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

[294] Sixth Virginia infantry, Colonel George T. Rogers, under the immediate command of Captain W. Carter Williams, charged over the enemy's abatis near the plank road, fired upon him in his rifle-pits, captured prisoners from four different regiments, and the colors and color-bearer of the One Hundred and Seventh Ohio, returning to his position with his handful of men, with the loss of an officer as prisoner. This gallant and successful sortie was made a little after dark, Saturday, the second May, when General Jackson's fire was heavy, and it was in fighting over the same ground the next morning that the valiant Williams fell, mortally wounded. The standard, a most elegantly finished work, was duly delivered. Immediately following the fall of Chancellorsville, this brigade was sent, with a brigade of Major-General McLaws's division, to look after the enemy, then reported to be advancing up the plank road from Fredericksburg, under General Sedgwick. Meeting General Wilcox, with his brigade, about the divergence of the plank and turnpike roads; and finding that the enemy was really and rapidly advancing, it was at once determined to meet him at the Salem Church. At this point, possessing the advantages of ground, our line was formed. In the mean time Major-General McLaws had joined us with the balance of his division. My brigade, in the spirited fight at this place, occupied the extreme left of the line, lying wholly in the woods, and participated in the successful resistance made to the enemy's very determined effort to break our lines at that point. Upon the conclusion of this battle, Tuesday, the fifth May, the brigade rejoined its division. The conduct of the officers and men, as well in bearing the hardships and privations attending eight consecutive days of exposure and excitement, as well as in battle, deserve high commendation, and at least this acknowledgment at my hands. The Twelfth Virginia, Lieutenant-Colonel Field commanding, for its rapid and efficient resistance of the superior forces of the enemy, while covering the formation of our lines of battle on the turnpike, Friday, the first May. The Sixth Virginia, Colonel Rogers commanding, for its vigorous pressure and bold sorties upon the enemy and his works around Chancellorsville, Saturday and Sunday, the second and third of May, for its veteran-like behavior at Salem Church, receiving without disorder the enemy's sudden fire while moving by the flanks. And the Sixty-first Virginia, Colonel Grover, for its gallant and successful skirmish with the enemy during the formation of our lines at the Salem Church, deserves special mention; while the part borne by the Sixteenth Virginia, Lieutenant-Colonel Whitehead commanding, and the Forty-first Virginia, Colonel Parham commanding, was everywhere, though less arduous, well and bravely performed. In this connection it is but due that I should record here my high appreciation of the efficient and gallant conduct of the staff officers with me, Captain R. Taylor, A. A. general, and First Lieutenant Richard Walke, ordnance officer. Among the gallant spirits who were seriously wounded, Captain Banks, company E, Twelfth Virginia infantry, must be mentioned. He fell among the foremost in the skirmish fight of his regiment on the turnpike, May first, and was at the time commanding our advance guard. His conduct on this occasion was beautifully heroic. The number of prisoners taken by the brigade was large, but cannot be accurately stated, owing to the hurried and detached manner in which they had to be sent to the rear. The casualties of the brigade in all these battles were as follows:--

regiment.	officers.			men.			total.
	Killed.	Wounded.	Missing.	Killed.	Wounded.	Missing.
12th Va. infantry,		2	2	5	29	48	86
6th Va. infantry,	1	1	1	7	32	5	47
41st Va. infantry,	2	3		4	20		29
16th Va. infantry,		1		1	16		18
61st Va. infantry,		5		4	25	3	37
Detail building bridge at Germana,			3			35	38
Total,	3	12	6	21	122	91	255

I am, Major, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part borne by my brigade in the recent engagements with the enemy in this vicinity, commencing on the first and ending on the fifth instant: On the twenty-ninth ultimo orders were received to be ready to move at a moment's notice, it being known that the enemy were advancing in heavy force from the direction of Chancellorsville. The following day artillery was heard at intervals in that vicinity, and on the next, the first instant, the brigade moved (under orders) up the plank road, and came soon within hearing of musketry. Arriving at the intersection of the plank road and the old turnpike, the command followed the latter; and it was not long before they. came under a distant artillery fire, our troops being at the time engaged skirmishing with the enemy about one mile off. Having reported to General McLaws, commanding on this road, the brigade was ordered to the right, on the mine road; and a battery was directed to be posted, with the view of engaging one of the enemy's, then sweeping, with its fire, the old turnpike. Lewis's battery, attached to my command, was soon in position. The enemy, however, ceasing to fire, the brigade was formed in line on the right of General Perry's brigade, and this on the right of General Woflord. This brought my command to occupy, in part, a line of