[533]
The enemy's forces were under command of Brigadier-General S. Seymour, who was present on the field.
The conduct of Brigadier-General Colquitt entitles him to high commendation.
He exhibited ability in the formation of his line, and gallantry in his advance on the enemy.
I have also to speak most favorably of Colonel George P. Garrison, commanding the second brigade, who exhibited in the engagement all the qualities of a capable and efficient officer.
Colonel R. B. Thomas, as Chief of Artillery, likewise rendered efficient service on the field.
Colonel Evans, commanding the 64th Georgia Volunteers, and Colonel Duncan L. Clinch, commanding the 4th Georgia Cavalry, were wounded while bravely performing their duty.
Lieutenant-Colonel Barron, of the 64th Georgia Volunteers, and Captain Camron, commanding, and Lieutenant Dancy, of the 1st Georgia Regulars; also Lieutenant Holland, commanding detachment from conscript camp—all officers of high promise—were killed.
Among the killed and wounded were many other officers and men who had distinguished themselves on other fields, for a detailed statement of whom, and for instances of individual merit, I refer to the reports of the brigade commanders.
Our loss in the engagement was 93 killed, and 841 wounded—a large proportion very slightly.
In the opening of the engagement the cavalry, under command of Colonel Smith, skirmished with the enemy with spirit, and retired to the flanks, in obedience to their orders.
On the 22d instant, having repaired the railroad, so as to secure my supplies, I advanced the command to Sanderson, pushing the cavalry rapidly in the direction of the enemy, and from Sanderson to Barber's, and thence to Baldwin and to this place, twelve miles from Jacksonville, where my farther progress was arrested by orders from Brigadier-General Gardner, who had been directed to assume command, by whom I was here, for the first time, officially notified that the command had been transferred.
My efforts and those of my officers for the organization and concentration of a force adequate to meet the enemy's superior numbers, and to check them in their rapid advance, were incessant and arduous.
I have the gratification of reporting to the Commanding General that while I continued in command they were successful.
I transfer the army to my successor well supplied with forage and subsistence, well organized and armed, and deficient only in ordnance stores, for which timely requisitions were made, and which are now on their way.
Very respectfully,
This text is part of:
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.
An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.