Report of Brig. Gen. Samuel Garland, jr., C.S. Army, commanding Third Brigade, of the engagement at King's School-House, or Oak Grove, and battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, and Malvern Hill.
Headquarters Third Brigade, Third Division
July 14, 1862.
Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this brigade in the recent engagements and operations of the army before Richmond:
On June 25 the movements of the enemy on the Williamsburg road inducing Major-General Huger, whose troops were in front, to call for support, I was ordered to move forward my brigade in supporting distance of Generals Armistead and Wright and co-operate with them to such extent as the exigency might require. Those generals having moved forward their troops into the woods in front of our lines on the Williamsburg road, my brigade was placed in the vacated rifle pits and kept under arms and exposed to artillery fire during the entire afternoon. The Fifth North Carolina, Col. D.K. McRae, was ordered to move forward out of the rifle pits across the field in front to the edge of the woods opposite and protect a section of artillery brought up to that point to silence the enemy's guns. This duty they performed with their accustomed alacrity and happily escaped casualties.
Having spent more than half the day under arms and under fire, the brigade was permitted to return to camp after dark and make preparations for the impending movements. I mention the foregoing fatigues and exposure because they were in the nature of extra duty borne by this brigade on the eve of general operations, and the troops should receive the proper credit for it.
Cooking until a late hour of the night and then catching a little sleep, the brigade moved about 2 o'clock on the morning of June 26, along with the rest of the division, to a position on the Mechanicsville turnpike just behind the crest of the commanding hills which overlook the Chickahominy, where we remained in position, masked from the observation of the enemy, until Maj.Gen. A.P. Hill's troops should carry Mechanicsville from the other side. This part of the plan being at length accomplished late in the afternoon, this brigade, along with the rest of the division and Major-General Longstreet's, crossed the Chickahominy, and was drawn up in line of battle under the crest of a hill on the right of the turnpike just in rear of Anderson's brigade. In taking this position the brigade was exposed to a severe artillery fire from the works of the enemy on the Beaver Dam Creek. The fire ceasing as night closed in, the men slept upon their arms in line of battle.
At an early hour on the morning of the 27th we were put in motion to move off to the position assigned the division en echelon to Major-General Jackson's column on the left as we swept down the Chickahominy. To reach this position it was necessary to cross the Beaver Dam Creek. The line of the Mechanicsville turnpike being still obstructed by an earthwork of the enemy, where they had artillery and some infantry, while our artillery engaged that of the enemy and part of the division remained to support it, this brigade, along with that of General Anderson, moved up a road more to the left, and turning in through the country and crossing the creek higher up at a secret ford, turned the position of the enemy and gained the Mechanicsville turnpike again without firing a shot. The enemy meanwhile withdrew their guns and retired, leaving the way open for the artillery to come up from Mechanicsville and the other brigades also. The whole division was now reunited and effected a junction with Major-General Jackson's forces near where the road from Pole Green Church crosses the turnpike.
From thence we moved to Jackson's left, and taking a circuitous route by Bethesda Church, proceeded to Cold Harbor and thence toward New Cold Harbor, which point we reached early in the afternoon of Friday, the 27th. As we approached a road crossing the line of our route near New Cold Harbor the enemy was discovered in line of battle with artillery to oppose our progress. Their position was quite a strong one and dispositions were made for an engagement. Captain Bondurant's battery, of this brigade, being brought up to the front, took position just to the right of the road, and Anderson's brigade being in line of battle on the right, this brigade was placed in line of battle on the left of and perpendicular to the road by which we had advanced, the Fifth North Carolina, on the right, holding a little copse of timber just next the battery and the road, the rest of the line in the edge of a second growth of diminutive pines, which should be called a jungle - not a piece of timber - through which I threw forward a line of skirmishers to the farther side, next and near to the enemy. These skirmishers found themselves on one side of a valley through the bottom of which ran a ditch, the ground rising to a crest on the other side, where on the edge of the woods the enemy's lines extended, being some 400 yards off. Their line of battle seemed oblique to our own, and in my view the advance of my own brigade in line of battle through the tangled growth in front seemed impracticable, and further liable to the objection that my right flank would be exposed to the fire of the enemy's line, posted obliquely to my own. These views were stated to the general of division, and determined the direction of the subsequent movement of the brigade. An active artillery fight was now carried on for some time, in which Captain Bondurant's battery was engaged. That fine officer, his men, and officers, behaved well and rendered an effective fire; but the enemy soon ascertaining the exact range and bringing up heavier metal, Captain Bondurant sustained a loss of 2 killed and 1 mortally wounded, since dead, making 3; 14 wounded and 28 horses killed and disabled. He was now relieved and sent to the rear, having fired nearly all his rounds. Captain Bondurant had also been engaged at Mechanicsville on Thursday evening.
Major-General Jackson arriving on our part of the field, a change was made in the disposition of our infantry forces equivalent to a change of front to rear on the left battalion of my brigade, the expectation being that the enemy would be rolled back upon us and received by us in this new position. The sounds of an active engagement were now heard going on immediately in front of the last position, and perceiving that the result was doubtful, brigade after brigade of our division was ordered to proceed toward the sound of the firing. To do this all had to cross an open field several hundred yards wide under a vigorous enfilading fire of artillery and gain a skirt of timber covering a ravine some half mile in front. This brigade was ordered forward last to go to the support of the others, this being deemed more judicious on the whole than to charge the enemy's batteries and infantry supports already referred to.
Reaching the skirt of woods referred to, I there found the rest of the division lying unengaged under cover, the fight being still farther on in another woods, separated by an opening of 800 or 1,000 yards. General Anderson's brigade, the first sent over, seems to have driven some of the enemy from the belt of woods in which I found the division. Owing to the necessity of prolonging lines to left or right as the brigades came up, I found that several regiments were detached from their brigades and that there were several lines of our troops in the belt of timber in reserve to each other.
Communicating with General Anderson, we ascended out of the raving to commanding open ground, from whence we could see the engagement in front of us. We perceived a line of fresh troops brought up at right angles to our position to the edge of the woods in our front and pouring volley fires into a line screened from our view by the woods. We concluded, from our imperfect knowledge of localities, that the line we saw must be the enemy and that their flank was fairly exposed to us. In the absence of superior commanders we were consulting as to taking the responsibility of ordering a charge on this exposed flank of the enemy across the intervening open fields under the heavy fire of artillery when Major-General Hill joined us in person. We pointed out to him the situation and explained our proposed plan, which he at once adopted and ordered the charge to be made without delay, as the evening was already wearing late. Under the order of the general of division all the brigades were to advance, and accordingly no time was lost in sending back detached regiments to their brigades. This will account for the fact that I found on the left and under my general supervision the Third North Carolina, Colonel Meares, of General Ripley's brigade, and one of the regiment of General Rodes' brigade. By a change of position, unnecessary to be detailed, I had placed Colonel McRae, with the Fifth North Carolina, on the left of my brigade, and the line being a long one with the additions stated, I requested him to exercise a general supervision over the troops on the left, subject to my orders.
The whole line now moved forward with rapidity and enthusiasm. So soon as it had well cleared the skirt of timber and emerged upon the open plateau the enemy's artillery played upon it, but their fire was checked by a movement presently to be mentioned. The effect of our appearance at this opportune juncture, cheering and charging, decided the fate of the day. The enemy broke and retreated, made a second brief stand, which induced my immediate command to halt under good cover of the bank on the road-side and return their fire, when, charging forward again, they broke and scattered in every direction, and following, I found that I had effected a junction with Major-General Jackson's column, meeting with General Lawton in person and with the officers and troops of Hood's and Winder's brigades.
