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

[555] Virginia regiment and First Virginia battalion formed our left, and commanded a field nearly at right angles with that in front of the Forty-eighth and Twenty-first. In this position, skirmishers were thrown forward, and, on the extreme left, a courier was left with Major Seddon, with instructions to report any movements of the enemy in a thick woodland on his extreme left, which was supposed to be occupied. At this juncture, General Jackson and staff arrived, and I received orders from the General to look well to my left flank, and to report at once to General Taliaferro for reinforcements. Accordingly, Captain Wilson, Assistant Adjutant-General Second brigade, and Lieutenant White, Acting Aid-de-camp, were sent in different parts of the field to insure an early interview with the General, and to secure, without delay, the support required. Before these officers returned, the enemy had advanced rapidly, already engaging our right. With coolness and determination, the regiments on the right delivered their fire, keeping a superior number of the enemy at bay. Firing now commenced on the left, and hastening to the position occupied by the First Virginia battalion, I discovered the enemy in heavy force rapidly advancing, not more than fifty yards from our front, bearing down upon us also from the left, delivering, as they came, a most galling fire. Unable to withstand this fire from front and flank, the First Virginia battalion gave way in confusion, and rendered abortive any efforts of its corps of gallant officers to re-form it. Finding our left turned, I rode up to Major Layne, commanding the Forty-second, and ordered a change of front to meet the enemy in this new direction; but, before this could be executed, he fell, mortally wounded, and the movement could not be accomplished before the enemy had commenced a fire in their rear, producing some confusion and disorder. The other regiment, all the while engaged in front, were also attacked in rear, now that the left flank was turned, producing much disorder in their ranks. In this double fire, front and rear, fell the gallant officers, Lieutenant-Colonel Cunningham, Major Layne, and Captain Dyerle. Reenforcements coming up, portions of different regiments were re-formed and assisted in driving the enemy, discomfited, from the field. The terrible loss in this brigade resulted from its left flank being turned, thereby subjecting it to a double fire. Had reinforcements, momentarily expected, arrived ten minutes sooner, no disaster would have happened. The long list of killed and wounded officers, accompanying this report, is the best evidence of their courage and fidelity in the discharge of duty. Lieutenant-Colonel Cunningham, as all who knew him expected, behaved with distinguished bravery and coolness. His place is not easily filled. The same may be said of Major Layne, Major Seddon, and Captain Hannum, commanding regiments, and of the officers attached to their commands. It would be improper to close this report without calling the attention of the General to the acts of savage brutality perpetrated by the enemy upon our officers and men who fell into their hands temporarily as prisoners. Such fiendish barbarity is not to be found in the history of warfare among civilized nations.

To the members of my staff all praise is due for their bravery and efficiency in the discharge of every duty. They consisted of Captain Wilson, Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant Dabney, Aid-de-camp; and Lieutenant White, First Virginia battalion, Acting Aid-de-camp. For further particulars, the General is referred to reports from regimental commanders, herewith enclosed.

General: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part sustained by the Third brigade of the First division, Army of the Valley, in the battle of Cedar Creek, on the ninth instant:

This brigade was under your immediate command until about four o'clock P. M., when I was notified of the death of General Winder, commanding the First division, and that you had assumed its command. The command of this brigade thereupon devolved upon me, as the senior officer, and my report is confined to the conduct of the brigade subsequent to my assumption of its command. The brigade at that time occupied a position on the left of General Early's brigade, and on the right of the Second brigade of this division, under Lieutenant-Colonel Garnett, the First brigade, under Colonel Ronald, being in rear, as a support to the Third. The brigade was then exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy's artillery, which it sustained with great firmness, officers and men alike displaying the coolness of veterans. Soon after, the order to advance was given, which was obeyed with alacrity, under a galling fire from the enemy's batteries, firing over the heads of their infantry. As soon as this brigade arrived within musket shot of the enemy, it commenced firing, and continued a destructive fire until it was discovered that the enemy, in strong force, had turned the left flank of the Second brigade, exposing it to a fire so destructive that it was compelled to give way in some disorder. This left the regiments on the left of this brigade exposed to the fire of the enemy in front, and also on its left flank. Under this fire, and the example of the Second brigade, the Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth Alabama regiments, commanded respectively by Colonel Jackson and Colonel Sheffield, (for the first time under fire,) gave way, and fell back some distance, but were promptly rallied by their officers. A part of the Thirty-seventh Virginia, commanded by Colonel Williams, was also thrown into confusion, and the whole compelled to fall back. The Tenth, Major Stover, and the Twenty-third Virginia, Lieutenant-Colonel Curtis, likewise fell back, under