We reformed about 400 yards in rear of the farthest point to which we had advanced, and were placed in position by General Hardee on the right of General Taliaferro, where we remained until 2 o'clock the next morning, when we marched across Mill Creek and reported to Major-General Stevenson.

A list of casualties has been heretofore furnished.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. J. HENDERSON,

Report of Brig. Gen. Edmund W. Pettus, C. S. Army, of operations March 19.

RALEIGH, N. C., April 1, 1865.

MAJOR: The following is a report of the part taken by my brigade in the battle of the 19th ultimo near Bentonville:

The division was formed in two lines in the center of the corps, Palmer's brigade in front and my brigade about 250 yards in the rear, both partially intrenched.

About 4 p. m. I was ordered by the major-general commanding to follow the movements of Palmer's brigade, keeping my command about 300 yards in his rear until such time as Brigadier-General Palmer might need my support. The movement commenced soon thereafter. Palmer's brigade moved forward and my command followed as directed. The front line drove the enemy from two intrenched lines, and was still moving forward when I received orders from the major-general commanding to move my brigade by the left flank, so as to cover the main road from Bentonville, and to move forward on that road, keeping my command well in hand. The ground over which my corimand had to advance was flat and marshy and covered with undergrowth; so to keep my brigade well in hand I had to move slowly. After advancing about 500 yards past the enemy's second line the firing became brisk, and at a short distance from and directly on my left flank, and Lieutenant-Colonel Elliott, Thirtieth Alabama Regiment, was sent with his small command to cover that flank as skirmishers. This fire increasing and approaching my line, and seeing stragglers moving rapidly to the rear from that point, I changed front by throwing back my left; but the enemy were driven back by other troops. My line was again formed across the road and moved forward, covered by the skirmishers under Lieutenant-Colonel Elliott, who was instructed to drive in the enemy's skirmishers and find his line. Whilst thus advancing under a heavy fire from the enemy's artillery and driving his skirmishers, MajorGeneral Hill, commanding corps, rode up to my line and informed me that the enemy were advancing in force, and probably with fresh troops, and ordered me to halt and prepare to meet the charge. My line was halted with the right on the road, and the men were ordered to lie down in their places. It was then about sunset, and from the smoke of the guns and the burning woods it was difficult to see objects at a distance. The enemy's line, very soon after I had received the order from General Hill, charged and drove in my skirmishers, follow

ing them with a shout. They were met, however, by a fire from the line so steady and so well aimed that they halted, and after receiving a few rounds retreated. The order to cease firing was given, and the skirmishers were again thrown forward. The brigade remained in this position until past 11 o'clock that night, when it was retired to the position from which the movement was begun.

In this action the officers and men acted well, rendering most prompt and willing obedience to orders. There were no stragglers.

Col. J. B. Bibb, Twenty-third Alabama Regiment, acted with remarkable coolness and gallantry, and rendered valuable service by his vigilance and activity. It is believed that he deserves a higher command. Lients. W. W. Girard and William Jones, acting on my staff, bore themselves most gallantly. They were prompt and attentive to their duties.

Lieutenant Pettus, my aide-de-camp, a modest, brave young officer, was killed.

Inclosed is a list of casualties.*

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

Maj. J. J. REEVE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

EDMD. W. PETTUS, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

No. 295.

Report of Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer, C. S. Army, of operations

March 19.

HEADQUARTERS PALMER'S BRIGADE,

Near Smithfield, March 29, 1865.

MAJOR: This brigade took position in the front line of the general line of battle formed by the Army of Tennessee near Bentonville on the 19th instant, at or about 10 a. m., and immediately fortified. Skirmishers were at once thrown 300 yards forward under command of Lieut. Col. A. Hall, of the Forty-fifth Tennessee Volunteers.

At 12 o'clock a single line of battle of Federal forces moved upon our position, striking, however, more directly General Stovall's line of Major-General Clayton's division, on my right, but covering, say, onehalf of my right wing, which, in connection with the brigade on my right, repulsed them with ease, killing and wounding a number without any loss on my part.