The battle was now over, except a scattering fight around a house to our left, near which the enemy's batteries had been posted. As our line moved forward several regiments on the left, viz, the Twentieth North Carolina and Third North Carolina, were swung around by Major-General Hill's orders to attack this battery, and thus to prevent it from playing on the other troops charging over the plain. In this movement the Twentieth North Carolina, Colonel Iverson, participated, sustaining a heavy loss, and at a later period I sent Col. A.M. Scales, Thirteenth North Carolina, to re-enforce our troops there. The attack was partially successful, our troops especially acting handsomely and maintaining themselves against superior numbers.
Having effected the junction with Major-General Jackson's troops as above stated, I suggested to General Lawton that further re-enforcements should be sent to this point on the left, which being done, the enemy made no further stand, but abandoned the entire field.
Thus ended the battle of Cold Harbor, in which this brigade bore an honorable part, sustaining a loss there of about 500 killed and wounded. That night, with the other troops, we bivouacked on the field.
The next morning about 10 a.m. we moved with the other troops in the direction of the Grapevine Bridge to Turkey Hill. Finding the bridge destroyed and that the enemy had some force and a battery on the other side, we were halted and drawn up in line of battle on the left of the road, while several of our batteries shelled the supposed position of the enemy.
We were delayed at this point during that day and the next. On the morning of the ---, the Grapevine Bridge being rebuilt and the road clear, this brigade, with the rest of the division, crossed, and, moving across the line of the York River road, struck into the road to Bottom's Bridge, down which we proceeded, capturing prisoners, &c., until we turned to the right, following the course of the enemy, and took the road crossing the White Oak Swamp and running into the Long Bridge road. Upon reaching the White Oak Swamp we found the bridge destroyed and the enemy drawn up in a strong position on the other side with artillery. The infantry being kept under cover, our artillery was brought up in force and opened on the enemy with marked effect. They withdrew their battery to a safer position.
At this point we were delayed another day until the enemy retired and the bridge over the White Oak Swamp was rebuilt.
Crossing next morning, we followed up the retreat of the enemy toward James River into the Long Bridge road and then into the Quaker road toward Turkey Bridge.
At Malvern Hill the enemy made their last stand, with several batteries and two lines of infantry in a commanding position. Our own infantry were put under cover near the road, waiting to observe the effect of the fire of our artillery, this brigade lying behind that of General Ripley, in reserve, with Colquitt's still in our rear. The concentrated fire of two of the enemy's batteries from the hill was too heavy for the single battery (Moorman's) which we opposed to them.
Late in the afternoon orders were communicated that the commander-in-chief had selected a position from which our artillery could enfilade the enemy's batteries; that the effect of our fire could be seen, and that when the enemy's guns were crippled or silenced a general advance of the infantry would be ordered. The enfilading fire soon commenced, and the commander of this division, accompanied by several of the brigade commanders, including the writer, went to a point from which the effect could be observed. So far from producing marked effect, the firing was so wild that we were returning to our posts under the impression that no movement of infantry would be ordered, when suddenly one or two brigades, belonging to a division on our right (either Magruder's or Huger's), charged out of the woods toward the right with a shout. Major-General Hill at once exclaimed, "That must be the general advance! Bring up your brigades as soon as possible and join in it." Hurrying back to my own brigade, I moved it down the road by the flank to the edge of the field over which the enemy's batteries were playing and filing out to my right formed line of battle. I was then ordered to advance and charge the batteries, which were some 800 or 900 yards off on a commanding hill, straight to the front, supported by two lines of infantry. There was no cover, and the ground nearest the enemy was plowed. Anderson's, Ripley's, and Rodes' brigades, Gordon commanding, had proceeded farther down the road, thus keeping under partial cover, and approaching somewhat nearer and on the right of the enemy's position. When ordered forward I saw no troops of our own in front of me.
The brigade moved forward with alacrity about half way to the battery or nearer, when the terrible fire of artillery and the opening fire of the infantry induced it to halt, lie down, and commence firing without my orders and contrary to them. The fire of the enemy was very severe, and being satisfied that the exhibition of force presented by a single brigade on that front was not sufficient to intimidate the foe nor to carry the position, I sent my acting aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Haywood, to inform Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill that unless I was re-enforced quickly I could effect nothing, and could not hold the position I then occupied. After some delay a brigade appeared from the woods in my rear and seemed coming up to my support. But their movements seemed slow, and before they reached me my men began to give way, and very many ceased to respond to my efforts to hold them in line and maintain the position. Remaining on the spot until, in spite of every effort, the men could no longer be held there, the brigade fell back to the edge of the woods from which we had started.
It is not my desire to indulge in criticism or crimination. It is enough to say that there was somehow a want of concert and co-operation in the whole affair that made a successful attack impracticable and the consequent disorder and straggling of troops most lamentable. My own brigade went up as far as any troops I saw upon the field and behaved as well. If they retired, so did all the rest who were ordered to charge the battery. The whole division became scattered.
As night closed in General Ripley, Colonels Gordon and Colquitt (commanding brigades), and myself set to work in concert to collect our commands together, and bivouacked them in a place of security. Next morning we found that the enemy were themselves so far damaged by the previous day's work that they had retreated from Malvern Hill. Having gotten our commands together during the day, suitable details were made for burying the dead.
This brigade, along with the rest of the division, was now put in bivouac near the scene of the late battle-fields, with orders to collect the arms and munitions, get off the wounded, the prisoners, &c. I had neglected to say that Colonel McRae, of the Fifth North Carolina, with his own regiment and the Fourth North Carolina, of Anderson's Brigade, had been previously ordered back upon similar duties nearer to Richmond. They were not present at Malvern Hill. These duties being all discharged, and our army receiving orders to return toward Richmond, this brigade, along with the division, returned to its old position near the Williamsburg road.
It affords me pleasure to testify to the general good conduct of the regimental commanders of this brigade throughout these trying scenes. Colonel McRae, absent from Malvern Hill under orders, exhibited his accustomed gallantry and good judgment at Cold Harbor, rendering me material assistance in looking after the left of my line. Colonel Scales, Thirteenth North Carolina, was conspicuous for his fine bearing. Seizing the colors of his regiment at a critical moment at Cold Harbor, and advancing to the front, he called upon the Thirteenth to stand to them, thus restoring confidence and keeping his men in position. Colonel Iverson was seriously wounded at an early period while gallantly leading up his regiment to take the battery at the house on the left at Cold Harbor. This movement seems to have been ordered by the division commander. The Twentieth North Carolina, after Colonel [Alfred] Iverson was wounded, was led by Lieut. Col. Franklin J. Faison. It advanced gallantly and took the battery, which it held for ten minutes. The gallant Faison received a mortal wound in the very act of turning one of the captured pieces upon the fleeing foe and breathed out his noble spirit in the moment of victory. He was greatly beloved and his memory will be cherished with veneration and pride.
Having sustained a loss of 70 killed and 202 wounded in this charge, which was temporarily successful, the enemy soon returned in larger force, and this regiment, having no supports, retired, under orders from Major [William H.]Toon, to the cover of the wood out of which it had charged.
Colonel [Benjamin O.]Wade, Twelfth North Carolina, conducted his regiment with coolness and discretion.
Colonel Christie, Twenty-third North Carolina, had the misfortune to be wounded in the successful charge at Cold Harbor while leading his regiment and bearing himself handsomely, when the command of this regiment again fell upon Lieut. I.J. Young, who had been in command during the absence of Colonel Christie from the effect of his injuries at the Seven Pines. I desire to notice the conduct of Lieutenant Young as worthy of special commendation. He was severely wounded at Malvern Hill while leading his regiment and compelled to retire.
