Cloyd's Mountain battle.
Major Thomas L. Broun's recollection of the battle.The Federal loss in this battle was 108 killed, 508 wounded and 72 captured or missing; the Confederate loss 76 killed, 262 wounded and 200 captured or missing. The casualties were mainly in the Forty-sixth Virginia Infantry Regiments, Morgan's dismounted men and the Forty-fifth Virginia Battalion. Crook's force was three times as great as that of the Confederate, under Jenkins and McCausland.
R. W. H.
Editor of the Confederate Column:
Sir,—The reports of the Confederate officers about this battle are published in the War Records, Washington, D. C., 1891, Vol. 38, part 1.
I was volunteer aide on Colonel Beuhring Jones' staff, of the Sixtieth Virginia Regiment, and was assigned to duty just where it turned out the battle was most hotly fought.
General Jenkins, Major Tom Smith and I went into the fight together, and were at its close, taken off the field at the same time together in ambulances and left at Guthrie's house.
There General Jenkins died on the tenth day after the battle.
Major Tom Smith got well, and I was removed on a litter the Sunday following the battle (Monday, May 9), by the kindness of David McGavock, aided by his negro man, to Mr. McGavock's home, where I lingered for several months critically ill.
I was, when shot, executing an order Colonel W. H. Browne, of the Forty-fifth Regiment, gave me to gallop off, stop one of the artillery companies that was retreating, and open fire on the enemy, who had surrounded the Forty-fifth, and were playing havoc with them by shooting them and demanding surrender.
I did as was ordered, and had shot four times with cannon into the enemy on the right and left of the Forty-fifth, thereby
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enabling Colonel Browne to escape with the Forty-fifth, and retreat safely.
On the fourth fire, I made with the artillery a volley from the Yankee sharpshooters killed several horses of the artillery company, one officer and wounded one, and a minie ball passed through me and knocked me nearly off my horse.
Lieutenant Steele, of Monroe county, an officer of the artillery company near by, shouted out to me: ‘Cling to your horse, Major, he will take you right to the ambulances,’ which were a little ahead of me. This I did, and then I was taken off the battlefield.
General McCausland passed me in retreat just as I was shot, and his horse was then slightly wounded.
A squad of Yankee cavalry with surgeon were sent to Guthrie's dwelling house the day after the battle to make prisoners of us. They paroled Jenkins and Smith, but after examining my wound pronounced me dead, as in the opinion of their surgeon, I was bound to die that night, and I was then published in the newspapers as ‘killed in battle.’
To check the invading army, aid was solicited to assist the Confederate forces. Rev. Mr. Hickman, of the Presbyterian Church, was one of several who volunteered their services and went into this battle.
He was badly shot, and died Monday night on the battlefield, the Yankees declaring he was a bushwhacker, and entitled to no attention after he was shot.
I shall ever feel grateful to my Confederate friends in Pulaski county for the kindness and attention given me during my long and critical illness from the dreadful wound I received May 9, 1864, at Cloyd's Mountain battle.
It is now nearly forty-five years since I was wounded and published as ‘killed in battle,’ and yet I am decidedly alive, having a wife, three children and six grandchildren living, and much interested in my daily work, though eighty-five years old.
I send you a photo of Lee on Traveler and my letter about same, written in August, 1888.
Yours sincerely, Editor of the Confederate Column:
