Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/500

 Official Report of Colonel J. P. Simmes. 499

The loss of the brigade in this battle was four killed and twenty- six wounded. We remained at Winchester until the i6th September, and then marched in the direction of Culpeper Courthouse. On the i gth, the General having received information that a raiding party was in the vicinity, and that they were going towards Stevensburg, or- dered me with this brigade to a certain point on that road to intercept them. The brigade was put in motion immediately, and moved at double-quick for nearly two miles, but upon arriving within about five hundred yards, the enemy were opposite to us in the road, hav- ing proceeded so far as to render it impossible to cut them off. Finding that this was the only opportunity we would have of inflict- ing damage upon them, I gave orders to fire. We killed and wounded several of them. Our loss was nothing. We recaptured from this party quite a number of horses and mules, which they had captured from a Government lot near Rapid Ann Station.

On the 2Oth we left Culpeper, marching in the direction of Gor- donsville, which place we reached on the 25th ; camped there one night, and then again we moved in the direction of the Valley, pass- ing through Swift Run Gap, thence up by the foot of the mountains

in the direction of Port Republic. On the of September we

came in sight of Port Republic, at which place the enemy's cavalry was distinctly visible, driving ours before them across the river and through the town. By an order from the Major-General I placed my brigade in the edge of a wood, near by the road leading from the town, in such a manner as not to be observed by the enemy, and awaited their advance in that direction, our cavalry having already retired. As he had anticipated, it was not long before they came dashing down the road moving by the flank, but by the untimely firing of some shots from the command we failed to inflict such loss upon them as otherwise would have been done. The enemy escaped with slight loss and the loss of the brigade was nothing. From this time until the I4th October the brigade was marching from point to point, camping at different places for a short space of time. When, on the I4th, General Connor's brigade was engaged at Huff's Hill this bri- gade was held as reserve for his support, but that brigade having accomplished the work assigned to it so handsomely that it was not thought necessary to bring it into action, therefore the brigade was not engaged, but lost in wounded some eight or ten men. On the evening of the i8th I received orders to move out in the direction of Strasburg at 12 o'clock that night, preparatory to an attack that was to be made on the enemy's works next morning. In compliance with