Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[276] Fredericksburg, and near Chancellorsville, where we remained until daylight. At an early hour on Sunday morning the brigade was ordered to advance and attack the enemy. We advanced at once, driving a very heavy force of skirmishers before us. After proceeding about two hundred and fifty yards we found the enemy in strong force in our front, behind breastworks. The brigade charged with promptness and energy, and at the first charge drove the enemy, utterly routed, from their intrenched position. Advancing still farther we found a second line of the enemy, which we at once drove from its position. This brigade and one regiment from the brigade on our right, General Pender's, continuing to advance, driving the enemy before us, met another line of the enemy. After a sharp conflict this line was repulsed. At this point, finding that there were no troops on my left, and none in supporting distance on my right or rear, and the enemy were advancing in very heavy force on my left flank, and making demonstrations on my right, I ordered the brigade to move back, and took position near the line of the enemy's breastworks, where we remained until the whole line advanced.

When the enemy had been driven back at every point, the brigade, according to orders, rejoined the rest of the division.

I take pleasure in reporting that Colonel R. W. Folsom, Fourteenth Georgia; Lieutenant W. L. Grice, Forty-fifth Georgia; Major S. T. Player, Forty-ninth Georgia, and Captain John Duke, Thirty-fifth Georgia, commanded their respective regiments with marked success. All the officers and men of my command, who were present, acted with the utmost coolness and the most daring courage before the enemy.

I have to regret the loss of several valuable officers. Captain Harman, Fourteenth Georgia, and Captain Shaw, Forty-fifth Georgia, were killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel Fielder, Captain Hounger, and Lieutenant Solomons fell mortally wounded, in a few yards of the enemy's breastworks, gallantly leading their men to the charge.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

Captain: I have the honor to report that, about eleven o'clock A. M., May second, by order of Major General A. P. Hill, I withdrew my brigade from its advanced position on the “plank road,” leaving my pickets out to wait until relieved, and proceeded to follow the other brigades of the division, which, with the exception of Thomas's, had gone to the left, by the Welford Furnace road. Thomas's brigade followed in my rear. When I had advanced two miles beyond the furnace, a Lieutenant-Colonel of cavalry rode up and reported that a large body of the enemy had attacked the train in my rear and driven off the troops which had been left to protect it. As the apparent exigency of the case allowed no time to communicate with the Major-General, I immediately ordered back my own and Thomas's brigade; but, when I arrived at the furnace, found that the enemy had already been repulsed by Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, of the artillery, and some infantry, among which I learned that Captain W. S. Moore, Fourteenth Tennessee regiment, with his company, bore a conspicuous part. I enclose, herewith, Captain Moore's report. Owing to the delay thus occasioned, I did not rejoin the division until late at night. During the night I formed on the extreme right of the division, with General McGowan's brigade on my left. The next morning, about sunrise, we moved forward to the attack, through dense pine timber, driving before us the enemy's skirmishers, and, at a distance of four hundred yards, emerging into the open field in front of a battery, which was placed on an abrupt hill near a spring-house. We advanced at double quick, and captured four pieces of artillery, and about one hundred prisoners, driving the infantry supports in confusion before us. From this position the enemy could be seen in heavy force in the woods, which commenced about six hundred yards diagonally to the right and front, and in the high open ground to the front. No other troops of our army were, at this time, in sight of us. After a few minutes' halt to reform our line, which had become somewhat broken by its rapid advance through the woods, I proceeded to attack the wood, which I have mentioned as lying diagonally to the front and right. My brigade, which was at the beginning only one thousand four hundred strong, and entirely unsupported, attacked with great intrepidity; but the position was strongly intrenched, and manned by vastly greater numbers, and we were forced to retire from within seventy yards of the intrenchments. We again formed and advanced to the attack, and were again forced to retire. I now moved my brigade to the point where we had captured the batteries, to await the arrival of reenforcement.

Soon after Major Pegram came up and occupied the position with artillery. Colonel Mercer came up on the left with three regiments of Doles's brigade, and General Anderson came up from the rear, on my right, with his division. He soon after moved to the right, leaving me in support of the artillery, which had opened a heavy and effective fire upon the enemy, which was hotly returned, although with little effect. In a few minutes General Lee rode up, and soon directed me to move forward with my own brigade and the three regiments of Doles's, which were under command of Colonel Mercer. After advancing four or five hundred yards Colonel Mercer requested a short halt until the ammunition, which had just arrived, could be distributed to his regiments. During this halt I received an order, through one of General Stuart's staff, not to advance farther until I received the order from him; but other troops coming up on Colonel Mercer's left and on my right, I moved slowly forward, and