| PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN--SEVEN DAYS' BATTLES No. 295. --
Report of Col. William Barksdale, Thirteenth Mississippi infantry, commanding Third Brigade, Magruder's division, of the battles of Savage Station and Malvern hill.HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE,Camp near Richmond, Va., July 24, 1862. |
| CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of
the part taken by this brigade in the battles of Sunday, June 29, at Savage
Station, and at Malvern hill, on Tuesday, July 1:On Sunday morning we were
ordered to pursue the enemy, who had abandoned his fortifications on the
Nine-mile road and was understood to be retreating down the York River
Railroad. On reaching these fortifications a fire was opened upon us by
the enemy's rear guard. The brigade was at once ordered in line of battle,
and while gallantly executing this order General Griffith fell mortally
wounded, and was borne from the field by Majors Watts and Hawkins, of his
staff, when the command devolved upon me. Continuing the pursuit, I was
ordered to support General Cobb, who was in the advance, should he become
engaged with the enemy. The brigade advanced in line of battle on the left
of the railroad, through the I hick woods and over a marshy country, until
we reached Savage Station, when an attack was made on the right side of
the road upon the enemy by General McLaws' division. The Seventeenth Regiment,
Colonel Holder, and the Twenty-first, Colonel Humphreys, were ordered to
that side of the road, and to support Kershaw's brigade if it should become
necessary to do so.About sundown these regiments advanced gallantly and
promptly when the order was given under a severe fire across an open field
to the support of a battery and engaged the enemy, then strongly posted
in the woods beyond the field, and poured several destructive volleys into
his ranks, when messengers arrived and requested that the firing should
cease, as danger would result from it to our friends, who were maneuvering
between them and the enemy. The men were ordered to lay down, and night
coming on and the firing having ceased, they retired in good order to the
woods in rear of the battle-field.The Eighteenth Regiment, Colonel Griffin,
was ordered after dark to the battle-field and slept upon it, the enemy
during the night continuing his flight. On Monday we continued the march,
but did not reach the battlefield of that day until 10 o'clock at night.The
next morning at daylight the pickets reported that the enemy was advancing.
I at once ordered the brigade in line of battle and advanced across the
field to a skirt of woods, halted, and awaited his attack, throwing out
several companies of skirmishers; but the report proved to be unfounded,
the enemy having during the night retreated, leaving his dead and wounded
in our hands. Our companies of skirmishers captured a number of prisoners,
who were sent to the rear.About 2 o'clock the enemy were discovered in
a strong position and in immense numbers on the Crew Farm and Malvern Hill.
By your orders, given to me in person, the brigade was formed in the woods
in front of the enemy and in range of his fire both from his batteries
and gunboats in James River, about 14 miles distant, the men being protected
as well as it could be done by the woods and brow of a hill. Here shot
and shell fell thick among us, several being killed and wounded, and among
them Major Moody, of the Twenty-first Regiment, who was seriously wounded
in the foot.At about 6 o'clock the brigade was ordered to advance upon
the enemy to support our friends, who were already engaged, and if possible
to take his batteries. The order was promptly obeyed. The brigade was formed
in the open field, and advanced upon the enemy under a terrible fire of
shell, grape, canister, and Minie balls, and continued the assault until
night closed the scene, when it retired in good order to the position it
formerly occupied in the woods. Colonels Holder, Griffin, and Lieutenant-Colonel
Brandon, commanding Twenty-first Regiment, were all severely wounded while
gallantly and nobly leading their regiments into action.Lieutenant-Colonel
Carter, commanding the Thirteenth Regiment, while handling his men with
consummate skill, was wounded and taken from the field. The command in
the Thirteenth Regiment devolved upon Major McElroy; in the Seventeenth
on Lieutenant-Colonel Fiser; in the Eighteenth on Lieutenant Colonel Luse,
and in the Twenty-first on Captain Brooks, all of whom discharged their
duties bravely and with signal ability.The entire command, although one-third
of its number fell upon the field, maintained its ground with undaunted
courage, and dealt bravely terrible blows upon the ranks of the enemy,
as his dead and wounded in front of our lines the next morning clearly
proved.I am under peculiar obligations to Major Inge, adjutant-general
of the brigade, for his valuable assistance in both engagements. He was
prompt in the execution of all orders, and constantly exposed to the severest
fire of the enemy's guns in directing the regiment into battle.To Captain
Costin, aide-de-camp, I am much indebted. He was with me in the field encouraging
the men by his example and gallantly discharging his duty. I was deprived
of the valuable services of Majors Watts and Hawkins by the fall of General
Griffith, both of whom were ordered to remain with him.It is proper for
me to say that twice during the battle Captain McCarthy's battery engaged
the enemy, and that both he and his command behaved with coolness and courage
worthy of the cause. Dr. Gilmore, senior surgeon of the brigade, and his
assistants, in the discharge of their duties, were indefatigable, having
the wounded borne from the field as rapidly as they could be found. I desire
to call the attention of the Department to this officer, who, by his skill
as a surgeon and ability as a physician, is eminently entitled to its favorable
consideration.I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
WILLIAM BARKSDALE, Colonel, Commanding Brigade Captain DICKINSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. SEPTEMBER 3-20, 1862.-The Maryland Campaign.No. 231.
