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

[413] the ordnance train. I also take great pleasure in acknowledging the distinguished services rendered me by Lieutenant James Hamilton, of General Taylor's staff. As to the conduct of the officers and men, one and all, too much cannot or ever will be said in their praise.

The following is a recapitulation of casualties, the detailed list accompanying report: Killed, eighty-nine; wounded, four hundred and seventy-seven; missing, four. I am, sir, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Major: In compliance with the request of Major-General Holmes, I send you the following report: On the morning of the thirtieth June last, my Aid, Lieutenant J. J. Wise, brought me a verbal message from General Holmes that he was advancing to meet the enemy, and inquiring whether I could join him, as his forces were few and fatigued. I then had three regiments of infantry, the Fourth, Twenty-sixth, and Forty-sixth Virginia volunteers, and four batteries of light artillery, under strict orders to guard and support the heavy batteries at Chaffin's Bluff. General Holmes, in the message delivered to me, disclaimed giving me orders, but suggested rather that he needed reinforcements, and inquired whether I could aid him. I immediately assumed the responsibility of ordering to his command the Twenty-sixth, Colonel Page, and the Forty-sixth, Colonel Duke, and Andrews's and Rives's batteries, under Major Stark, leaving of these only small camp guards, and the Fourth regiment and French's and Armistead's batteries to guard the bluff. On the thirtieth of June, the Twenty-sixth regiment, by morning report, had thirty-one officers, seventy non-commissioned officers, and three hundred and fifty-four privates; the Forty-sixth had thirty-one officers, sixty-four non-commissioned officers, and three hundred and six privates; and twenty privates of each for guard. The total of infantry was sixty-two officers, one hundred and thirty-two non-commissioned officers, and six hundred and twenty privates; aggregate infantry, eight hundred and fourteen. The artillery corps had: Company A, Captain Andrews, four pieces, four officers, nine non-commissioned officers, sixty-three privates; company C, Captain Rives, four pieces, two officers, seven non-commissioned officers, and sixty-two privates. Total, six officers, sixteen non-commissioned officers, and one hundred and twenty-five privates; making in all, infantry and artillery, the aggregate of nine hundred and sixty-one officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates. I commanded these in person, and was attended by my official Aid, and two volunteers--Lieutenant J. J. Wise, Captain George D. Wise, (who acted as volunteer Aid of General Holmes,) and Lieutenant Barksdale Warwick.

As early as possible after General Holmes passed with his force, I followed, and reported to him at the Drill House, near New Market. There, finding President Davis, I submitted my action, in joining General Holmes without orders, to him, and, he approving, I took orders from General Holmes. He posted me in position on the extreme right of the high grounds near New Market. Rives's battery, on the left, was supported by the Forty-sixth; Andrews's, on the right, by the Twenty-sixth. In this position we remained until ordered to advance on the evening of the thirtieth. I was ordered to follow the brigade of Colonel Daniel, and brought up the rear, which threw me on the extreme right, on the River road, leading past Malvern Hill and over Turkey Creek Bridge. When I arrived in position on the narrow road, I found it obstructed by Burroughs's cavalry, and ordered it out of the way of my infantry, so that I might join my line to that of Colonel Daniel's infantry. The Forty-fifth North Carolina regiment, I am informed, of Colonel Daniel's command, was in juxtaposition to my Twenty-sixth regiment. Major Burroughs moved his cavalry in advance of my position, and in the rear of the Forty-fifth North Carolina regiment. There was a corps of cavalry, Baker's I am told, in advance of that of Burroughs's. The enemy commenced a heavy shelling of the road, and of the open field on its right and left. In a few moments the cavalry, said to be Baker's, wheeled into the field on the left, rode irregularly around that field, and in a short time came rapidly past the infantry in the road; in a few moments more, artillery horses, loose, then a caisson, and then guns, said to be Branch's battery, came stampeding, in wild confusion, by and through my line; and these were followed, in confusion, by the regiment next to the Twenty-sixth, of my brigade, said to be the Forty-fifth North Carolina. It was with difficulty my men could avoid serious damage by this wild rout of cavalry, artillery, and infantry. But I am proud to say that both of my regiments and my artillery maintained their posts firmly, without a man's moving until they were ordered. This position was on the road where the River road joins the Quaker road, west of a branch of Turkey Creek, with a wood and that branch between it and Malvern Hill; distance from the hill about six hundred yards, with the woods and creek intervening.

Late in the evening, I was ordered back to take position where the River road joins the Long Bridge road, and there my force bivouacked for the night of the thirtieth. On the morning of the first of July, I was ordered again to take position, as at first, on the right of the high grounds of New Market. And again, later in the day, I was ordered to leave the front, advancing upon the enemy down the River road. I was halted in the road, in front of Curl's Neck, with a woods on the left, and deployed to the left, aligned in the woods. There my artillery was posted, north of the open field where the Quaker road meets the River road.

Late in the evening I was ordered to advance