Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/215

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On the 28th of May, Annistead's brigade was engaged in obstruct- ing the Appomattox river at Point of Rocks, and soon after this date w.i-, ordered to the north side of James river. On the 25th of June, it was posted about five miles from Richmond, between the York River Railroad and the Williamslmrg road, occupying rifle pits in the margin of a woods from the railroad to the Williamsburg ro.id. There was constant skirmishing along the line. On 29th it moved to the Charles City road; on 3Oth moved down the road and engaged the enemy, losing one man killed and one wounded. On July ist, in the celebrated charge on Malvern Hill, Captain Magruder's company lost twenty-seven men, killed and wounded, in about forty minutes one-half of the company present.

On July 3rd, Armistead's brigade reported to General Longstreet, near Temperance Hall, about three miles from " Shirley," nearly opposite the mouth of the Appomattox, and was put under the com- mand of General A. P. Hill until the nth of July. Captain Magru- der was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, July jist, 1862.

On the 23d of July, Armistead's brigade was assigned to General R. H. Anderson's division, and on August 16, 1862, proceeded to Louisa, and from thence on the first Maryland campaign. Armistead's brigade was in reserve at the second battle of Manassas, and at the capture of Harper's Ferry from Maryland Heights; but it was en- gaged in the battle of Sharpsburg.

At Martinsburg, in September, 1862, it was transferred from Anderson's to Pickett's division, which was at the battle of Fred- ericksburg, December 11-15, but not actively engaged. It remained with the army on the Rappahannock until early in February, 1863. when it marched to Richmond, thence to Petersburg, thence by the line of the railroad towards Suffolk on a foraging expedition.

Lieutenant-Colonel Magruder was promoted to Colonel, January 12, 1863, and soon after Lieutenant John D. Watson, was appointed adjutant of the syth Virginia regiment. Colonel John B. Magruder was assigned to an independent command -and posted on the White Marsh road leading from Edenton, N. C, to Suffolk, Va., about four miles from the latter place. General Pickett with the remainder of the division was on the Sumerton road. Colonel Magruder's force was made up of the nth, lyth and 57th Virginia infantry regiments and Macon's battery of four pieces.

Skirmishes were of frequent occurrence for three weeks. The enemy made an attack on the 2ist of March, with force about equal to ours, and were summarily repulsed by Colonel Magruder, \\ith