Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/411

Rh General Thomas came to my assistance, but too late to save my line. He encountered the enemy in the woods, drove them back, and, with the Eighteenth and Seventh regiments of my brigade on his left, chased them to their first position. The Thirty-third, in accordance with orders, held the position in the woods to which it had fallen back until I could move up the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-seventh, when all again resumed their positions on the railroad. That night the whole brigade was aligned on the track and skirmishers thrown forward, preparatory to a general advance. After the order was countermanded, my command rested on their arms until morning, when, having already been on duty upwards of forty-eight hours, there was heavy skirmishing along my whole front—a number of men being killed and wounded. We formed a portion of the second line on Monday, and as we occupied an exposed position, the men soon constructed a very good temporary breastwork of logs, brush and dirt, behind which they rested until Tuesday morning, when it was ascertained that the enemy had all recrossed the Rappahannock.

I cannot speak in too high terms of the gallantry of Colonels Avery, Barbour, Lowe and Purdie, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hill. They all commanded their regiments with bravery and to my entire satisfaction. Colonel Purdie was slightly wounded. Colonel Barbour received a painful wound in the neck, which for a time paralyzed his arm, but he reported for duty again on Tuesday.

The other officers, both field and company, generally discharged their duties well.

Colonel Avery alludes in high terms to the efficiency of Lieutenant-Colonel Cowan. Colonel Purdie, in his report, makes an unenviable allusion to one of his officers, name not given.

The Yankee wretches dragged Lieutenant J. W. Peters, Company C, Thirty-seventh regiment, some distance by the legs after he had been wounded in the head and leg.

The men of the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-seventh fought like brave men, long and well, while those of the other regiments calmly held their positions under a heavy artillery fire—one of the most trying positions in which soldiers can be placed.

I cannot refrain from making special allusion to our conscripts, many of whom were under fire for the first time. They proved themselves worthy accessions to a brigade which had borne itself well in all of the battles of the last eight months.

Captain F. J. Hawks, the Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant