Capt Thomas H Jackson's Official Report

Report of September 23, 1862

[author biography]

CAMP NEAR MARTINSBURG, VA.,
September 23, 1862.

Lieutenant MOTT,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

I have the honor of reporting through you to Col. H. L. Benning, commanding General Toombs' brigade, the following report of a battle fought near Sharpsburg, Md., on the 17th instant:

On the morning of the date above mentioned the regiment crossed the Potomac from Shepherdstown and marched toward the scene of battle; was ordered in position on the right wing on a road leading I know not where; remained but a short time, when orders came to move forward toward a bridge leading across the Antietam River. Before reaching there were ordered to halt by General Toombs in person, to remain in a corn-field, after which we were ordered to about-face, and march by the right flank by file left into a clover field, where we were ordered to lie down. In the meantime skirmishers were ordered forward, who engaged the enemy's skirmishers with great gallantry; also a company of the regiment was ordered to the right of our position as skirmishers to prevent a flank movement from the enemy. The regiment, then composed of eight companies, lay inactive until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we were relieved by General Hill's division. We immediately were ordered by Colonel Benning to draw in our skirmishers in front and move, which we did, on the road we first occupied. We marched but a short distance up the road when the enemy advanced on a battery, which when we reached had been deserted by our troops. We checked them, crossed the fence at the road, and charged the enemy a distance of half a mile, until we reached a rock fence, where we halted and continued firing until dark, at which point the colonel commanding was killed, and I, second in command, was, after dark, ordered by General Toombs in person to move the regiment and occupy a different position. Not knowing of the orders that were issued during the day, and unable to give a more perfect account of the movements ordered, of all I could see the officers and men behaved gallantly, and obeyed every order issued to them with promptness. The company sent out as skirmishers on the right of our position reported back the next morning, they not being relieved until the regiment was moved from where they left it, which prevented them from finding the regiment sooner.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. H. JACKSON,
Captain, Commanding Regiment.

[Indorsements.]

FIFTEENTH GEORGIA REGIMENT,
Sharpsburg.

CAPTAIN: State the number of officers and men you carried into action as well as you can.

H. L. B.

One hundred and twelve men and thirteen officers.

Source: OR1