In the absence of three regimental commanders, who led the Thirteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-third North Carolina in the recent engagements, the regimental reports of those commands refrain from the selection of the names of particular officers and men for special gallantry.
Colonel McRae presents the following from the Fifth North Carolina as deserving special mention at Cold Harbor, viz: Maj. P.J. Sinclair, wounded early and compelled to retire; Lieutenants Riddick, Sprague, Davis, Brookfield (severely wounded), Taylor, and Haywood; Color-Sergeant Grimstead, wounded, and Privates Noah McDaniel, who captured 7 prisoners, and John Trotman.
Colonel Wade, Twelfth North Carolina, mentions the good conduct of Lieutenant Plummer, Company C, and Private T.L. Emory, Company G.
My personal staff during these engagements consisted of Capt. Charles Wood, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieuts. R.D. Early and F.M. Haywood, jr., the last at Malvern Hill only. I can most sincerely testify to their gallantry and intelligence. Lieutenant Early was severely wounded and Captain Wood had his horse instantly killed under him by a solid shot.
I present a succinct statement of killed and wounded and file lists of the same by name.
I have the honor to subscribe myself, major, your obedient servant,
S. Garland, Jr.,
Brig. Gen., Comdg. Third Brigade, Third Division.
Major Ratchford,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Series I. Vol. XI (Part II) Ch. XXIII. Pgs. 639-645.
Showing posts with label Seven Days Battles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seven Days Battles. Show all posts
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
William L. De Rosset Official Report for Seven Days
Official Report of Lieutenant-Colonel William L. De Rosset, Third North Carolina, during the Seven Days Campaign.
Report of Lieut.-Col. William L. De Rosset, Third North Carolina Infantry, of the battles of Ellison's Mill, or Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, and Malvern Hill.
Headquarters Third North Carolina Troops,
Camp near Richmond, Va., July 11, 1862.
General: Owing to the death of Col. Gaston Meares, it becomes my duty to report the part which my regiment took in the late great battles before Richmond:
On Thursday, June 26, at 2 a.m.,we took up the line of march for the Chickahominy River at the Mechanicsville Bridge. Preparatory to an advance I was ordered to organize and take command of a battalion of skirmishers, composed of one company from each regiment in the brigade: Company B, Captain Brown, First North Carolina; Company B, Captain Thruston, Third North Carolina; Company - Captain Beck, Forty-fourth Georgia, and Company -, Captain Hall, Forty-eighth Georgia.
I was soon ordered to reconnoiter the bridges, and "to advance to Mechanicsville, in conjunction with a line of skirmishers from General A.P. Hill's division, on the left of the pike."
Before I had crossed the river the brigade was advanced down the road, and with my battalion in front crossed the bridges and took position on the left of the brigade, as it was not intended to use them as skirmishers, and prepare to advance in line of battle to charge the batteries at Ellison's Mill, on the right of the pike, which proved to be about 1 mile distant. The movement was made in good order and at double-quick. Being on the extreme left and Colonel Meares next on my right the charge was ordered, and this portion of the line went up directly in front of the batteries. Upon reaching the top of a hill, about 200 yards from the battery, this portion of the line was thrown into considerable confusion by the rapid and precipitate retreat of a large portion of one of the Georgia regiments; which one I have been unable to learn.
The left of the skirmish battalion, being rallied by Captain Thruston, continued to advance until it reached the mill race in the ravine, about 80 yards from the battery. Only about 40 men being left with me and the darkness and confusion preventing my learning the position of the line, I deemed it prudent to place them under cover, and by a flank movement to the right took shelter in a dense wood, just beyond which and under cover of a hill I found almost the entire brigade, it having fallen back from the ravine.
Here I was ordered to send the companies composing my battalion to their different regiments, and Colonel Meares being still absent with a portion of two companies, I reformed the regiment and took position in the skirt of a woods about 300 yards from the battery. Colonel Meares came up in about an hour with the other companies. We held this position until 2 a.m. on the 27th, when we took up the line of march to Mechanicsville.
Our loss in this engagement was 8 killed, and 39 wounded, including Major Savage, wounded in the left hand early in the engagement and left the field.
The fire here was very heavy, and I can only account for our small loss by the fact that the artillery fire was very high. Most of the casualties occurred at the extreme range of grape shot, and but few after we reached the most exposed point.
During the forenoon of Friday, 27th, we rested at Mechanicsville and were under a heavy fire of shell, but without accident. About 11 a.m. we again took up the line of march by the road to ---- and arrived at Cold Harbor, or Gaines' Mill, about 3 p.m. Here we were ordered to advance in line of battle and take position on the left, as I understood to prevent a movement against that flank. The regiment lay for two hours under a very severe fire of every description, but by some mischance Colonel Meares moved off without my knowledge with all of the regiment except three companies, which were left with me. The woods here were a dense undergrowth and prevented any movement being seen, and not receiving or hearing any order, I was left with about 60 men, as above stated. The fire becoming more and more severe, and not knowing where to seek my regiment, I reported to you, and received instructions to act upon my own judgment, when I withdrew my small force from under fire about the time that the firing ceased and rested for the night, joining my regiment early the following morning. None of the regiment was actively engaged, but, being held as reserve and sheltered, our loss was small. Killed, 1; wounded, 15.
Saturday and Sunday, June 28th and 29th, we were bivouacked near the river at the Woodbury or Grapevine Bridge.
On Monday morning at an early hour we advanced across this bridge and came into the Williamsburg road near Savage Station , on the York River Railroad. Proceeding down this road we halted at White Oak Creek, where the artillery was engaged until night.
Tuesday morning, July 1, we crossed White Oak Bridge and marched to ----farm, where the enemy had taken position. The line being formed, an advance was ordered, and my regiment moved forward through a dense jungle up the hill to a road just in front of and within 600 yards of the enemies' batteries. From the fact that several of my companies had to move by a flank and file around the thickets, when we reached the road they were in considerable confusion. Here, after firing several rounds, we learned that a regiment of our own troops was in advance of us, and an order to cease firing was given. They were then ordered to lie down to protect themselves. While in this position, with little or no protection but what the naked ground afforded, we were exposed to a most terrific fire of every description, as the wounds testify, from the enemy, and I fear several volleys were fired into us by a regiment of our own troops in the rear, from which we suffered much.
About 6 p.m. a request came from Captain Brown, commanding First North Carolina, to re-enforce him, as he was hotly pressed. Colonel Meares gave the order to move by the left flank, and led off down the road, followed by myself and about 100 men. About the same time that this movement was made the order was given on the right to fall back, which we did not hear, and which accounts for the small number of men which went with us.
Our gallant colonel had not moved more than 30 paces before he was instantly killed by a fragment of a shell in the head. No more cool, brave, and able officer lived, and his loss to the regiment and his country is irreparable. His body was carried from the field immediately and sent to his family in North Carolina, under charge of Adjt. W.A. Cumming.
Our loss was heavy: Killed, 23; wounded, 112; missing, 7. For a complete list of casualties I would refer to the accompanying papers.
My officers behaved with great coolness and gallantry, and where all acted well and performed their whole duty I can make no distinction.
I am indebted to my senior captain (S.D. Thruston) for valuable advice and assistance, he having acted as field officer from the time that Major Savage was wounded.
We started from camp with 605 enlisted men and 28 commissioned officers, and received additions to the ranks of convalescents from camp of about 40 men.
