Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/525

Rh My loss (exclusive of Colonel Lane's command) was sixty-six killed and one hundred and seventy-seven wounded.

An entire division was engaged against me, and, as you are aware, a large part of General McClellan's army were in supporting distance.

The officers and men of my command conducted themselves in a very handsome manner, both in the engagement and in the march.

The enemy may have captured stragglers enough to offset the prisoners we took from them in the open field, but they took no body of my troops.

Twice during the day the enemy were driven back, the last time taking shelter behind a ditch bank at the edge of the woods. From this position I did not succeed in driving them.

I have the honor to be yours, very respectfully, Brigadier-General Commanding.

Branch's Brigade, June 4th, 1862.}}

Captain, Assistant Adjutant-General:

I have the honor to inclose, for the information of the General commanding the division, the report of Colonel James H. Lane, Twenty-eighth North Carolina troops, of the action we had with the enemy at Dr. Kinney's, on the 27th ultimo. Colonel Lane conducted the expedition on which he had been sent by me with prudence and courage, and has entitled himself to my entire approbation.

The Twenty-eighth regiment has in it many recruits just recovered from the diseases incident to the commencement of camp life. Some of these, from physical exhaustion, separated from the regiment in the retreat—a portion of them may have fallen into the hands of the enemy's cavalry. If so, they are only trophies taken by an overwhelming force attempting to capture a single regiment, and will not more than counterbalance the prisoners taken by the Twenty-eighth from them.

My engagement of that day was for the purpose of reinforcing Colonel Lane, and was continued until I was assured that he had made good his retreat.

The Twenty-eighth regiment and the section of Latham's battery