Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/101

Rh On coming up with Jones' brigade, I found its skirmishers engaging the enemy at long range. The hill in front of this position was, in my opinion, so strong that it could not have been carried by any force. After remaining here some two or three hours, I was ordered to move by the left flank to the left, under the guidance of a staff officer who had been sent to conduct me to the position it was desired I should occupy. In executing this movement, my troops were much exposed and many were killed and wounded. On reaching the left I received orders from General Johnson to charge the enemy's works in conjunction with General Steuart. This charge was made in a most gallant manner and the enemy driven from a portion of their works in front of my centre and right, and near the works captured the evening before by Jones' brigade. Owing to the heavy fire brought upon General Steuart, he was unable to advance further, and I was therefore unable to occupy the works of the enemy; but from a sheltered position within fifty paces, I obtained through a gorge between their lines of entrenchments a most destructive fire with the whole of the Forty-fifth regiment, for five minutes, upon a crowd of the enemy who were disorganized and flying in great confusion. And here, owing to the fact that the enemy were returning our fire at this time very feebly, and that our own aim was unobstructed, we succeeded in inflicting heavy loss upon them. This position I held, bringing a heavy though unequal fire on the fresh columns that came down to the relief of those that had been broken and were leaving their works, until ordered by General Johnson to fall back with the rest of his line about three-quarters of a milesmile [sic] and occupy the position along a run at the foot of the hill.

I remained in this position, with my skirmishers warmly engaged, and the enemy's fire reaching and doing some execution upon our line, from about three o'clock P. M. until nearly 12 M., when I received orders to follow General Smith's brigade with my own and Rodes' brigade back to the town, and there report to General Rodes. Having done this, my brigade was assigned a position on the left of the division; this I reached and occupied about daybreak on the morning of the 4th.

I cannot, in justice to the officers and men of my command, close this portion of my report without recording my earnest conviction that the conduct of none of the troops who participated in this engagement will furnish brighter examples of patient endurance than were exhibited by them. Entering the fight on the first day at about 1 P. M. and hotly engaged until 4 P. M., during