The men I consider equal to any emergency and they will always be found at their posts.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Wm. L. De Rosset,
Lieutenant-Colonel, comdg., Third North Carolina Infantry.
Brig. Gen. R.S. Ripley,
Commanding Fifth Brigade, General D.H. Hill's Division.
Series I, Vol. XI (Part II) Ch. XXIII. Pgs. 657-659.
Report of Lieut.-Col. William L. De Rosset, Third North Carolina Infantry, of the battles of Ellison's Mill, or Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, and Malvern Hill.
Headquarters Third North Carolina Troops,
Camp near Richmond, Va., July 11, 1862.
General: Owing to the death of Col. Gaston Meares, it becomes my duty to report the part which my regiment took in the late great battles before Richmond:
On Thursday, June 26, at 2 a.m.,we took up the line of march for the Chickahominy River at the Mechanicsville Bridge. Preparatory to an advance I was ordered to organize and take command of a battalion of skirmishers, composed of one company from each regiment in the brigade: Company B, Captain Brown, First North Carolina; Company B, Captain Thruston, Third North Carolina; Company - Captain Beck, Forty-fourth Georgia, and Company -, Captain Hall, Forty-eighth Georgia.
I was soon ordered to reconnoiter the bridges, and "to advance to Mechanicsville, in conjunction with a line of skirmishers from General A.P. Hill's division, on the left of the pike."
Before I had crossed the river the brigade was advanced down the road, and with my battalion in front crossed the bridges and took position on the left of the brigade, as it was not intended to use them as skirmishers, and prepare to advance in line of battle to charge the batteries at Ellison's Mill, on the right of the pike, which proved to be about 1 mile distant. The movement was made in good order and at double-quick. Being on the extreme left and Colonel Meares next on my right the charge was ordered, and this portion of the line went up directly in front of the batteries. Upon reaching the top of a hill, about 200 yards from the battery, this portion of the line was thrown into considerable confusion by the rapid and precipitate retreat of a large portion of one of the Georgia regiments; which one I have been unable to learn.
The left of the skirmish battalion, being rallied by Captain Thruston, continued to advance until it reached the mill race in the ravine, about 80 yards from the battery. Only about 40 men being left with me and the darkness and confusion preventing my learning the position of the line, I deemed it prudent to place them under cover, and by a flank movement to the right took shelter in a dense wood, just beyond which and under cover of a hill I found almost the entire brigade, it having fallen back from the ravine.
Here I was ordered to send the companies composing my battalion to their different regiments, and Colonel Meares being still absent with a portion of two companies, I reformed the regiment and took position in the skirt of a woods about 300 yards from the battery. Colonel Meares came up in about an hour with the other companies. We held this position until 2 a.m. on the 27th, when we took up the line of march to Mechanicsville.
Our loss in this engagement was 8 killed, and 39 wounded, including Major Savage, wounded in the left hand early in the engagement and left the field.
The fire here was very heavy, and I can only account for our small loss by the fact that the artillery fire was very high. Most of the casualties occurred at the extreme range of grape shot, and but few after we reached the most exposed point.
During the forenoon of Friday, 27th, we rested at Mechanicsville and were under a heavy fire of shell, but without accident. About 11 a.m. we again took up the line of march by the road to ---- and arrived at Cold Harbor, or Gaines' Mill, about 3 p.m. Here we were ordered to advance in line of battle and take position on the left, as I understood to prevent a movement against that flank. The regiment lay for two hours under a very severe fire of every description, but by some mischance Colonel Meares moved off without my knowledge with all of the regiment except three companies, which were left with me. The woods here were a dense undergrowth and prevented any movement being seen, and not receiving or hearing any order, I was left with about 60 men, as above stated. The fire becoming more and more severe, and not knowing where to seek my regiment, I reported to you, and received instructions to act upon my own judgment, when I withdrew my small force from under fire about the time that the firing ceased and rested for the night, joining my regiment early the following morning. None of the regiment was actively engaged, but, being held as reserve and sheltered, our loss was small. Killed, 1; wounded, 15.
Saturday and Sunday, June 28th and 29th, we were bivouacked near the river at the Woodbury or Grapevine Bridge.
On Monday morning at an early hour we advanced across this bridge and came into the Williamsburg road near Savage Station , on the York River Railroad. Proceeding down this road we halted at White Oak Creek, where the artillery was engaged until night.
Tuesday morning, July 1, we crossed White Oak Bridge and marched to ----farm, where the enemy had taken position. The line being formed, an advance was ordered, and my regiment moved forward through a dense jungle up the hill to a road just in front of and within 600 yards of the enemies' batteries. From the fact that several of my companies had to move by a flank and file around the thickets, when we reached the road they were in considerable confusion. Here, after firing several rounds, we learned that a regiment of our own troops was in advance of us, and an order to cease firing was given. They were then ordered to lie down to protect themselves. While in this position, with little or no protection but what the naked ground afforded, we were exposed to a most terrific fire of every description, as the wounds testify, from the enemy, and I fear several volleys were fired into us by a regiment of our own troops in the rear, from which we suffered much.
About 6 p.m. a request came from Captain Brown, commanding First North Carolina, to re-enforce him, as he was hotly pressed. Colonel Meares gave the order to move by the left flank, and led off down the road, followed by myself and about 100 men. About the same time that this movement was made the order was given on the right to fall back, which we did not hear, and which accounts for the small number of men which went with us.
Our gallant colonel had not moved more than 30 paces before he was instantly killed by a fragment of a shell in the head. No more cool, brave, and able officer lived, and his loss to the regiment and his country is irreparable. His body was carried from the field immediately and sent to his family in North Carolina, under charge of Adjt. W.A. Cumming.
Our loss was heavy: Killed, 23; wounded, 112; missing, 7. For a complete list of casualties I would refer to the accompanying papers.
My officers behaved with great coolness and gallantry, and where all acted well and performed their whole duty I can make no distinction.
I am indebted to my senior captain (S.D. Thruston) for valuable advice and assistance, he having acted as field officer from the time that Major Savage was wounded.
We started from camp with 605 enlisted men and 28 commissioned officers, and received additions to the ranks of convalescents from camp of about 40 men.
The men I consider equal to any emergency and they will always be found at their posts.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Wm. L. De Rosset,
Lieutenant-Colonel, comdg., Third North Carolina Infantry.
Brig. Gen. R.S. Ripley,
Commanding Fifth Brigade, General D.H. Hill's Division.
Series I, Vol. XI (Part II) Ch. XXIII. Pgs. 657-659.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Official Report of Roswell Ripley for Seven Days Battles
Report of Brigadier General Roswell Ripley on the Seven Days battles around Richmond.
Hdqrs. Fifth Brigade, D.H. Hill's Division,
Near Richmond, Va., July 11th, 1862.
Major: I have the honor to report that on the morning of Thursday, June 26, the brigade under my command, consisting of the First and Third Regiments North Carolina troops and Forty-fourth and Forty-eighth Regiments of Georgia Volunteers, marched from its position near the Williamsburg Road, about 5 miles from Richmond, to a point in the vicinity of the batteries commanding the bridge over the Chickahominy River, on the Mechanicsville turnpike.
