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fifteen minutes after the firing had commenced, report was made to you that the enemy, in considerable force, was about to turn your left flank, and cut off the picket sent from my regiment.
You then ordered me to take the reserve companies of the regiment, to flank and support those pickets, and counteract any such movement of the enemy.
I at once carried them there, and formed them in line of battle.
It was then dusk, and objects were not visible at a distance.
We could see no enemy.
The firing of our pickets, who were a little in advance of us, and a little to our right, continued as brisk as ever.
As the darkness thickened, however, the firing gradually lessened, and finally ceased.
Every officer and man of the companies, under my eye, did his duty well, and the same is true (according to the report to me of Major Pickett) of the two companies sent forward under him as picket.
A list of the casualties has already been sent up.
I am, General, very respectfully,
Henry L. Benning, Colonel Seventeenth Regiment Georgia Volunteers.
Battle of Malvern Hill.
headquarters Seventeenth regiment Georgia volunteers, camp near Darbytown road, July 26, 1862.
General: On the first of this month, you, after much exertion, put your brigade in line of battle, chiefly in a wood in front, but rather to the right of what is called Malvern Hill (or Hills) with General Jones's brigade, Colonel Anderson commanding, in your front, and other troops in his front.
The position of my regiment was on the right of your line.
You instructed me that the duty of your brigade would be to support the troops in its front, and that the duty of my regiment would be to accommodate itself to the movements of the regiment in front, but that it was not to fire until it received orders to do so. This was near five o'clock P. M., in my judgment.
Shortly afterward, the line in our front began to move by the left flank.
We followed the example, and moved by ours.
Marching in this way for, I think, nearly a mile, the line came in front of the position of the enemy, and also got out of the wood into a a large field, the back part of which was held by the enemy.
Here the march was changed to one to the front.
That, in a short time, brought us under a very heavy fire, both of artillery and musketry, grape, shell, splinters, and minie balls flying thick about us and through us, and making gaps in our ranks at every step.
The regiment, however, continued to advance in perfect order.
After having advanced far into the field, the order came down the line, March by the left flank. This was obeyed, and whilst we were thus marching by the flank, some regiment behind us, which was marching to the front, cut my regiment in two at the colors, leaving the colors and the companies on the left with me, who was at the head of the line, and the right companies with Lieutenant-Colonel Hodges.
I saw no more of these latter companies until next day. The companies with me continued to march by the flank, until they entered the wood on the left of the field.
I suppose the object of the order was to get to the wood, and advance to the attack from it. So I halted my companies and looked for a good position to advance from, which I found, as I thought, in a wood running in front of the enemy's batteries, at the edge of the wood, with a fence in its front.
Along this wood I formed the companies, and made them lie down, that as many as possible of the enemy's missiles might pass over them.
It was nearly night.
Here we remained awaiting orders, but none came.
The fire on both sides slackened, and ceased after nightfall, and the companies returned to camp.
Our loss was five killed and thirty-one wounded. A particular list of the casualties has already been forwarded to you.
The officers and men received the hot fire of the enemy, which they could not return, friends being in front, with great coolness and fortitude.
I am, General, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant, Henry L. Benning, Colonel Seventeenth Regiment Georgia Volunteers.
Report of Colonel Cumming.
General: Pursuant to orders received this day, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Twentieth regiment Georgia volunteers, in the recent actions before Richmond:
This regiment was relieved from picket duty at Garnett's farm on the night of the twenty-sixth ultimo.
Early next morning, we were ordered to occupy and hold the trenches in front of Garnett's farm, where we remained until about two o'clock P. M., under a heavy fire from the enemy's artillery, with the loss of one man killed and one wounded, losing his left arm. At this time I was ordered to proceed to a skirt of woods, on the left of Garnett's farm, in command of the Fifteenth Georgia regiment and my own. Later in the afternoon, about six o'clock, I was ordered to proceed with my regiment to support a battery, then briskly engaging the enemy in our front.
We remained in this position nearly an hour, and, just before sunset, we were ordered by Captain Troup, of your staff, to proceed to within supporting distance of the Second and Fifteenth regiments of Georgia volunteers, then closely engaged with, and under a heavy fire from, the enemy.
We advanced in line of battle to this position, a distance of about a quarter of a mile, through an open field, under a heavy fire of musketry.
When within about seventy-five yards in rear of the Second and Fifteenth regiments, I ordered a halt, (according to orders,) and required the men to lie down.
This was immediately on the left of Garnett's house.
We remained here, under a heavy and continuous fire of infantry, for about three quarters of an hour, when we were ordered forward to occupy the position held by the Second and Fifteenth regiments, against overwhelming odds.
We held this position until about three o'clock next morning,
