deployed as skirmishers, to retire to the left of the Twenty-third Battalion, I had no opportunity of noticing the conduct of its officers on the field, but feel confident they sustained their reputation for gallantry and efficiency in action.

The strength of the battalion on the 26th was about 300, and on the 27th about 325 men.

Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing was 32 officers and men, a list* of whom is herewith inclosed.

I take great pleasure in adding that the conduct of the officers and men of the Eighth Virginia Cavalry who supported my right and left flanks on the 27th was in the highest degree praiseworthy. I am, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. M. EDGAR. Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Lieut. NOYES RAND,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First Brigade.

No. 10.

Report of Col. William H. Browne, Forty-fifth Virginia Infantry.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va.,

August 29, 1863. COLONEL: Pursuant to General Orders, No. —, I respectfully submit the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the battle of White Sulphur Springs on the 26th and 27th instant:

Under your direction I formed my line of battle, the left joining Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar's right, at the junction of the White Sulphur Springs and the Warm Springs turnpike with the Anthony's Creek road, my line extending across the low ground to the base of the ridge on the right. By your order I also sent 100 men under Captain Thompson, Company A, to occupy the ridge upon our right. Soon after I had formed my line of battle and caused a barricade of rails to be built in my front Captain Thompson notified me that the enemy was pressing him. I immediately sent another company with Lieutenant-Colonel Harman and ordered him to take command upon the ridge. In a very short while Lieutenant-Colonel Harman sent me word the enemy in force were endeavoring to turn our right flank, which information was sent to you. I awaited your order, which was to occupy the ridge with my whole regiment. I did so, my right resting on the brow of the first hill at a point opposite the toll-gate, my left opposite a point on the road about 100 yards below the burned house and facing from the same, thus forming a line longer than my regiment, which I occupied by placing my men on the strongest points.

Previous to my arrival, Lieutenant-Colonel Harman had repulsed the advance of the enemy. While placing my men in the position indicated, my left was attacked. Major Davis, whom I had left in charge of the center, ordered a company forward to support the left wing, and skirmishers under Lieutenant-Colonel Harman. This order being promptly executed, the enemy was repulsed. This company moved forward 100 yards beyond and perpendicular to the line

*See addenda to Patton's report, p. 56.

of my left wing, which line I afterward adopted as my line of defense.

When I first occupied the ridge under your order, I found Major Woodram, of the Twenty-sixth Virginia Battalion, with one company and parts of two companies of said battalion. I placed this detachment, with two companies of my regiment, on a ridge upon my right, and left them in charge of Major Woodram.

The company which had advanced to the front of the left wing being heavily pressed by the enemy, another company was placed in position upon its left. These two companies, under LieutenantColonel Harman, repelled four successive charges of the enemy. During this time the enemy were skirmishing in front of my center and right flank, but was promptly driven back, and LieutenantColonel Harman re-enforced by two companies and a half from my first line.

Ascertaining the enemy was preparing to attack me in greater force, I found it necessary to strengthen my line of defense, and Colonel Dunn's battalion was ordered forward to my right, which was promptly done under direction of Major Davis, and in time to assist me in resisting two furious attacks of the enemy re-enforced. This battalion was under command of Major Claiborne. I take pleasure in attesting the gallant bearing of the officers and men of that command while these events were transpiring. LieutenantColonel Edgar requested re-enforcements, and I sent him about 40

men.

During the night Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar's men, under Major Woodram, were sent to him, and my re-enforcement to Colonel Edgar withdrawn. My line extended to the right by the addition of the companies withdrawn from Major Woodram, and Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar was strengthened by rails and logs forming a barricade. My entire regiment now occupied the line of my defense. At dawn of day on the morning of the 27th, I repulsed another attack of the enemy, after which there was no more fighting upon my front, except an occasional shot from the tree-tops.

During the engagement I kept a line of skirmishers from my left wing along the ridge in the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar's right, who, in connection with my left wing, gave a cross-fire to any advance upon Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar's front.

During the engagement I repulsed eight separate and distinct charges of the enemy, besides frequent engagements with his skirmishers. In a majority of these charges the enemy came within the distance of fifteen or twenty paces of my line, and I am well satisfied I did him great damage, capturing some, killing and wounding large numbers. Notwithstanding the long marches my men had made (having marched about 100 miles during the four days preceding the engagement), I had no stragglers or skulkers. I have never on any battle-field seen men act cooler and braver; they fought with a determination to do or die.

I hope it will not be invidious to particularize Company F, commanded by Lieutenant Crockett, and Company C, commanded by Captain Cox, until he was wounded, afterwards by Lieutenant Blevins. Men never acted better, having alone repulsed four attacks of the enemy in vastly superior force.

The assistance rendered by my field-officers and adjutant was inestimable. It is scarcely necessary to say that they behaved with marked gallantry.

My surgeon, Dr. B. H. Hoyt, rendered every needful attention to the wounded, and exhibited the highest surgical skill in his operations and treatment.

Inclosed you will find a list* of the casualties in my regiment resulting from the action.

Your obedient servant,

WM. H. BROWNE,

Colonel, Comanding Forty-fifth Virginia Regiment.

Col. GEORGE S. PATTON,

Commanding First Brigade, Army of Western Virginia.

No. 11.

Report of Maj. William McLaughlin, C. S. Artillery.

LEWISBURG, W. Va.,
August 31, 1863.

COLONEL: At your request I submit the following report of the operations of the artillery in the battle of White Sulphur Springs on the 26th and 27th instant:

Having ascertained that the enemy were advancing in force, I ordered up two pieces of Captain Chapman's battery, which were rapidly brought up and placed in position and opened upon the enemy, which, with the assistance of Captain Read's company of the Twentysixth Virginia Battalion deployed as skirmishers, succeeded in checking the enemy until the other troops could be put in position. The other two pieces of the battery were soon placed in position in the same neighborhood.

