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[554] corner of the field, when I sent Captain Fulton to inform him that the enemy was in the woods to his right. He then continued his march for some distance, and then put his brigade in line of battle, his right resting on the left of the First brigade, and then the whole line advanced in the direction of the main road. Very shortly after this connection was formed, a short but very vigorous contest ensued, which succeeded in completely routing the enemy. [It is proper here to state that the enemy engaged in the woods, at this point, is the same column whose re-formation of line I attempted to prevent when informed that the left flank of the Second brigade had been turned.] Here the enemy's loss was very heavy. This brigade pursued the now retreating foe until after dark, when I was ordered to halt and rest for the night.

The conduct of the troops in this brigade was, indeed, splendid; men never behaved better. Regimental commanders were conspicuous for their gallantry, and company officers deserve great praise, not only for their gallantry, but for their successful efforts in keeping their companies together. Indeed, when the brigade was halted for the night, nearly all were present.

The brigade captured three stands of colors, one of which was improperly taken from a private of the----regiment by a commissioned officer of some other command. Two stands of colors were taken by the Fifth regiment.

For individual acts of gallantry, I refer you to the reports of regimental and battery commanders, herewith presented. Upon assuming command, Captain John H. Fulton, of the Fourth regiment, and Major Holliday, of the Thirty-third regiment, kindly consented to act as Aids, in connection with Lieutenant Garnett, of General Winder's staff, and to these gentlemen I am much indebted for their valuable services.

Captain Fulton was conspicuous in the fight, transmitting every order with great promptness and despatch.

Major Holliday, a gallant and brave man, while in the execution of an order, was severely wounded in the right arm, rendering amputation necessary. He was wounded early in the engagement.

Lieutenant Garnett was active in the field, and his gallantry was conspicuous. With the aid these gentlemen rendered me upon the field, my new position, as brigade commander, was relieved of much embarrassment.

Captains Carpenter and Poague are deserving of especial notice for the great service they rendered with their batteries. Captain Carpenter was wounded by a minie ball in the head, though I think not severely.

The casualties in the brigade were, ten killed and fifty-one wounded. This includes General Winder; and in his death the brigade was deprived of his great services, the army of an able and accomplished officer, the country of a good citizen, and society of an ornament.

I attribute so few casualties to the fact that the brigade charged at the proper time.

For a list of casualties, see reports of regimental and battery commanders.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Charles A. Ronald, Colonel, commanding First Brigade.


Report of Lieutenant-Colonel Garnett, of Second brigade.

camp near Liberty Mills, headquarters Second brigade, First division, A. V. D.
Major W. T. Taliaferro, Assistant Adjutant-General, First Division:
Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Second brigade in the battle near Cedar Creek, on the ninth instant:

By order of General Winder, commanding First division, the Second brigade was ordered, about half past 3 o'clock P. M., to march to the front — passing the First brigade--to rest its right near a school-house in the vicinity of the battle-field. Remaining in this position until General Early's brigade had driven in the cavalry pickets, I received orders to move rapidly forward along the main road toward the enemy's position. In executing this movement, the brigade was fired upon by the enemy's batteries, killing five, and wounding six men of the Forty-eighth Virginia regiment. To prevent any further accident, the brigade was filed to the left in the woods, and proceeded along the slope of a hill parallel to the road, until it had marched to a point where the road emerged from the woods into a field directly in front of the enemy's batteries. Here General Winder ordered me to file to the left along a by-road in the woods, and to follow it as far as I could, under cover of the woods. On reaching this last position, I was to place the brigade in line of battle, and charge the nearest battery by a flank movement, while our artillery engaged it in front. On reconnoitring the position of the battery, a heavy body of infantry was discovered in its rear, and a long line of cavalry, behind a fence covered with brush, on the left of the battery, commanding perfectly the field the Second brigade would necessarily cross in reaching its destination. I reported these facts immediately to General Winder, through Lieutenant White, Acting Aid-de-camp, and received orders, on his return, to remain where I was for a few moments. This was the last order I received from General Winder, whose untimely death none more deplore than the Second brigade. We were proud to be under his command, and mingle our sorrows with those of the nation at his early fall. General Taliaferro, now assuming command, ordered such a disposition of the Second brigade as would afford some protection to the batteries on our right, and some four hundred yards to the rear. The Twenty-first Virginia regiment formed the extreme right, and the Forty-eighth Virginia regiment was placed on the left of the Twenty-first, and were designed to repulse any charge of the enemy on our batteries, as ordered by General Taliaferro. The Forty-second


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