With other troops at that point the brigade lay waiting orders until near 4 p.m., when it was ordered to cross the Chickahominy in advance of the division, and effect a junction with the troops of Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill's command, then moving down the Chickahominy in the direction of Mechanicsville. The order was executed and the infantry crossed at once, forming line of battle across the road leading to the village, about half a mile in advance of the bridge. Upon communicating with Gen. A.P. Hill I was informed that the enemy had a strong and well-served battery and force in position near Ellison's Mill, something over a mile to the east of the road, to attack which he had sent Brigadier-General Pender's brigade by the right and other troops to the left, and it was arranged that my brigade was to co-operate. The enemy had opened on the Mechanicsville road and was rapidly verifying the range. My brigade changed front and advanced to the brow of the hill opposite the enemy's battery, expecting, if possible, to use artillery in the attack. While the troops were in motion I received orders to assault the enemy from General Lee and also from Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill, the latter of whom directed me to send two regiments to support General Pender, on my right, and attack the battery in my front with the remainder of my force. The Forty-fourth Georgia, under Col. Robert A. Smith, and the First North Carolina, under Col. [M.S.] Stokes, marched at once to the right, while the Forty-eighth Georgia, under Col. [William] Gibson, and Third North Carolina, under Colonel [Gaston] Meares, moved to a position in front of the enemy on their left.
Meanwhile the passage of the Chickahominy by the artillery had been impeded by the broken bridges, and night coming on and it being deemed important to attack the position at once, the advance was ordered along the whole line. General Pender's brigade and the two regiments of my own advanced rapidly on the right, while the remainder of my command moved against the front, driving back the enemy from his advanced positions and closing in upon the batteries and their heavy infantry supports, all of which poured upon our troops a heavy and incessant fire of shell, canister, and musketry. The ground was ragged and intersected by ditches and hedges and covered with abatis a short distance in front of the position to be assaulted. A mill-race, with scarped banks, and in some places waist deep in water, ran along the front of the enemy at a distance ranging from 50 to 100 yards. To this position our troops succeeded in advancing, notwithstanding the fire of the enemy was exceedingly heavy and our loss extremely severe. Of the Forty-fourth Georgia Col. Robert A. Smith and Lieutenant-Colonel [John B.] Estes fell wounded, the former mortally, besides 2 captains and 10 lieutenants killed and wounded. Of the First North Carolina Colonel Stokes was mortally, and Lieutenant-Colonel [John A.] McDowell severely, wounded, and Major [T.L.] Skinner killed, with 6 captains and lieutenants of the regiment killed and wounded, including the adjutant. The Forty-eighth Georgia and Third North Carolina had a more advantageous position, and suffered less severely than the former regiments, although the Third lost its Major (Edward Savage), wounded. The loss of non-commissioned officers and privates was heavy in the extreme, amounting in the Forty-fourth Georgia to 321 and in the First North Carolina to 133.
Near dark Capt. A. Burnet Rhett's battery of artillery, attached to my command, succeeded in crossing the broken bridges over the Chickahominy, and was located directly in front of the enemy at about 1,200 yards distance. Captain Rhett opened an effective fire, and soon relieved our infantry from the storm of shell and canister which had been poured upon them. It was soon re-enforced by another battery, and a fire was kept up on the enemy until late in the evening.
Some time after nightfall, after the cannonade, our troops were withdrawn to a point of woods a few hundred yards' distance, near the angle of our line of battle, which position was held by the Third North Carolina and Forty-eighth Georgia and a portion of General Pender's brigade. The fragments of the First North Carolina and Forty-fourth Georgia were rallied some distance in the rear under some difficulty, owing to the loss of all their field and many of their company officers, who fell while gallantly performing their duty.
During the night the enemy was engaged destroying and removing his stores, but the darkness and the intricacies of the position prevented an attack by our troops.
At about 12 o'clock Colonel Colquitt's brigade advanced to within supporting distance of my command.
At about 2.30 on the morning of the 27th my own and Colonel Colquitt's brigade were relieved by Generals Featherston and Pryor, and moved to a position near and beyond Mechanicsville, on the turnpike, where they remained, under a fire of shot and shell from the enemy's batteries along that road until the latter were turned by our troops in advance or silenced by our artillery. The brigade then moved forward with the division on the road to Cold Harbor, and was held for a short time in reserve after arriving at that point. It then consisted of the Third North Carolina and Forty-eighth Georgia, with a battalion of the First North Carolina, under Capt. H.A. Brown, and but a fragment of the Forty-fourth Georgia, which had been sadly cut up. Some portions of both the latter regiments were, as I have been informed, ordered by General Lee to act as a guard at the Chickahominy Bridge, on the Mechanicsville turnpike.
In the afternoon the brigade was ordered to the front to take position on the left of the line, which had been formed, and moved to the point designated. The country was densely wooded, and in some places covered with morass, and the movement was executed with some difficulty. In searching for position for the command I found some portion of our own troops already in front of the line which I was to occupy, and receiving a message from Brig. Gen. R.H. Anderson that support was required, I sent the Forty-eighth Georgia to the right of the position occupied by our own division to act in that capacity. The Third North Carolina and the battalion of the First remained upon the left. During the various movements in the thick woods and swamps a certain portion of the Third North Carolina became separated from the body of the regiment.
During this while the brigade, as well as the rest of the division, was under a heavy fire of artillery, but suffered comparatively little, being sheltered from view and partially from fire.
Before dark the masses of the enemy appeared in the vicinity of the command, apparently endeavoring to turn our left. In this he was checked by the fire of our artillery and the charges made upon him by troops of different divisions and brigades in succession. These, from the nature of the ground, were more or less separate movements. The battalion of the Third North Carolina, under Colonel Meares, and of the First North Carolina, under Captain Brown, took part, doing good service. The Forty-eighth Georgia, from its position, was masked by the troops in front and did not get into close action.
The loss in this battle from the brigade was comparatively small.
During the night the troops remained on the field, and moved early the following morning, with the division in advance, toward the Grapevine Bridge, which had been destroyed by the enemy in his retreat during the night. It bivouacked within 1 1/2 miles of that point during Saturday and Sunday.
On Monday, July 1, it moved with the division early across the repaired bridge, and followed the route of the enemy's retreat until he was found in position on the farther side of White Oak Swamp Creek. Here it was brought to withing supporting distance of the artillery of the division, which engaged the enemy until night-fall, driving him from his position and enabling the pioneers to repair the bridge, over which we crossed on Tuesday morning, and followed the retreat of the enemy until our army came up with him in position at Malvern Hill.
Taking different positions during the morning, in the afternoon the brigade advanced, under orders from the major-general commanding division, through a heavy fire of artillery, to a dense wood in close proximity of the enemy's position, where it lay for a time in reserve.
At about 5 o'clock it was ordered to take position in a jungle near the hill upon which the enemy was established and to the left of General Anderson's brigade, which it did in the following order: The Forty-eighth Georgia was on the right, the Third North Carolina, the Forty-fourth Georgia (about 170 men of which had rallied and been brought by Captain Beck and other officers), and the First North Carolina on the left under Lieutenant-Colonel [William P.] Bynum, of the Second, who had been detached from the command of the First Regiment.
In obedience to the orders of General Hill I ordered a reconnaissance of the enemy's position, and found him immediately in our front in strong force, with a battery well advanced toward us and supported by strong lines of infantry. The number of his guns could only be judged of by the rapidity of his fire, owing to the nature of the country.
At about 6.30 or 7 o'clock an attack was made by the troops on our right, and we were, with the other brigades in advance, ordered by General Hill to move forward at once and attack the enemy. Gordon's and Anderson's brigades were on my right, and the troops of the three mounted the hill in a gallant manner. At its brow our troops were met with a furious fire of shot, shell, and musketry; officers and men fell fast, but they maintained their ground, opening and keeping up a severe fire upon the enemy in return, before which his advanced battery fell back and his troops wavered. He pressed hard upon our left, however, and while moving his regiment to its supports the gallant and accomplished Col. Gaston Meares, of the Third North Carolina Regiment, fell. Meanwhile Garland's and Colquitt's brigade had been advanced and made good the action on the right.
