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

[436] those who survive, we must not pass unnoticed the gallant dead, and most conspicuous among them, the noble young Lieutenant-Colonel Petoray, who fell at the head of his regiment. I should do injustice if I failed to mention the conspicuous conduct of Colonels Rutledge, Ransom, and Ramseur--the two latter being severely wounded. Major Frances, too, of the Twenty-fifth, deserves the highest approbation.

To my staff, Lieutenant J. G. Ashe, acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Lieutenant N. E. Broadnax, Aid-de-camp, Captain Fred. Blake, volunteer Aid-de-camp, I am indebted for valuable assistance in the field. To Lieutenant J. L. Henry, First North Carolina cavalry, Ordnance Officer, I must express my thanks for his energy and zeal in collecting arms and accoutrements under fire.

A list of casualties is here appended: Sixty-nine killed, three hundred and fifty-four wounded, seventy-six missing--total, four hundred and ninety-nine.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Colonel: In obedience to instructions from the Major-General commanding, the following report is submitted of the services performed by this brigade subsequent to the battle of Seven Pines, Sunday, June first, to that of Malvern Hill, Tuesday, July first, 1862, inclusive:

Having returned from the battle-field of Seven Pines Monday, the second of June, it was assigned to position on our front line, upon the Charles City road, at Parad's house, connecting on the left with Brigadier-General Wright's brigade, stationed in like manner on the Williamsburg road. Being wholly unsupported on the right toward the Darbytown road, the protection of the long line was committed to its charge, which, in its diminished condition, numbering only about eighteen hundred (1800) men and officers, imposed constant vigilant exertions. For four weeks the laborious duties incident to this outpost position were cheerfully and faithfully performed by the troops, though often with severe trials to their health, owing no less to the season of the year than to the locality which they occupied. During this period, several skirmishes between scouting parties in advance of the lines occurred, but no engagement of any consequence, except that at French's field, on Wednesday, the twenty-fifth of June, upon which a separate report is submitted. In these skirmishes, two men were killed and two wounded on our side. The enemy's loss is not known with certainty, beyond four killed.

On Sunday, the twenty-ninth of June, orders were received to proceed down the Charles City road, for the purpose of cooperating with other forces of our army, now pursuing the retreating enemy along the line of the Chickahominy, but mainly in reference to the forces which had been stationed on the north side of the White Oak Swamp, immediately confronting our position on the Charles City and Williamsburg roads. This brigade, which was followed by those of Brigadier-Generals Armistead and Ransom, pursued their march without the occurrence of any incident worthy to be noted, until they arrived at the place known as Brightwell's house, where a small party of the enemy's cavalry was met. At this point, a cross-road, leading from the Darbytown road, was known to pass down to the White Oak Swamp, crossing the swamp at a passable ford, in rear of Chapman's, leading thence into the main White Oak Swamp road, which had been heretofore held by the enemy, and upon which his camps and fortifications had been established. It was anticipated that, by the White Oak Swamp road, Kearny's division, which had been more immediately confronting our lines, would attempt to retreat, crossing the swamp either at this point or at Fisher's crossing, where another division of the enemy was known to have been fortified, or at White Oak Bridge, where he was also known to have been in large force, formidably fortified. Upon meeting this cavalry scout, it was deemed essential to our safety, before leaving this pass to the Charles City and Darbytown roads in our rear, to ascertain if the enemy had left his camp on the opposite side of the swamp, at Chapman's. With this view, a reconnoitring party was immediately despatched, which soon returned, and reported the enemy's column then in the act of crossing the swamp, about half a mile distant from our troops. The brigade was promptly placed in position, to meet the approach of this force, whose advance guard and our skirmishers, in a few minutes afterward, came into collision. This guard was dispersed, and two regiments of the brigade pushed forward upon the crossing at the swamp. Meantime a cavalry scout of the enemy again made its appearance, advancing up the road, and were routed with a loss of three men and three horses killed. It was now night, and our forces, holding this position, slept upon their arms. At this point we captured fifteen prisoners. Early the next morning, it was ascertained that Kearny's division, upon coming up with our skirmishers, had recrossed the swamp. Satisfied that the enemy had changed his route of retreat across the swamp, the next point which seemed to require the like precautions, as at Brightwell's, was Fisher's, near by where there was a still better crossing of the swamp, and which was known to lead directly to a large camp of the enemy. The brigade was now advanced to a position covering the crossing at Fisher's, when it was ascertained that a considerable body of the enemy had passed from across the swamp into the Charles City road the evening before. Again moving forward, we at once came upon the rear guard of the enemy, and found the road, for more than a mile, blockaded.