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

[662] on reaching the field, the Twenty-eighth was detached by General A. P. Hill in person, and sent on the road to the left, leading to Sharpsburg, to repel the enemy's skirmishers, who were advancing through a field of corn. The rest of the brigade moved nearly at right angles to our line, and on the enemy's flank. The Thirty-third, Seventh, and Thirty-seventh were the regiments principally engaged. They fought well, and assisted in driving back three separate and distinct columns of the enemy. The Eighteenth was not actively engaged. I was ordered, about sunset, to rejoin the brigade, and on doing so, ascertained that General Branch had been killed. It was after sunset when I assumed command of the brigade. I found the Seventh, Thirty-seventh, and Thirty-third posted behind a stone fence, and the Eighteenth sheltered in a hollow in rear. I ordered the Twenty-eighth to the left of the line, but the order was delivered to the Eighteenth, which was posted to the left behind a rail fence, a portion of it being broken back to guard against a flank movement. The Twenty-eighth was posted to the left of the Seventh, in the opening caused by the withdrawal of a few Georgia troops. Although annoyed by the enemy's sharpshooters, we held our position until ordered to fall back on the night of the eighteenth. We did not cross the river until late next day. General Gregg's, General Archer's, and this brigade formed the rear guard of the army, and were kept in line, facing the enemy, until infantry, artillery, cavalry, wagons, and ambulances had all safely crossed.

Our loss in this engagement was one Brigadier-General (L. B. O'Branch) killed, twenty others killed, seventy-nine wounded, and four missing.

Shepherdstown, September 20TH.

On the morning of the twentieth of September we were moved, with the balance of the division, back to the ferry near Shepherdstown. Soon after we had taken our position in line, in the field of corn in rear of the wheat stacks, we were ordered to advance in the face of a storm of round shot, shell, and grape. We moved forward in line until we reached General Pender's brigade, sheltered behind the hill in front of the residence near the ferry. Finding that he was outflanked on the left, we then moved by the left until we unmasked his brigade. The men, on reaching the top of the hill, raised a yell and poured a deadly fire into the enemy, who fled precipitately and in great confusion to the river. Advancing at double-quick, we soon gained the bank of the river, and continued our destructive fire upon those who were attempting to regain the Maryland shore at the old dam, just above the ferry. We held our position all that day immediately upon the bank of the other river, though exposed to the heaviest cannonading of the war, and in range of the enemy's sharpshooters, who were posted in strong force on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

Our loss, three killed, and seventy-one wounded.

Lieutenant-Colonel Purdie, who bravely commanded the eighteenth in most of these engagements, desires that special mention should be made of Captain John D. Barry, of company I, for his coolness, and gallantry, and devotion to duty. Captains Turner and Knox, of the Seventh, have on all occasions, but especially as commanders of skirmishers, won the admiration of the entire brigade by their daring and efficiency. Lieutenants Clominger and McCauley, of the Twenty-eighth, are also deserving special notice for their great bravery and faithfulness in the discharge of their duties.

Very respectfully,

Major: In compliance with the request of Major-General Hill to send in a report of all military operations in which this brigade was engaged, “from the time when General Lee took command at Gordonsville, to the time when we left the Valley,” I have the honor to submit the following general statement, which has been delayed on account of the absence of two regiments on fatigue duty. Not having been in command of the brigade, but only of one of its regiments, (the Fourteenth South Carolina volunteers,) during these operations, I have not been able to make such a detailed report of particular events as the subject deserved, but am obliged to content myself with a mere outline of operations — the most important. Would that the lamented General Gregg, lately in command of the brigade, was here to make out the report of achievements in which he performed so large a part himself, and which he could have recorded better than any one else. I understand that the call does not include the Cedar Run or Slaughter Mountain campaign, which this brigade, as part of your division, made under Major-General (now Lieutenant-General) Jackson.

crossing the Rappahannock.

On Saturday, the sixteenth of August, 1862, the second brigade, (Gregg's, now under my command,) A. P. Hill's light division, moved from its bivouac, between Gordonsville and Orange Court-House, to Crenshaw's farm, near the Rapidan river, where it remained until the twentieth of August, when, crossing the river at Summersville Ford, we advanced, under the orders of General Lee, against the forces of General Pope, which were occupying the whole country north of that river. The enemy fell back before us through Culpeper County; and we reached the north branch of the Rappahannock at the bridge where the Orange and Alexandria Railroad crosses it, on Thursday, the twenty-first of August. The artillery of the enemy here opened on us across the stream, indicating that he had halted in his retreat, and intended to make a stand there. The brigade slept