Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[537] had taken. Having crossed a large, open field for that purpose, I had scarcely entered the woods when the fire of his skirmishers was opened upon me. This fire was very heavy, indicating a large force. In a few moments, a battery of artillery, situated in a field beyond, also opened its fire, discharging shrapnell, grape, and canister. Notwithstanding this heavy fire, the regiment steadily advanced, driving the enemy before it, until, emerging into the field already indicated, he was discovered in considerable force, and for a time his fire on my left was very severe. Under these circumstances, I withdrew the line of skirmishers to the shelter of the woods. In a short time this force of the enemy continued its retreat, and, in obedience to orders, I continued the advance of my line. Proceeding through the woods, capturing on the way a number of prisoners, at the distance of, perhaps, one and a half miles from the point already indicated, I again discovered the enemy in large force, with several pieces of artillery, in a field of considerable magnitude. The main body of our troops having reached the ground, I was ordered to move my regiment farther to the left, still keeping them deployed as skirmishers, so that I did not participate further in the engagement which ensued.

On Tuesday, the first instant, this regiment, in its position in the brigade, was ordered forward in line of battle, in an attack upon the enemy's position at Malvern Hill. We advanced, under a very heavy fire of artillery and musketry, in the direction of his batteries, over a clear, open space of great extent. This fire being very destructive, and the advance being deemed impracticable from that point of attack, the Colonel commanding ordered the recall of the brigade, with a view to its re-formation and a change in the direction of attack. In consequence of the noise and great confusion of the battle-field, it was impossible to convey the order effectually to the brigade, and in falling back much disorder occurred.

It gives me great pleasure to state that the officers and men under my command behaved on both occasions with the utmost coolness and gallantry, and, while there scarcely existed occasion for comparison in reference to individual cases of prowess, I cannot refrain from making honorable mention of the names of Sergeant N. J. Garrett, of company M, Corporal J. C. Camp, of company H, and private W. L. Morehead, of company G.

I subjoin a list of the killed, wounded, and missing, on both of these occasions:

Officers. Killed: None. Wounded: Lieutenant W. A. Williams, very dangerously; Lieutenant J. D. Anthony, painfully; Captain H. C. Cannon, not seriously; Captain Tomlinson Fort, slightly; Lieutenant G. A. Rutherford, Lieutenant Pierce Horner, slightly.

Enlisted Men. Killed, 4; wounded, 38, two since died; missing, 15.

Very respectfully,

sir: In obedience to general orders No.----, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by this regiment, in pursuing the enemy in his impetuous flight from the Chickahominy, in front of Richmond, to his present bivouac on James River, under cover of his gunboats:

June twenty-sixth. Three men wounded on the Chickahominy, near the Garnett house, by the explosion of a shell from our batteries.--June twenty-seventh. Extended our picket post some distance down the Chickahominy, covering part of the territory occupied in the morning by the enemy, and captured one prisoner.--June twenty-eighth. Took possession of the enemy's camps at daylight in the morning, capturing eleven prisoners. At nine o'clock A. M., moved off in pursuit of the retiring enemy, and overtaking him in less than three miles, a sharp skirmish ensued, in which we lost one man, wounded by a spent shell from the enemy's battery. The enemy again retiring, our column was halted for two hours in the enemy's camps, and a quantity of commissary and other stores, left by the enemy, were taken possession of. At two o'clock P. M., occupying a position on the right of the brigade, moved off in line of battle through the dense forest, and again overtook the enemy east of the York River Railroad; but took no part in the hotly contested engagement on our right. At dark withdrew, under orders, and fell back to the railroad, which we reached. At one o'clock A. M., we moved off to take position on the Darbytown road, and reached the battle-field, of the same day, at two o'clock, and July first, same day, half past 3 o'clock, pushed off in line of battle in pursuit of the enemy's flying columns. At seven o'clock A. M., came up with the troops of the heroic Stonewall Jackson, who quickly passed our front.

We then retired, took another position, and again commenced to advance on the enemy. At three o'clock P. M., we came up with the enemy, strongly posted on a high eminence. An attack was immediately ordered by General Magruder, the troops occupying or forming four separate lines of battle, all within range of the enemy's batteries, and subject to the most galling and destructive fire of shot and shell. Our brigade, commanded by the gallant Colonel George F. Henderson, was ordered to form the third line of battle, in support of General Cobb's brigade, which formed the second. My regiment was thrown out on the field on the right flank of the brigade, and was supported by the learned and gallant Colonel H. L. Benning, of General Toombs's brigade, which formed the fourth line of battle. We remained under the severe and well-directed fire of the enemy from five to nine o'clock P. M. Our casualties here were considerable.