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Much credit is due Major-General McLaws for his untiring zeal and ability in preparing his troops and his position, for a successful resistance, and the ability with which he handled his troops after the attack.
I would also mention, as particularly distinguished in the engagement of the thirteenth, Brigadier-Generals Ransom, Kershaw, and Cooke, (severely wounded;) and Colonel McMillan, who succeeded to the command of Cobb's brigade, and Colonel Walton, (Washington Artillery,) and Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander, (reserve. artillery.)
Brigadier-General Barksdale, with his brigade, held the enemy's entire army at the river bank for sixteen hours, giving us abundance of time to complete our arrangements for battle.
A more gallant and worthy service is rarely accomplished by so small a force.
I refer you to the reports of these officers for more detailed accounts of the engagements.
I desire to call the attention of the Government to the gallant officers and men mentioned in their reports.
Major-Generals Anderson, Pickett, and Hood, with their gallant divisions, were deprived of their opportunity by the unexpected and hasty retreat of the enemy.
A portion of General Anderson's command was engaged in defending the passage of the river; a portion of General Hood's in driving back the attack against our right, and a portion of Pickett's did important service near the Marye Hill.
I refer you to their reports for particular accounts.
Major Garnett held three batteries in reserve, in the valley between the positions of Generals Pickett and Hood, and was much disappointed not to have the opportunity to use them.
My staff officers, Major Sorrell, Lieutenant-Colonel Manning, Major Fairfax, Captain Latrobe, Captain Goree, and Lieutenant Blackwell, gave me their usual intelligent, willing aid. Major Haskell, Captain Young, and Captain Rodgers, volunteered their assistance, and rendered important services.
My thanks are also due to Surgeon Cullen, chief surgeon; Major Mitchell, chief quartermaster; Major Moses, chief of the subsistence department, and Captain Manning, signal officer, for valuable services in their respective departments.
I have the honor to be, General,
Most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
James Longstreet, Lieutenant-General commanding.
Report of Lieutenant-General Jackson.
headquarters Second corps, army of Northern Virginia, January 1863,
Brigadier-General R. H. Chilton, Assistant Adjutant and Inspector-General, A. N. V.:
General: I have the honor herewith to submit to you a report of the operations of my corps in the battle of Fredericksburg, on Saturday, the thirteenth of December last.
In pursuance of orders, Major-General A. P. Hill moved his division at dawn on the morning of the twelfth, from his encampment near Yerby's, and relieved Major-General Hood, then posted near Hamilton's Crossing.
At the same time Brigadier-General Taliaferro, then in command of Jackson's division, moved from his encampment above Guineas Depot, and took position in rear of Major-General A. P. Hill.
Early on the morning of the thirteenth, Ewell's division, under Brigadier-General J. A. Early, and Major-General D. H. Hill, with his division, arrived, after a severe night's march, from their respective encampments, in the vicinity of Buckner's Neck and Port Royal — the troops of Major-General D. H. Hill being from fifteen to eighteen miles distant from the point to which they were ordered.
On the morning of that day the troops were arranged as follows: Major-General A. P. Hill occupied the front line, formed of two regiments of Field's brigade, commanded by Colonel Brockenbrough, and the brigades of Archer, Lane, and Pender, (posted from right to left in the order named,) his right resting on the road leading from Hamilton's Crossing to the Port Royal road, and his left extending to within a short distance of Deep Run.
These troops were partially concealed by the wood, near the edge of which they were posted.
The remainder of Brockenbrough's command, consisting of the fortieth and fifty-fifth Virginia, was immediately in rear of Walker's batteries, and acting as a support to them.
Of the other two brigades, Gregg's and Thomas's, of the same division, the first was in rear of the interval between Archer and Lane, and the second in rear of the interval between Lane and Pender.
The divisions under Generals Early and Taliaferro formed the second line — Early being on the right; the division of Major-General D. H. Hill, which was still farther in rear, consituting the reserve.
Upon the eminence immediately to the right, Lieutenant-Colonel Walker (Major-General A. P. Hill's chief of artillery) had in position fourteen guns, composed of the batteries of Pegram and McIntosh, with sections from the batteries of Crenshaw, Latham, and Johnson, commanded respectively by Lieutenants Ellett, Potts, and Clutter.
On the left of the line, and near the Bernard cabins, were posted twenty-one guns of the batteries of Captains Davidson, Raine, Caskie, and Braxton, all under the immediate direction of Captain Davidson.
To the right, and some two hundred yards in front of these, and beyond the railroad, were posted twelve guns, from the batteries of Captains Carpenter, Wooding, and Braxton, under the direction of Captain Brockenbrough, General Taliaferro's chief of artillery; Carpenter's battery, commanded by Lieutenant McKendree, and Braxton's, by Lieutenant Marye.
On my left was Major-General Hood, of Longstreet's corps, and on my right and front, the cavalry, under command of Major-General Stuart, with a battery, near the Port Royal road, under the direction of Major Pelham, of the Stuart horse artillery, aided, in the course of the day, by sections from the batteries of Captain Poague, Brigadier-General R. H. Chilton, Assistant Adjutant and Inspector-General, A. N. V.:
