Open main menu
Open main menu
HEADQUARTERS LIGHT DIVISION,
Camp Gregg, Va., February 25, 1863.
Lieut. Col. C. J. FAULKNER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Army Corps.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit
the following report of the operations of my division from the crossing of the Rapidan,
August 20, to the repulse of the enemy at Castleman's Ferry, November 3 [1862], inclusive:
The division was composed of the brigades of
Generals Branch, Gregg, Field, Pender, Archer, and Colonel Thomas, with the batteries of
Braxton, Latham, Crenshaw, Mcintosh, Davidson, and Pegram, under Lieut. Col. R. L. Walker,
chief of artillery.
The march was without incident of importance
until arriving at the ford opposite the Warrenton Springs ...
... On September 5 the division crossed
into Maryland near Leesburg, and on the 11th recrossed into Virginia at Williamsport;
advanced upon Martinsburg, skirmishing with the enemy's pickets; entered the town on the
12th, and caused General White, with some 3,000 men, to fall back upon Harper's Ferry. A
large quantity of commissary and quartermaster's stores were taken at Martinsburg.
Saturday, the 13th, arrived at Harper's Ferry,
my division being in advance.
On Sunday afternoon, the necessary signals from
the Loudoun and Maryland Heights having notified us that all was ready, I was ordered by
General Jackson to "move along the left bank of the Shenandoah, and thus turn the
enemy's left flank and enter Harper's Ferry." The enemy occupied a ridge of hills
known as Bolivar Heights, extending from the Potomac to the Shenandoah, naturally strong,
but rendered very formidable by extensive earthworks. Having first shelled the woods over
which my route lay, I moved obliquely to my right until I struck the Shenandoah. Moving
down the Shenandoah, I discovered an eminence crowning the extreme left of the enemy's
line, bare of all earthwork, the only obstacles being abatis of fallen timber. The enemy
occupied this hill with infantry, but no artillery. Branch and Gregg were ordered to
continue the march along the river, and, during the night, to take advantage of the
ravines cutting the precipitous banks of the river, and establish themselves on the plain
to the left and rear of the enemy's works. Pender, Archer, and Brockenbrough were directed
to gain the crest of the hill before mentioned. Thomas followed as a reserve. The
execution of this movement was intrusted to General Pender, his own brigade being
commanded by Colonel Brewer. This was accomplished with but slight resistance, and the
fate of Harper's Ferry was sealed. Lieutenant-Colonel Walker was directed to bring up his
guns and establish them in the position thus gained. This was done during the night, by
the indomitable resolution and energy of Colonel Walker and his adjutant (Lieutenant
Chamberlayne), ably seconded by the captains of batteries. Generals Branch and Gregg had
also gained the position desired, and daybreak found them in rear of the enemy's line of
defense. General Pender, with Thomas in support, moved his brigades to within 150 yards of
the works, and were sheltered as much as possible from the fire of the enemy.
At dawn, Lieutenant-Colonel Walker opened a
rapid enfilade fire from all his batteries at about 1,000 yards range. The enemy replied
vigorously. In an hour, the enemy's fire seeming to be pretty well silenced, the batteries
were ordered to cease, and this was the signal for storming the works. General Pender had
commenced his advance, when, the enemy again opening, Pegram and Crenshaw were run forward
to within 400 yards, and, quickly coming into battery, poured in a damaging fire. The
enemy now displayed the white flag, and Lieutenant Chamberlayne was sent in to know if
they surrendered. This was soon ascertained to be the fact, and the garrison, &c., was
surrendered by General White, Col. D. S. Miles, the commanding officer, having been
mortally wounded.
By direction of General Jackson, I granted
General White the most liberal terms, and regret to report that this magnanimity was not
appreciated by the enemy, as the wagons which were loaned to carry off the private baggage
of the officers were not returned for nearly two months, and not until repeated calls had
been made for them. When I entered the works of the enemy, which was only a few moments
after the white flag had been shown, there was apparently no organization of any kind.
That had ceased to exist.