Darkness, however, was rapidly approaching, and, not knowing the extent of the enemy's suffering, the troops fell back to the road near the brow of the hill; other portions withdrew to the cover of the rising ground, and the night coming on, there was much confusion from the loss of officers and the nature of the country. Dense, dark, and in many places marshy, observation could reach but a short distance, quick movement was impossible, and in the din of battle the voice could be heard but a few yards.
Fresh troops were ordered forward, and the troops of the brigade were collected in parties by such officers as they fell in with. A portion remained in the vicinity of the field during the night, and the remainder, with portions of other brigades of the division having been collected, were retired a short distance on the Charles City road. During the night the enemy fell away from the hardly contested field.
On Wednesday morning the brigade was reformed at the church in front of the battle-field and with the division, whence it marched a short distance to the bivouac, at and near which it remained until the movement of the 9th to its present vicinity.
The movements and actions of the brigade under my command during the six days' operations of the army being but a constituent portion of those of the division and army, a more detailed report is believed unnecessary.
The aggregate force which entered the series of engagements on June 26 was 2,366, including pioneers and the ambulance corps. Of this our loss has been 45 officers and 844 non commissioned officers and privates in killed, wounded, and missing, the latter class numbering but 30. Seven out of 11 field officers fell killed and wounded while leading on their regiments, and of the 7, 4 are dead. To the memory of these the country will give that meed of consideration which is the reward of brave men battling in such a cause as ours.
Three colonels of four, all brave and accomplished officers- Col. M.S. Stokes, of the First North Carolina; Col. Gaston Meares of the Third North Carolina, and Col. Robert A. Smith of the Forty-fourth Georgia- have sealed their devotion with their lives. Their conduct on the field was beyond praise, and in their loss their regiments and the service have suffered severely. Maj. Skinner, of the First North Carolina, died in a like manner. Lieutenant-Colonel McDowell, of the First North Carolina, and Lieutenant-Colonel Estes (the former severely and the latter slightly) were both wounded in the front of the battle. Of the surviving officers, Colonel Gibson and Lieut.-Col. R.W. Carswell, of the Forty-eighth Georgia, led their regiment in the actions in which it was engaged. Lieutenant-Colonel De Rosset and Captain Thruston, acting field officers of the Third North Carolina, behaved with credit to themselves, and made good, to as full extent as possible, the loss sustained in their gallant colonel. Capt. H.A. Brown, of the First North Carolina, rallied the troops of his regiment, with other officers, after all the field officers had been lost, and led the regiment until relieved by Lieutenant-Colonel Bynum. Capts. J.W. Beck and Samuel P. Lumpkin, of the Forty-fourth Georgia, marched with the brigade with the fragment of the regiment on the 27th and served through the subsequent actions. But 179 of this regiment were unhurt at the action at Ellison's Mill of those who entered.
I was attended during the engagements by my staff, Capt. Leo D. Walker, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieut. F.G. Ravenel, aide-de-camp. Lieutenant Ravenel, after behaving with most distinguished gallantry at Ellison's Mill and Cold Harbor, was killed while leading on the troops of the right of the brigade, in the very front, at the battle of Malvern Hill. Of all who have fallen during this series of engagements none braver have sealed their devotion to our cause. Major Mitchell, brigade commissary, was also on the field and rendered valuable services.
In conclusion I beg to remark that the troops of this brigade, arriving at Richmond just after the battle of Seven Pines, were ordered immediately to the front, and performed picket and outpost duty, with slight intermission, until the march toward Mechanicsville. Two of the regiments, the First and Third North Carolina, had been some time in service but not in action. The Forty-fourth and Forty-eighth Georgia were new troops, and it is perhaps to be regretted, as the whole were brigaded for the first time, that some more opportunity could not have been afforded for perfecting their organization and discipline as a brigade. Nevertheless, the mass of the troops did their duty well, and although there were exceptions, from respect to those gallant officers and men who upheld bravely the honor of their flag, those who strayed from the field of duty I leave to their own consciences and the condemnation of their comrades.
I have the honor to inclose a return and lists of the killed and wounded and the reports of regimental commanders so far as they have been received.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R.S. Ripley,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Series I, Vol. X1. (Part II) Chapter XXIII, Pgs. 647-651.
Hdqrs. Fifth Brigade, D.H. Hill's Division,
Near Richmond, Va., July 11th, 1862.
Major: I have the honor to report that on the morning of Thursday, June 26, the brigade under my command, consisting of the First and Third Regiments North Carolina troops and Forty-fourth and Forty-eighth Regiments of Georgia Volunteers, marched from its position near the Williamsburg Road, about 5 miles from Richmond, to a point in the vicinity of the batteries commanding the bridge over the Chickahominy River, on the Mechanicsville turnpike.
With other troops at that point the brigade lay waiting orders until near 4 p.m., when it was ordered to cross the Chickahominy in advance of the division, and effect a junction with the troops of Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill's command, then moving down the Chickahominy in the direction of Mechanicsville. The order was executed and the infantry crossed at once, forming line of battle across the road leading to the village, about half a mile in advance of the bridge. Upon communicating with Gen. A.P. Hill I was informed that the enemy had a strong and well-served battery and force in position near Ellison's Mill, something over a mile to the east of the road, to attack which he had sent Brigadier-General Pender's brigade by the right and other troops to the left, and it was arranged that my brigade was to co-operate. The enemy had opened on the Mechanicsville road and was rapidly verifying the range. My brigade changed front and advanced to the brow of the hill opposite the enemy's battery, expecting, if possible, to use artillery in the attack. While the troops were in motion I received orders to assault the enemy from General Lee and also from Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill, the latter of whom directed me to send two regiments to support General Pender, on my right, and attack the battery in my front with the remainder of my force. The Forty-fourth Georgia, under Col. Robert A. Smith, and the First North Carolina, under Col. [M.S.] Stokes, marched at once to the right, while the Forty-eighth Georgia, under Col. [William] Gibson, and Third North Carolina, under Colonel [Gaston] Meares, moved to a position in front of the enemy on their left.
Meanwhile the passage of the Chickahominy by the artillery had been impeded by the broken bridges, and night coming on and it being deemed important to attack the position at once, the advance was ordered along the whole line. General Pender's brigade and the two regiments of my own advanced rapidly on the right, while the remainder of my command moved against the front, driving back the enemy from his advanced positions and closing in upon the batteries and their heavy infantry supports, all of which poured upon our troops a heavy and incessant fire of shell, canister, and musketry. The ground was ragged and intersected by ditches and hedges and covered with abatis a short distance in front of the position to be assaulted. A mill-race, with scarped banks, and in some places waist deep in water, ran along the front of the enemy at a distance ranging from 50 to 100 yards. To this position our troops succeeded in advancing, notwithstanding the fire of the enemy was exceedingly heavy and our loss extremely severe. Of the Forty-fourth Georgia Col. Robert A. Smith and Lieutenant-Colonel [John B.] Estes fell wounded, the former mortally, besides 2 captains and 10 lieutenants killed and wounded. Of the First North Carolina Colonel Stokes was mortally, and Lieutenant-Colonel [John A.] McDowell severely, wounded, and Major [T.L.] Skinner killed, with 6 captains and lieutenants of the regiment killed and wounded, including the adjutant. The Forty-eighth Georgia and Third North Carolina had a more advantageous position, and suffered less severely than the former regiments, although the Third lost its Major (Edward Savage), wounded. The loss of non-commissioned officers and privates was heavy in the extreme, amounting in the Forty-fourth Georgia to 321 and in the First North Carolina to 133.
Near dark Capt. A. Burnet Rhett's battery of artillery, attached to my command, succeeded in crossing the broken bridges over the Chickahominy, and was located directly in front of the enemy at about 1,200 yards distance. Captain Rhett opened an effective fire, and soon relieved our infantry from the storm of shell and canister which had been poured upon them. It was soon re-enforced by another battery, and a fire was kept up on the enemy until late in the evening.
Some time after nightfall, after the cannonade, our troops were withdrawn to a point of woods a few hundred yards' distance, near the angle of our line of battle, which position was held by the Third North Carolina and Forty-eighth Georgia and a portion of General Pender's brigade. The fragments of the First North Carolina and Forty-fourth Georgia were rallied some distance in the rear under some difficulty, owing to the loss of all their field and many of their company officers, who fell while gallantly performing their duty.
During the night the enemy was engaged destroying and removing his stores, but the darkness and the intricacies of the position prevented an attack by our troops.
At about 12 o'clock Colonel Colquitt's brigade advanced to within supporting distance of my command.
At about 2.30 on the morning of the 27th my own and Colonel Colquitt's brigade were relieved by Generals Featherston and Pryor, and moved to a position near and beyond Mechanicsville, on the turnpike, where they remained, under a fire of shot and shell from the enemy's batteries along that road until the latter were turned by our troops in advance or silenced by our artillery. The brigade then moved forward with the division on the road to Cold Harbor, and was held for a short time in reserve after arriving at that point. It then consisted of the Third North Carolina and Forty-eighth Georgia, with a battalion of the First North Carolina, under Capt. H.A. Brown, and but a fragment of the Forty-fourth Georgia, which had been sadly cut up. Some portions of both the latter regiments were, as I have been informed, ordered by General Lee to act as a guard at the Chickahominy Bridge, on the Mechanicsville turnpike.
In the afternoon the brigade was ordered to the front to take position on the left of the line, which had been formed, and moved to the point designated. The country was densely wooded, and in some places covered with morass, and the movement was executed with some difficulty. In searching for position for the command I found some portion of our own troops already in front of the line which I was to occupy, and receiving a message from Brig. Gen. R.H. Anderson that support was required, I sent the Forty-eighth Georgia to the right of the position occupied by our own division to act in that capacity. The Third North Carolina and the battalion of the First remained upon the left. During the various movements in the thick woods and swamps a certain portion of the Third North Carolina became separated from the body of the regiment.
During this while the brigade, as well as the rest of the division, was under a heavy fire of artillery, but suffered comparatively little, being sheltered from view and partially from fire.
Before dark the masses of the enemy appeared in the vicinity of the command, apparently endeavoring to turn our left. In this he was checked by the fire of our artillery and the charges made upon him by troops of different divisions and brigades in succession. These, from the nature of the ground, were more or less separate movements. The battalion of the Third North Carolina, under Colonel Meares, and of the First North Carolina, under Captain Brown, took part, doing good service. The Forty-eighth Georgia, from its position, was masked by the troops in front and did not get into close action.
The loss in this battle from the brigade was comparatively small.
During the night the troops remained on the field, and moved early the following morning, with the division in advance, toward the Grapevine Bridge, which had been destroyed by the enemy in his retreat during the night. It bivouacked within 1 1/2 miles of that point during Saturday and Sunday.
On Monday, July 1, it moved with the division early across the repaired bridge, and followed the route of the enemy's retreat until he was found in position on the farther side of White Oak Swamp Creek. Here it was brought to withing supporting distance of the artillery of the division, which engaged the enemy until night-fall, driving him from his position and enabling the pioneers to repair the bridge, over which we crossed on Tuesday morning, and followed the retreat of the enemy until our army came up with him in position at Malvern Hill.
Taking different positions during the morning, in the afternoon the brigade advanced, under orders from the major-general commanding division, through a heavy fire of artillery, to a dense wood in close proximity of the enemy's position, where it lay for a time in reserve.
At about 5 o'clock it was ordered to take position in a jungle near the hill upon which the enemy was established and to the left of General Anderson's brigade, which it did in the following order: The Forty-eighth Georgia was on the right, the Third North Carolina, the Forty-fourth Georgia (about 170 men of which had rallied and been brought by Captain Beck and other officers), and the First North Carolina on the left under Lieutenant-Colonel [William P.] Bynum, of the Second, who had been detached from the command of the First Regiment.
In obedience to the orders of General Hill I ordered a reconnaissance of the enemy's position, and found him immediately in our front in strong force, with a battery well advanced toward us and supported by strong lines of infantry. The number of his guns could only be judged of by the rapidity of his fire, owing to the nature of the country.
At about 6.30 or 7 o'clock an attack was made by the troops on our right, and we were, with the other brigades in advance, ordered by General Hill to move forward at once and attack the enemy. Gordon's and Anderson's brigades were on my right, and the troops of the three mounted the hill in a gallant manner. At its brow our troops were met with a furious fire of shot, shell, and musketry; officers and men fell fast, but they maintained their ground, opening and keeping up a severe fire upon the enemy in return, before which his advanced battery fell back and his troops wavered. He pressed hard upon our left, however, and while moving his regiment to its supports the gallant and accomplished Col. Gaston Meares, of the Third North Carolina Regiment, fell. Meanwhile Garland's and Colquitt's brigade had been advanced and made good the action on the right.
Darkness, however, was rapidly approaching, and, not knowing the extent of the enemy's suffering, the troops fell back to the road near the brow of the hill; other portions withdrew to the cover of the rising ground, and the night coming on, there was much confusion from the loss of officers and the nature of the country. Dense, dark, and in many places marshy, observation could reach but a short distance, quick movement was impossible, and in the din of battle the voice could be heard but a few yards.
Fresh troops were ordered forward, and the troops of the brigade were collected in parties by such officers as they fell in with. A portion remained in the vicinity of the field during the night, and the remainder, with portions of other brigades of the division having been collected, were retired a short distance on the Charles City road. During the night the enemy fell away from the hardly contested field.
On Wednesday morning the brigade was reformed at the church in front of the battle-field and with the division, whence it marched a short distance to the bivouac, at and near which it remained until the movement of the 9th to its present vicinity.
The movements and actions of the brigade under my command during the six days' operations of the army being but a constituent portion of those of the division and army, a more detailed report is believed unnecessary.
The aggregate force which entered the series of engagements on June 26 was 2,366, including pioneers and the ambulance corps. Of this our loss has been 45 officers and 844 non commissioned officers and privates in killed, wounded, and missing, the latter class numbering but 30. Seven out of 11 field officers fell killed and wounded while leading on their regiments, and of the 7, 4 are dead. To the memory of these the country will give that meed of consideration which is the reward of brave men battling in such a cause as ours.
