Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 19.djvu/116

 110 Southern Historical Society Papers.

dred and twenty-one; missing, thirteen hundred and ninety; total, thirty-five hundred and one. Beauregard's command killed, three hundred and fifty-four ; wounded, sixteen hundred and ten ; missing, two hundred and twenty ; total, twenty-one hundred and eighty-four. The loss in Heckman's "Star brigade" is stated by them as killed, forty-two ; wounded, one hundred and eighty-eight ; missing, four hundred and fifty eight ; total, six hundred and eighty eight while Kemper's brigade lost, according to the best information obtainable, forty-seven killed, two hundred wounded, and ten missing; total, two hundred and fifty-seven. Gracie's brigade lost perhaps less, not being as long under fire say, two hundred and fifty.

Beauregard reported five pieces of artillery, five stands of colors, and fourteen hundred prisoners as the spoils of this battle.

BUTLER'S RIGHT WING BROKEN.

This sketch, as stated, is intended to throw some light on how But- ler's right wing was broken that morning. From all that I personally saw, and all the facts I have been able to gather, the following appears to be the true story: Gracie's brigade, after having been relieved by that of Kemper, took no active part in the engagement. The Forty -first Alabama, which drove the Ninth New Jersey towards the Gregory house, whereby their flank was left exposed, was withdrawn, when the First and the Seventh passed over that part of the field and found neither enemy nor friend in its front. The First and Seventh Virginia regiments, which made the flank movement proper, were the only troops that attacked the enemy's rear. These two regiments did not number over four hundred men. The talk so much indulged in, of having been overpowered by superior numbers, is all nonsense. The fact is simply that our appearance in the rear demoralized them completely. The enemy could not tell if our force consisted of four hundred or four thousand and that is about the whole story in a nut-shell.

N. B. Since making the above address I have received Volume XXXVI, Part II, of the Official Records of the Rebellion, as it is called, which verifies my statements with but few exceptions. The loss of Gracie's brigade is given as thirty-four killed, two hundred and seventy-six wounded and four missing ; total, three hundred and fourteen ; but it is also stated that this report is incomplete, and in all probability includes the losses for the previous days. On page 207 we find the First Virginia as commanded by Major George F.