At 3.15 p. m. the whole line advanced upon the enemy's position. This brigade moved steadily forward for about 400 yards in common time, preserving its alignment almost as if on parade, although for a part of that distance under considerable fire. This carried the brigade within 200 yards of the enemy's first line of works, which were at once charged and carried. This command did not halt there, but moved forward in double-quick, pursuing the enemy, flying in disorder and confusion to their second line of works, which was also charged and carried, capturing one piece of artillery near the second line. The pursuit was continued as far as the Goldsborough road, when it became necessary to halt the command, much exhausted by the two charges just made, and for the purpose of rectifying the alignment, more or less

*Not found, but see p. 1096.

disturbed by such rapid movements through the woods thickly set with troublesome undergrowth. My line was here formed across the Goldsborough road, and Brigadier-General Baker threw his line across mine, cutting nearly through the center of my brigade. Being then informed by Major Ratchford, of Major-General Hill's staff, that my command would then be placed in reserve, I immediately sent a staff officer to throw my left wing back on a line with my right, but before he could return I was ordered forward with the right wing to fill up a space made vacant by the movement of the brigade on my right. From this position I was by Major-General Hill ordered forward with the right half of my brigade to attack the enemy again. This wing immediately advanced for the distance of, say, 300 yards beyond the Goldsborough road, taking position on Brigadier-General Baker's right. I found no works at this point in my front, but just to my left were two lines of breastworks running rather perpendicular to this road. These works were occupied by the enemy with about the usual number of men in their lines. It was wholly unsafe to move farther forward or pass this force on my left, and, indeed, on discovering these works and their singular direction I came to the conclusion that to carry them was in part the objective point of my movement. I therefore wheeled to the left, assaulted and carried the first line and part of the second line, the balance manifesting a disposition to surrender by throwing down their guns, &c. At this moment I was informed that there was a considerable Federal force not more than 100 yards to my right, and moving upon my rear. This was soon verified by the rapid advance from that direction of a well-defined line of Yankees more than double my number. On the appearance of this force those in my front renewed their resistance, and thus my command was immediately under heavy fire both in front and rear. I at once ordered a movement as rapidly as possible by the left flank, so as to retire back on or near the Goldsborough road, but the Federals effected a junction so quickly as to capture some of my men and to cut off Col. A. Searcy and LieutenantColonel Hall, of the Forty-fifth Tennessee Volunteers, and Major Joyner, of the Eighteenth Tennessee Volunteers, with another portion. These officers, with fifty of my men and small detachments from other commands of our army, after having remained in rear of Sherman's army for nine days, made their way around the enemy's left flank and rejoined the brigade on yesterday with the four stand of colors of the "Tennessee consolidation" cut off with them. This required on their part very great adroitness, determination, courage, and endurance, and, aside from their gallant and meritorious conduct throughout the fight, justly entitles them to the highest distinction as soldiers.

Immediately on retiring from the position just described I united the two wings of my brigade, and, by order of Major-General Stevenson, moved to the support of Brigadier-General Pettus.

At 11 o'clock that night this command, with the whole army, retired to the position first described in this report. My brigade, however, was placed in reserve after arriving there.

I captured and sent to the rear 45 prisoners, besides 50 of their wounded, which I also sent to the rear during the day's operations.

My losses during the fight were 13 killed, 113 wounded, and 55 captured, making in all 181. The enemy's loss, I am satisfied, was greater, especially in killed.

Among others of my killed was Lieut. Col. A. F. Boggess, of the Twenty-sixth Tennessee Volunteers, who fell in the gallant discharge of his duties, a noble specimen of the man, officer, and soldier.

Col. R. M. Saffell, Twenty-sixth Tennessee Volunteers, being a supernumerary officer, volunteered with Colonel Ashby's cavalry, to resist the enemy attempting to turn our left flank on the 21st, and was killed while gallantly leading a charge and repulsing them.

Capts. Gideon H. Lowe and W. T. Powers and Lieut. F. R. Burns, of my staff, each behaved with distinguished gallantry. Captain Lowe was severely wounded early in the action.

Capt. G. W. F. Harper, commanding Fifty-eighth North Carolina; Capt. Eli Spangler, commanding Fifty-fourth Virginia, and Lieut. Col. C. H. Lynch, commanding Sixty-third Virginia and Sixtieth North Carolina, each handled their commands with ability and bore themselves handsomely through the day, as did Colonel Searcy and the officers under him, commanding "Tennessee consolidation."

With considerations of very high regard, major, I have the honor to submit this report. and am. your obedient servant,

Maj. JOHN J. REEVE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

J. B. PALMER,
Brigadier-General.

No. 296.

Report of Maj. Gen. Edward C. Walthall, C. S. Army, of operations

March 19.