This battery (the only one present) then engaged the enemy's battery of four Parrott and two 6-pounder guns, and at intervals during the day and the morning of the next day continued to fire upon the enemy's artillery and infantry, a more detailed statement of which will be found in Captain Chapman's report.

It affords me great pleasure to bear testimony to the efficiency with which the battery was handled, and to its marked effect upo the enemy, as attested by the destruction of the timber in and around his battery, and by one of his guns being permanently disabled and another dismounted, the carriage of which was left upon the field.

The men of the battery stood bravely and steadily by their guns, though subjected to a steady, hot, and well-directed fire from the enemy's guns, and too much credit cannot be awarded to Captain Chapman for the zeal, gallantry, and energy displayed by him throughout the engagement.

I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM MCLAUGHLIN, Major, Commanding Artillery, Dept. of Western Virginia. Col. GEORGE S. PATTON,

Commanding First Brigade.

* See addenda to Patton's report, p. 56.

No. 12.

Report of Capt. George B. Chapman, Virginia Artillery.

CAMP SAM. JONES,
August 31, 1863.

SIR: My battery-consisting of two 3-inch rifled guns, one 12pounder howitzer, and one 24-pounder howitzer was placed in position at 9 a. m., August 25, on an eminence commanding the approach of the enemy. We immediately opened on their columns, firing slowly and deliberately. Their artillery soon returned our fire with rapidity and accuracy. In a short time one of my.rifled guns was dismounted, the enemy's shot having twice struck the axle-body of the gun carriage. The piece was immediately sent to the rear for repairs.

We maintained our position with the remaining pieces until the wheel of one was struck and canister had lodged in the bore of the other. An incrustation of rust, caused by repeated firing, collected on the interior of the bore and reduced the windage to such a degree that we were unable to drive the canister home. I moved these pieces to the rear for repairs and ordered the remaining piece to maintain its position. This piece was ordered to the rear during my absence from the field without my knowledge or consent.

The pieces having been repaired, we ascended to our former position. When we had almost gained the summit of the hill I espied what I supposed to be four artillery horses. Believing them to be the horses I had ordered to remain, I directed one of the officers to move his gun to a better position. He soon returned and reported that it was one of the enemy's pieces. I immediately executed a leftabout with the pieces, occupied the first knoll in our front, and ordered the guns to unlimber and prepare for firing. Fortunately, however, the piece whose limber was supplied with canister became choked and we were compelled to move it to the rear.

The above mistake, under the circumstances, was exceedingly natural, for it was supposed that our left flank was giving way, and the reports that met us as we ascended the hill were of rather a gloomy nature. The enemy's shells bursting so close to the horses, we mistook for the flash of a gun. We have great reasons to be thankful that our gun became unfitted for firing at this particular time, for had we opened on what we supposed to be the enemy's gun we might have damaged our own cause and demoralized our men.

The pieces having been repaired, we again ascended the hill and maintained our position until the enemy retreated. We pursued, with one rifled gun, and shelled the ravines and gorges whenever an

opportunity afforded.

We have the proud satisfaction of knowing that no piece was ordered to the rear unless disabled or for want of ammunition. The battery was frequently struck, but no permanent injuries inflicted. We lost 1 man killed and 5 wounded; 3 horses killed and 8 wounded. It may not be amiss to call the attention of the commanding officer to the caliber and quality of the guns composing the batteries of the enemy. My battery should be supplied with guns of a similar quality if it be expected to contend successfully with the enemy's artillery. The members of the battery deserve some praise for the manner in which they maintained their posts and performed their duties. I will 5 R R-VOL XXIX PT I

cite no instances of individual gallantry for fear of doing injustice to others equally brave. I know not the extent of damage inflicted on the enemy by our artillery. If we committed any errors we trust we may be afforded an opportunity in future to rectify them.

Very respectfully,

Lieut. NOYES RAND,

G. B. CHAPMAN,

Captain, Commanding Battery.

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

AUGUST 6, 1863.-Capture and Recapture of Sutlers' Wagons near Fairfax

Court-House, Va.

Report of Brig. Gen. Rufus King, .U. S. Army.

CENTREVILLE, VA.,
August 7, 1863.

COLONEL: A party of cavalry, reported 100 strong, approached Accotink Bridge last night; was discovered by our pickets, and immediately left. All is quiet along the railroad. A number of sutlers and sutlers' teams were captured last evening by a party of 40 or 50 guerrillas, 2 or 3 miles the other side of Fairfax Court-House. A portion of the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry lying in the vicinity, hearing the alarm, immediately gave chase, and succeeded in recaptur ing all, or nearly all, of the prisoners and stolen property. RUFUS KING, Brigadier-General.

Col. J H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff.

AUGUST 7, 1863.—Affair at Burke's Station, Va.

Report of Brig. Gen. Hermann Haupt, U. S. Army.

ALEXANDRIA DEPOT, VA.,

August 8, 1863.

GENERAL: Last night an attack was made 1 mile east of Burke's on our railroad forces, employed in cutting wood. We were so fortunate as to have the guard which you ordered at my request. The enemy, finding a force prepared to resist them, fired a few shots and retired. We had about 60 men, with twenty-five four-horse teams and drivers, and all of them would have been captured, but for the guard. The enemy appeared to consist of dismounted cavalry; num. ber about 25.

Major-General HEINTZELMAN,

(Copy to General Halleck.)

H. HAUPT.