Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/440

428 guns when they were attempting to be concentrated and also diverting their attention from the infantry of the First corps.

The artillery was retained in the same position on the 3d, and kept up an incessant fire from about 1 o'clock P. M. to the time of the advance of the infantry; this fire having been continued so long and with such rapidity the ammunition was almost exhausted. The battalions remained in this position until dusk on the 4th (except a detachment under Major Richardson, who was sent back to report to Brigadier-General Imboden at Cashtown on the 4th), when they were withdrawn and followed with the army in the march to Hagerstown, where the corps arrived on the 7th and remained in camp. On the 11th the whole corps was placed in position for action on the right and left of Saint James' college, where we remained occasionally firing a few shots to scatter such bodies of the enemy as showed themselves. On the night of the 13th the corps left Hagerstown and followed with the army until we reached Culpeper. Major Richardson, while with General Imboden's command, turned over two guns to Captain Hart, of Hampton's brigade, which he reported he was unable to bring off; he also abandoned their caissons. A court of inquiry has been asked and ordered to inquire into his conduct.

I respectfully refer to the report of Major Richardson for a detailed account of the detachment under his command. Two guns were captured of Colonel Garnett's battalion, which had been left behind after the teams had given out and before they could be brought off by fresh horses, which were sent for them. Three guns of Major Pegram's battalion were disabled in action and sent to the rear, and one of them was captured; all the other guns of the command were brought off safely. Two of the guns of the First corps were found on the field at Gettysburg and brought off. The conduct of the officers and men of this corps was in the highest degree satisfactory, evincing, as they did without exception throughout the long and trying marches to and from Pennsylvania, the utmost fortitude and patient endurance under fatigue, and zeal and gallantry in action.

The conduct of Lieutenant Haustin, Ordnance Officer of McIntosh's battalion, is deserving of especial notice for gallantry in serving as cannonier at one of the guns whose detachment had become disabled. We have to mourn the loss of Lieutenant Morris, Ordnance Officer of Pegram's battalion, who was killed on the morning of the 1st of July.

The horses of the command suffered severely (although