HEADQUARTERS WALTHALL'S DIVISION,

STEWART'S CORPS, ARMY OF TENNESSEE,

April 8, 1865.

I respectfully submit the following report of the part taken by the command in the action near Bentonville, N. C.:

Early in the morning of the 19th of March, with Reynolds' and Quarles' brigades, commanded respectively by Brig. Gens. D. H. Reynolds and George D. Johnston, I followed Loring's division to the point, about two miles and a half from the village of Bentonville, selected for the line of battle. Arriving there I was informed by Lieutenant-General Stewart, commanding the Army of Tennessee, that Loring's division would form in the woods to the right of a field near by, where several batteries were posted, and that other troops were already in position to the left of it. He had at the same time directed me to put my command in the woods on the left of the field to protect the artillery. While getting into this position Brigadier-General Reynolds, who commanded my leading brigade, was severely wounded by a shell from the enemy's artillery, which opened a brisk fire upon the head of my column as soon as it was discovered, and the command of his brigado devolved upon Col. H. G. Bunn, Fourth Arkansas Regiment.

I notified Major-General Loring that I was in position on the left of the field by orders from Lieutenant-General Stewart, and about 2.20 o'clock was informed by him that the whole line would move forward precisely at 2.45. His instructions to me were so to move that after crossing the field before me my right should strike a point indicated in the woods beyond where it was supposed the left of Loring's division would arrive by the time I reached it, and that then my command in advancing should guide right, unless, however, the commands on my right and left should so converge in advancing as to cover the ground

in my front, and in that event he directed me by moving to the right to put my troops in support of Loring's. This result was anticipated from the general direction of the lines, the line of the Army of Tennessee, of which my command was the extreme left, and that of the troops to the left of me forming an obtuse angle, with the point of union where those troops and mine connected. At the appointed time I put my command in motion and moved across the field, under a slight fire of the enemy's artillery, 300 or 400 yards, when skirmishers were encountered in their detached works. These were driven off by the skirmish line covering my front under Capt. E. C. Woodson, Twenty-sixth [Twenty-fifth] Arkansas Regiment, and my line in its advance (the contingency above referred to not having occurred) soon connected with Loring's near the point indicated. About 250 yards from where I found his skirmishers I came upon the enemy's main line intrenched, which was easily carried, the troops retreating in disorder and leaving about 200 of their number in the ditches. Having no men to spare to guard them, these prisoners were ordered to the rear and the line moved forward toward two pieces of artillery in its front, which kept up a constant fire upon it. The men soon fled from their guns and I moved on, my left brigade (Quarles') passing over them, till the density of the undergrowth and the rapid pursuit so deranged my line that it became necessary to rectify it before advancing farther. The troops on my right were halted for the same purpose, and after the line was reformed I again moved forward with them by the order of Major-General Loring, my instructions being to regulate my movement by theirs. After advancing a short distance Loring's division moved several hundred yards by the right flank and then forward again, to which movements I conformed. Information was soon received that a force of the enemy was immediately on my left, which was communicated to Major-General Loring, and before the messenger returned my left flank was fired upon. In a few moments I was informed by General Loring that the whole line would halt till further orders, and I directed Colonel Toulmin, [Twenty-second] Alabama Regiment, who just before had reported to me with about fifty men of Deas' brigade, to take position on my left and deploying his command to throw it back so as to protect my flank. While this disposition was being made some troops of Lee's corps retired through my line and Loring's, and the enemy soon moved upon us. The first line failing to carry our position, a second was brought up, which also failed, and a heavy musketry fire was kept up till nearly dark on either side, the enemy also employing his artillery, but with little effect.

About sunset, Colonel Bunn having been wounded, the command of Reynolds' brigade devolved on Lieut. Col. M. G. Galloway, First Arkansas Regiment [Mounted Rifles, dismounted].

About dark, Conner's brigade, under Brigadier-General Kennedy, moved upon the line occupied by my command and Loring's, and the latter, whose ammunition was exhausted, as I had been informed by the commanding officer, Colonel Jackson, was withdrawn, and so much of Conner's brigade as moved upon the line occupied by that command withdrawn soon afterward. The remainder of Conner's brigade (one regiment, I think) moved forward a short distance, but by my order was soon withdrawn and formed on my right, which was then entirely open, the nearest troops to my right, understood to be Pettus' brigade, being several hundred yards distant. While this formation was being made the force on my left engaged Deas' skirmish line, and it became necessary for the left of my line to change front to meet the threatened