery, Williamson, and Blackwell, all wounded; and thirteen men killed, sixty-three wounded, six missing, and fifteen prisoners. The Third Georgia supported the Eighth. The casualties are Lieutenant-Colonel White, commanding regiment, seriously wounded; Captain Hicks wounded; and seven men killed, sixty wounded, and eight missing.

I am satisfied that if I had been able to bring my whole brigade into action or been properly supported, the whole of that part of the enemy's works would have been taken and held. A prisoner taken next morning reports the enemy's loss to have been about equal to ours.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

sir: I have the honor to forward the report of the action of my brigade in the series of battles from June twenty-ninth to July first, inclusive, the report of the action of the Seventh and Eighth Georgia, on the twenty-ninth, having been already forwarded.

Early on Sunday morning, I was ordered to march in pursuit of the retreating enemy; and having soon formed, my brigade moved through the deserted camp and works of the enemy, near Garnett's farm. The First Georgia regulars, and the Seventh Georgia regiment, Major E. W. Hoyle commanding, in support; the Eighth Georgia, Captain G. O. Dawson; Ninth Georgia, Colonel Turnipseed, and Eleventh Georgia, Lieutenant-Colonel Luffman commanding, were formed in line of battle, and in this order we set out in search of the enemy.

After marching some distance, the First Georgia came up with the foe and opened fire upon them, receiving in return a heavy fire from artillery and musketry, losing several men killed and wounded. But officers and men, I am proud to say, behaved in the most gallant manner, and drove the enemy before them, inflicting severe loss upon him.

After marching in line of battle all day through woods, swamps, and open field, we did not participate in the fight until late in the day, our direction bringing us considerably to the left of the enemy. We reached our bivouac that night, or morning rather, about one o'clock, having been exposed to a severe fire for over an hour.

The next morning, June thirtieth,we marched to join Major-General Longstreet, and reached him, after being on the march eighteen hours, at two o'clock A. M., July first, and rested until daylight, and again set out in search of the enemy; marched across the battle-field of the day previous some one and a half miles; was ordered by Major-General Magruder to march back to the Darby road; marched some five miles, and was ordered back, moving by the left flank; was next ordered by Major-General Magruder to shelter my men under a hill to protect them from the fire of the enemy, as our batteries were ordered to open upon them. From this position was ordered to take the position recently occupied by General Cobb in my front; was about getting into position, and was ordered to move some quarter of a mile to the right, and before I could get my line dressed, was again ordered to move to the right of my brigade on the line and take position. Had,