Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/204

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, October 3d, 1863.

Captain, Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Army Corps:

Captain—I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command (Heth's and Pender's divisions) at Falling Waters, July 14th, 1863.

On the evening of the 13th July, I received orders to withdraw my command at dark from the entrenchments near Hagerstown and move in the direction of Falling Waters, at which point we were to cross the river on a pontoon bridge already constructed.

The artillery attached to my command received its orders through its immediate commander, and moved off a little before dark. I was directed to leave the skirmishers in my front, and was informed that they would be relieved during the night by the cavalry. The officers in charge of the skirmishers were directed, as soon as relieved, to take the road followed by the division.

The night was entirely dark, and the roads in a dreadful condition—the entire distance between our breastworks and Falling Waters being ankle deep in mud. The progress of the command was necessarily very slow and tedious, halting every few minutes to allow the wagons and artillery in our front to pass on. The division was twelve hours accomplishing seven miles; once halting for two hours.

On reaching an elevated and commanding ridge of hills one mile and a half—possibly a little less—from Falling Waters, I was ordered by Lieutenant-General A. P. Hill to put my division in line of battle on either side of the road and extending along the crest of this hill, facing towards Hagerstown. On the left of the road and on the crest of this hill our engineers had thrown up some half dozen epaulements for artillery, the spaces between the epaulements being open. In our front was an open space, with the view unobstructed for half to three-quarters of a mile; then came a heavy piece of timber, some three-fourths of a mile in width.

I was directed, at the same time that I received the order to place my division in line of battle, as described, to put Pender's division in rear of my own in column of brigades.

At this point we halted, to allow the wagons and artillery to get