Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/238

 From the Rapidan to Spotsylvania Courthouse. 237

brigade from the 4th of May until the 2;th of May, when I was assigned to the command of this division :

I was on outpost duty with my brigade at Raccoon Ford when the enemy crossed at Germania and Ely's Ford on the 3d and 4th of May. I was left with my own brigade, three regiments of Pegram's brigade, and three regiments from Johnson's division, to resist any crossing the enemy might attempt on my front, which extended from Rapidan Station to Mitchel's Ford. On the morning of the 6th I discovered by a reconnoissance as far as Culpeper Courthouse that the main body of the enemy had crossed to the south side of the river. I therefore moved rapidly and rejoined the corps that night, taking position in echelon, on the extreme left, to protect Major- General Johnson's left flank. On the morning of the 7th I was moved in rear of our centre as a reserve either to Major- General Johnson or Rodes. Burnside's corps moved to envelope General Rodes's right, and cut off the Second Corps from the army the distance from General Rodes to Lieutenant-General A. P. Hill's left being about a mile. General Rodes ordered me to form on Briga- dier-General Daniel's right, and to push back Burnside's advance. Moving at a double-quick, I arrived just in time to check a large flanking party of the enemy, and by strengthening and extending my skirmish line half a mile to the right of my line I turned the enemy's line, and by a dashing charge with my skirmishers, under the gallant Major Osborne, of the Fourth North Carolina regiment, drove not only the enemy's skirmishers, but his line of battle back fully half a mile, capturing some prisoners and the knapsacks and shelter-tents of an entire regiment. This advance on our right en- abled our right to connect with Lieutenant-General Hill's left. On the night of the yth marched to the right, and on the 8th by a won- derfully rapid march arrived just in time to prevent, by a vigorous charge, the Fifth Corps from turning General Humphries's right flank. In this charge we drove the enemy back half a mile into his entrenchments. My brigade was then withdrawn, and con- structed entrenchments on the right of Kershaw's division. On the gth, loth and nth constant and sometimes heavy skirmishing with the enemy.

In anticipation of an attack on my front on the morning of the 1 2th of May, I had my brigade under arms at early dawn. Very soon I heard a terrible assault on my right. From the direction of the fire, I soon discovered the enemy was gaining ground. I there- fore moved the Second North Carolina regiment (which I had in re-