MAJOR: On the morning of September 13 I marched at daylight to Brownsville, where it was supposed the enemy designed making an attack upon our troops. After I reached that place it was discovered that the enemy had disappeared, and the whole command was ordered to rejoin the main army. We reached its vicinity, in the neighborhood of Sharpsburg, at about 9 o'clock on the morning of the 17th. The battle was then, and had been, raging, for several hours. It is proper for me to say that a portion of my men had fallen by the wayside from loss of sleep and excessive fatigue, having been constantly on duty for five or six days, and on the march for almost the whole of the two preceding nights, and that I went into the fight with less than 800 men.About 10 o'clock 1 formed a line of battle in an open field, which was at that time being raked by a terrible fire of grape and canister from the enemy's artillery. Kershaw was on my right and Semmes on my left. I at once, in accordance with your orders, advanced upon the enemy, who occupied the woods immediately in front, and from which they had just driven a portion of our forces. In a few moments I engaged them, and, after firing several volleys into their ranks, drove them through the woods and into an open field beyond, and compelled them to abandon their artillery on the hill. At this point I discovered that a very large force of the enemy were attempting to flank me on the left. I therefore ordered the Eighteenth and Thirteenth to wheel in that direction, and not only succeeded in checking the movement they were making, but put them to flight, and pursued them for a considerable distance. As we advanced, the ground was covered with the dead and wounded of the enemy. I did not deem it prudent, however, without more support, to advance farther, and I therefore ordered these regiments to fall back to the woods in front of my first position. The Seventeenth and Twenty-first pursued the enemy across the open field, when, perceiving a very strong force moving to the right and attempting to flank them, and all of our forces having retired from that part of the field, they fell back, under protection of a stone fence, in good order.About 2 o'clock I advanced with the entire brigade, and occupied the battleground over which we had passed in the morning, General Ransom being on my right and General Early on my left, and continued to hold it until the night of the 18th, when, by your orders, I joined the column of the main army, when it retired across the Potomac.To both officers and men much credit is due for the courage and daring they exhibited throughout the engagement. Major Campbell, commanding the Eighteenth Regiment, was seriously wounded and taken from the field while nobly leading his regiment in the fight. Lieutenant-Colonel [K.] McElroy, of the Thirteenth Regiment, although wounded, remained in command of his regiment until the battle ceased. Lieutenant-Colonel [John C.] Fiser, of the Seventeenth, and Captain Sims, of the Twenty-first, were conspicuous for the coolness and gallantry with which they handled their respective commands. To Colonel [Benjamin G.] Humphreys, of the Twenty-first, and Lieutenant-Colonel [W. H.] Luse, of the Eighteenth, who reached the field just as the battle was closing, I am under peculiar obligations. Their timely presence not only cheered and animated their own regiments, but the entire brigade. Lieut. J. A. Barksdale, of my staff, was prompt and fearless in the execution of all orders. Surgeons Austin, of the Thirteenth; Green, of the Seventeenth; Griffin, of the Eighteenth, and Hill, of the Twenty-first, were faithful and energetic in their attention to the wounded.I close this report with the remark that my command did its duty upon the ensanguined field of Sharpsburg.I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WILLIAM BARKSDALE,
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