Three colonels of four, all brave and accomplished officers- Col. M.S. Stokes, of the First North Carolina; Col. Gaston Meares of the Third North Carolina, and Col. Robert A. Smith of the Forty-fourth Georgia- have sealed their devotion with their lives. Their conduct on the field was beyond praise, and in their loss their regiments and the service have suffered severely. Maj. Skinner, of the First North Carolina, died in a like manner. Lieutenant-Colonel McDowell, of the First North Carolina, and Lieutenant-Colonel Estes (the former severely and the latter slightly) were both wounded in the front of the battle. Of the surviving officers, Colonel Gibson and Lieut.-Col. R.W. Carswell, of the Forty-eighth Georgia, led their regiment in the actions in which it was engaged. Lieutenant-Colonel De Rosset and Captain Thruston, acting field officers of the Third North Carolina, behaved with credit to themselves, and made good, to as full extent as possible, the loss sustained in their gallant colonel. Capt. H.A. Brown, of the First North Carolina, rallied the troops of his regiment, with other officers, after all the field officers had been lost, and led the regiment until relieved by Lieutenant-Colonel Bynum. Capts. J.W. Beck and Samuel P. Lumpkin, of the Forty-fourth Georgia, marched with the brigade with the fragment of the regiment on the 27th and served through the subsequent actions. But 179 of this regiment were unhurt at the action at Ellison's Mill of those who entered.
I was attended during the engagements by my staff, Capt. Leo D. Walker, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieut. F.G. Ravenel, aide-de-camp. Lieutenant Ravenel, after behaving with most distinguished gallantry at Ellison's Mill and Cold Harbor, was killed while leading on the troops of the right of the brigade, in the very front, at the battle of Malvern Hill. Of all who have fallen during this series of engagements none braver have sealed their devotion to our cause. Major Mitchell, brigade commissary, was also on the field and rendered valuable services.
In conclusion I beg to remark that the troops of this brigade, arriving at Richmond just after the battle of Seven Pines, were ordered immediately to the front, and performed picket and outpost duty, with slight intermission, until the march toward Mechanicsville. Two of the regiments, the First and Third North Carolina, had been some time in service but not in action. The Forty-fourth and Forty-eighth Georgia were new troops, and it is perhaps to be regretted, as the whole were brigaded for the first time, that some more opportunity could not have been afforded for perfecting their organization and discipline as a brigade. Nevertheless, the mass of the troops did their duty well, and although there were exceptions, from respect to those gallant officers and men who upheld bravely the honor of their flag, those who strayed from the field of duty I leave to their own consciences and the condemnation of their comrades.
I have the honor to inclose a return and lists of the killed and wounded and the reports of regimental commanders so far as they have been received.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R.S. Ripley,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Series I, Vol. X1. (Part II) Chapter XXIII, Pgs. 647-651.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Yet Another Preservation Opportunity
Wow! what a busy year for battlefield preservation. If all of these deals can come to fruition, 2009 might be said to be the greatest year of battlefield preservation to date. Up for purchase is an 11 acre tract at Glendale battlefield. Please donate to Civil War Preservation Trust, and help preserve these important places for the future. Here is the link to the Glendale opportunity.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Battle of Malvern Hill
North Carolina Order of Battle, Battle of Malvern Hill, VA., July 1, 1862.
Ewell's Division
Trimble's Brigade
1st North Carolina Battalion
21st North Carolina
Whiting's Division
Law's Brigade
6th North Carolina
D.H. Hill's Division
Tew's (G.B. Anderson) Brigade
2nd North Carolina
4th North Carolina
14th North Carolina
30th North Carolina
Ripley's Brigade
1st North Carolina
3rd North Carolina
Garland's Brigade
5th North Carolina
12th North Carolina
13th North Carolina
20th North Carolina
23rd North Carolina
Magruder's Division
Cobb's Brigade
15th North Carolina
Holmes' Division
Ransom's Brigade
24th North Carolina
25th North Carolina
26th North Carolina
35th North Carolina
48th North Carolina
49th North Carolina
Ewell's Division
Trimble's Brigade
1st North Carolina Battalion
21st North Carolina
Whiting's Division
Law's Brigade
6th North Carolina
D.H. Hill's Division
Tew's (G.B. Anderson) Brigade
2nd North Carolina
4th North Carolina
14th North Carolina
30th North Carolina
Ripley's Brigade
1st North Carolina
3rd North Carolina
Garland's Brigade
5th North Carolina
12th North Carolina
13th North Carolina
20th North Carolina
23rd North Carolina
Magruder's Division
Cobb's Brigade
15th North Carolina
Holmes' Division
Ransom's Brigade
24th North Carolina
25th North Carolina
26th North Carolina
35th North Carolina
48th North Carolina
49th North Carolina
Battle of Glendale
North Carolina Order of Battle, Battle of Glendale, June 30, 1862.
A.P. Hill's Division
Branch's Brigade
7th North Carolina
18th North Carolina
28th North Carolina
33rd North Carolina
37th North Carolina
Pender's Brigade
16th North Carolina
22nd North Carolina
34th North Carolina
38th North Carolina
A.P. Hill's Division
Branch's Brigade
7th North Carolina
18th North Carolina
28th North Carolina
33rd North Carolina
37th North Carolina
Pender's Brigade
16th North Carolina
22nd North Carolina
34th North Carolina
38th North Carolina
Battle of Gaines's Mill
North Carolina Order of Battle, Battle of Gaines's Mill, June 27, 1862.
Ewell's Division
Trimble's Brigade
1st North Carolina Battalion Sharpshooters
21st North Carolina
D.H. Hill's Division
G.B. Anderson's Brigade
2nd North Carolina
4th North Carolina
14th North Carolina
30th North Carolina
Garland's Brigade
5th North Carolina
12th North Carolina
13th North Carolina
20th North Carolina
23rd North Carolina
Ripley's Brigade
1st North Carolina
3rd North Carolina
A.P. Hill's Division
Branch's Brigade
7th North Carolina
18th North Carolina
28th North Carolina
33rd North Carolina
37th North Carolina
Pender's Brigade
16th North Carolina
22nd North Carolina
34th North Carolina
38th North Carolina
Ewell's Division
Trimble's Brigade
1st North Carolina Battalion Sharpshooters
21st North Carolina
D.H. Hill's Division
G.B. Anderson's Brigade
2nd North Carolina
4th North Carolina
14th North Carolina
30th North Carolina
Garland's Brigade
5th North Carolina
12th North Carolina
13th North Carolina
20th North Carolina
23rd North Carolina
Ripley's Brigade
1st North Carolina
3rd North Carolina
A.P. Hill's Division
Branch's Brigade
7th North Carolina
18th North Carolina
28th North Carolina
33rd North Carolina
37th North Carolina
Pender's Brigade
16th North Carolina
22nd North Carolina
34th North Carolina
38th North Carolina
Battle of Mechanicsville
North Carolina Order of Battle, Battle of Mechanicsville (Beaver Dam Creek), June 26, 1862.
Jackson's Command
D.H. Hill's Division
G.B. Anderson's Brigade
2nd North Carolina
4th North Carolina
14th North Carolina
30th North Carolina
Garland's Brigade
5th North Carolina
12th North Carolina
13th North Carolina
20th North Carolina
23rd North Carolina
Ripley's Brigade
1st North Carolina
3rd North Carolina
A.P. Hill's (Light) Division
Branch's Brigade
7th North Carolina
18th North Carolina
28th North Carolina
33rd North Carolina
37th North Carolina
Pender's Brigade
16th North Carolina
22nd North Carolina
34th North Carolina
38th North Carolina
Jackson's Command
D.H. Hill's Division
G.B. Anderson's Brigade
2nd North Carolina
4th North Carolina
14th North Carolina
30th North Carolina
Garland's Brigade
5th North Carolina
12th North Carolina
13th North Carolina
20th North Carolina
23rd North Carolina
Ripley's Brigade
1st North Carolina
3rd North Carolina
A.P. Hill's (Light) Division
Branch's Brigade
7th North Carolina
18th North Carolina
28th North Carolina
33rd North Carolina
37th North Carolina
Pender's Brigade
16th North Carolina
22nd North Carolina
34th North Carolina
38th North Carolina
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