[
667]
and sixty-five.
Among the killed were
Colonel Dixon Barnes,
Captain F. A. Erwin, and
Lieutenant Blackman, of the Twelfth South Carolina volunteers, and
Lieutenant J. A. McIntyre, of the First South Carolina volunteers.
Among the wounded were
Captain M. P. Parker, of the First South Carolina volunteers;
Captain J. L. Miller,
Captain H. C. Davis,
Lieutenant R. M. Kerr, and
Captain J. M. Perrin, commanding
Orr's rifles;
W. J. Stone and
S. G. Roseborough, of the Twelfth South Carolina volunteers, and
Lieutenants J. M. Wheeler and
W. L. Leitzer, of the Thirteenth.
Where all did their duty well, it may not be unpardonable to declare that, in this battle, the palm was borne off by the intrepid
Colonel Barnes, who nobly fell whilst leading the invincible Twelfth in their last victorious charge.
Colonel Barnes was as amiable and generous in peace as he was gallant and irresistible in war. Having large wealth and high position at home, he left all to fall at the head of his beloved regiment, gallantly struggling for the independence of his country.
Statement of Killed and Wounded.
| | Killed. | Wounded. | Aggregate. |
| First South Carolina Volunteers, | 4 | 30 | 34 |
| Orr's Rifles, | 3 | 9 | 12 |
| Twelfth South Carolina Volunteers, | 20 | 821 | 104 |
| Thirteenth South Carolina Volunteers, | 1 | 14 | 15 |
| | | | |
| | | | 165 |
Field Officer Killed.
Colonel Dixon Barnes, Twelfth South Carolina Volunteers.
Shepherdstown.
After crossing the river into
Virginia, and marching about five miles, the brigade spent the night, and was ordered back next morning, the twentieth, to Boteler's Ford, near
Shepherdstown, to drive back the enemy, who was reported to be crossing at that point.
General Gregg formed line of battle,
Orr's rifles deployed as skirmishers in front, and advanced in splendid style.
The batteries of the enemy, on the
Maryland side, poured upon them a terrible fire of grape, round shot, and shell.
Their practice was remarkably fine, bursting shells in the ranks at every discharge.
The Fourteenth South Carolina volunteers,
Lieutenant-Colonel Simpson, from the nature of the ground over which it passed, was particularly exposed.
When the artillery made gaps in their ranks, they closed up like veterans, and marched on without confusion, or in the least losing distance.
The rifles went down near to the river, and drove the enemy into the water, most of them being either killed or drowned.
The brigade lay under a terrible fire of shells all day, and at dark returned to bivouac.
The loss of the brigade was sixty-three killed and wounded, mostly in the Fourteenth.
Among the killed being the brave, generous, and efficient
Captain James H. Dunlap, of
Laurens, South Carolina, who was blown to pieces by a shell; and among the wounded was
Lieutenant D. H. Hamilton, Jr.,
Adjutant of the First South Carolina volunteers.
On Sunday, the second November, occurred the affair at Castleman's Ford, near Snicker's Gap.
Gregg's and
Thomas's brigades, accompanied by a battery of artillery, were thrown forward as a sort of picket, to secure that ford against any effort
General McClellan (who was reported to be at
Snickersville in force) might make to pass the mountain there.
Gregg's brigade took position, and, under light fire of artillery, awaited the approach of the enemy, who never reached our side of the ford.
In this affair the brigade lost three wounded, one mortally.
The brigade remained in bivouac, at different places in the lower valley, until Saturday, the twenty-second November, when they moved, with the light division, from Jordan's Spring, on the
Opequon, near
Winchester.
Marching up the
Winchester and Staunton turnpike, we turned to the left at
New Market, passed the
Blue Ridge at Milam's Gap, then covered with snow, and on the twenty-seventh left the beautiful valley of
Virginia.
Passing by
Madison and
Orange, we reached the
Massaponax Hill, near
Fredericksburg, on Wednesday, the third of December, having made a march of one hundred and seventy-five miles in twelve days. Again regretting much the many imperfections of this hasty sketch of operations which must be historical,
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
S. Mcgowan,
Brigadier-General, commanding Second Brigade L. D.
.
Snicker's Gap.
