Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/8

Rh "My loss was one hundred and ninety-nine killed and thirteen hundred and eight wounded; total, fifteen hundred and seven, of which Gregg's brigade lost six hundred and nineteen.

"The brave Colonels, Marshall, of South Carolina, and Forbes, of Tennessee, were killed. Lieutenant-Colonel Leadbetter, of South Carolina, also met a soldier's death. Colonels Barnes, Edwards, McGowan, Lieutenant-Colonels McCorkle, Farrow and McCrady, and Major Brockman, of Gregg's brigade, were wounded.

"The stubborn tenacity with which Gregg's brigade held its position this day is worthy of highest commendation." General Jackson reports : *

"Assault after assault was made on the left, exhibiting on the part of the enemy great pertinacity and determination; but every advance was most successfully and gallantly driven back. General Hill reports that six separate and distinct assaults were then met and repulsed by his division, assisted by Hays' brigade, Colonel Forno commanding. By this time the brigade of General Gregg, which, from its position on the extreme left, was most exposed to the enemy's attack, had nearly expended its ammunition. It had suffered severely in its men, and its field officers, except two, were killed or wounded." General Lee in his report,† after mentioning a threat made on Longstreet, says:

"While the demonstration was being made on our right, a large force advanced to assail the left of Jackson's position, occupied by the division of General A. P. Hill. The attack was received by his troops with their accustomed steadiness, and the battle raged with great fury. The enemy was repeatedly repulsed, but again pressed on the attack with fresh troops. Once he succeeded in penetrating an interval between Gregg's brigade on the extreme left and that of General Thomas but was quickly driven back with great slaughter by the Fourteenth South Carolina regiment, then in reserve, and the Forty-ninth Georgia, of Thomas' brigade. The contest was close and obstinate, the combatants sometimes delivering their fire at ten paces. General Gregg, who was most exposed, was reinforced by Hays' brigade under Colonel Forno, and successfully and gallantly resisted the attack of the enemy, until the ammunition of his brigade being exhausted, and all its field officers but two killed or wounded, it was relieved, after several hours of severe fighting, by Early's brigade and the Eighth Louisiana regiment."

Is it not strange then that in the face of these official reports it should be questioned whether or not there really was a battle on the 29th August, 1862?

.* Reports Army Northern Virginia, volume II, page 95; Rebellion Records; volume XII, part 2, page 641.

† Reports Army Northern Virginia, volume I, page 24; Rebellion Records, volume XII, part 2, page 554. `