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

[469] Malvern Hill, while pressing forward with the colors, struck the staff in the ground, and, cheering all the while, held on to it till taken from him by Captain Martin.

Respectfully, &c.,

Captain: On Friday, June twenty-seventh, at half past 4 P. M. the Fifty-third Virginia regiment was posted on picket, the right wing resting on the left of the Williamsburg road, left on right of the Ninth Virginia regiment, the men deployed at five paces apart. About sundown, the enemy opened fire upon our line with both musketry and shell. The fire was not returned, because I instructed the men to wait until the enemy was in good distance, which distance was not obtained. The enemy, however, advanced upon the centre and left, and was driven back by the fire of the left wing. The whole line was well sustained, except by three companies — F, H, and K — F and K falling back because they could not sustain the heavy fire of the enemy; company H having no commander. All three of these companies, however, returned to their positions and held them. The enemy again opened fire this morning about half an hour before day. This fire was, however, not directed so much toward us as the pickets on the right. This fire was not returned at all by our pickets. The regiment generally acted coolly and deliberately, keeping its position until relieved by the Fourteenth Virginia this morning. The casualties are as follows: company A, one slightly wounded; company D, one slightly and two severely; company H, two slightly; company K, one slightly.

Total, seven wounded.

Most respectfully,

Captain: I have the honor to make the following report of the action of the Fourteenth regiment Virginia volunteers, under my command in the battle of Tuesday, first day of July, 1862:

Early in the morning of that day, the regiment, with the others of the same brigade, was posted in a ravine opposite to the position held by the enemy; and one half of the regiment was thrown forward to the edge of the field between us and the enemy, as skirmishers. About three o'clock in the afternoon, the skirmishers were ordered forward to drive in the enemy's pickets, so that our artillery could be placed in position, and that portion of the regiment which had been held in reserve was ordered forward to their support. As soon as the men were seen by the enemy, a terrific fire of artillery was opened upon them by the enemy from their guns, which were in position about a half mile off, commanding nearly the whole field. The men rushed forward, firing upon the enemy's skirmishers, driving them before them, continuing to advance until they found shelter from the enemy's fire in a ravine, about midway from the position formerly held, and the enemy's batteries. Soon after passing over the crest of the first hill, Lieutenant-Colonel Evans was disabled by a wound, and I was knocked down and burnt by a shell exploding near me, rendering me incapable of going forward with my men. In passing over the hill, my regiment suffered severely. Among those killed, I cannot fail to mention Captain Charles Bruce, whose conduct was worthy of all praise. The regiment remained exposed to a heavy fire during the whole battle, and were forward in the charge each time an effort was made to take the enemy's batteries. I cannot close this report without calling your attention to the gallant conduct of Captain W. W. T. Coghill, Richard Logan, Jr., and P. Poindexter, who acted during the whole day with great coolness and bravery. We lost twelve killed and fifty-seven wounded.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Captain: By direction of the General commanding, I have the honor to report that, by his direction, on the night of the fifth and sixth instants, I proceeded to the banks of James River, above Charles City Court-House, with----battery, Washington artillery of New Orleans, and a rifle piece of Pelham's battery, horse artillery, and about two P. M. on the sixth opened fire on one of the enemy's transports carrying supplies to McClellan's army, some four miles above the point where we were. On opening fire, the boat immediately put out her lights. She was struck several times and considerably injured, but succeeded in passing the battery. On the sixth instant, the same guns, accompanied by a section of Rosser's battery, proceeded to a point known as Wayne's Oak, on the banks of the James River, four miles below Charles City Court-House. About seven A. M. on the morning of the seventh, opened on a transport, and, after some twenty shots, made her turn back, throwing overboard a part of her cargo to facilitate her escape. Several gunboats of the enemy immediately came to the vicinity, and commenced shelling the works and fields, but without damage.

About midday, I sent a section of Squiers's battery some five miles lower down the river, under Lieutenant Galvin. He opened on two transports towed by a tug. He drove the tug down the river, and the crews from the transports, sinking one of the transports and severely injuring the