The fruits of this victory were 11,000
prisoners, about 12,000 stand of arms, 70 pieces of artillery, harness and horses, a large
number of wagons, commissary, quartermaster's, and ordnance stores.
My loss was 3 killed and 66 wounded.
SHARPSBURG
By direction of General Jackson, I
remained at Harper's Ferry until the morning of the 17th, when, at 6.30 a.m., I received
an order from General Lee to move to Sharpsburg. Leaving Thomas, with his brigade, to
complete the removal of the captured property, my division was put in motion at 7.30 a.m.
The head of my column arrived upon the battle-field of Sharpsburg, a distance of 17 miles,
at 2.30 o'clock, and, reporting in person to General Lee, he directed me to take position
on our right. Brig. Gen. D. R. Jones, commanding on our right, gave me such information as
my ignorance of the ground made necessary. My troops were rapidly thrown into position,
Pender and Brockenbrough on the extreme right, looking to a road which crossed the
Antietam near its mouth, Branch, Gregg, and Archer extending to the left and connecting
with D. R. Jones' division. [D.G.] McIntosh's battery had been sent forward to strengthen
Jones' right, weakened by troops withdrawn to our left and center. Braxton's battery,
commanded by Lieutenant [E. A.] Marye (Captain Braxton acting as chief of artillery), was
placed upon a commanding point on Gregg's right; Crenshaw and Pegram on a hill to my left,
which gave them a wide field of fire. My troops were not in a moment too soon. The enemy
had already advanced in three lines, had broken through Jones' division, captured
McIntosh's battery, and were in the full the of success. With a yell of defiance, Archer
charged them, retook McIntosh's guns, and drove them back pell mell. Branch and Gregg,
with their old veterans, sternly held their ground, and, pouring in destructive volleys,
those of the enemy surged back, and, breaking in confusion, passed out of sight.
During this attack, Pender's brigade was moved
from my right to the center, but the enemy were driven back without actively engaging his
brigade. The three brigades of my division actively engaged did not number over 2,000 men,
and these, with the help of my splendid batteries, drove back Burnside's corps of 15,000
men.
The Confederacy has to mourn the loss of a
gallant soldier and accomplished gentleman, who fell in this battle at the head of his
brigade-Brig. Gen. L. O'B. Branch, of North Carolina. He was my senior brigadier, and one
to whom I could have intrusted the command of the division, with all confidence.
General Gregg, of South Carolina, was wounded,
and the brave Colonel Barnes mortally so. My gallant Captain Pegram, of the artillery, was
also wounded for the first time.
My loss was 63 killed, 283 wounded; total, 346.
We lay upon the field of battle that night and
until the next night at 1 o'clock, when my division was silently withdrawn, and, as
directed by General Lee, covered the retirement of our army.
My division crossed the Potomac into Virginia
about 10 a.m. the next morning, every wagon and piece of artillery having been safely put
on the Virginia shore. I bivouacked that night (19th) about 5 miles from Shepherdstown.
SHEPHERDSTOWN
On the morning of the 20th, at 6.30
o'clock, I was directed by General Jackson to take my division and drive across the river
some brigades of the enemy who had crossed during the night, driven off General
Pendleton's artillery, capturing four pieces, and were making preparations to hold their
position. Arriving opposite Boteler's Ford, and about half a mile therefrom, I formed my
line of battle in two lines, the first the brigades of Pender, Gregg, and Thomas, under
command of General Gregg, and the second, Lane (Branch's brigade), Archer, and
Brocken-brough, under the command of General Archer. The enemy had lined the opposite
hills with some seventy pieces of artillery, and the infantry who had crossed lined the
crest of the high banks on the Virginia shore. My lines advanced simultaneously, and soon
encountered the enemy. This advance was made in the face of the most tremendous fire of
artillery I ever saw, and too much praise cannot be awarded my regiments for their steady,
unwavering step. It was as if each man felt that the fate of the army was centered in
himself. The infantry opposition in front of Gregg's center and right was but trifling,
and soon brushed away. The enemy, however, massed in front of Pender, and, extending,
endeavored to turn his left. General Pender became hotly engaged, and informing Archer of
his danger, he (Archer) moved by the left flank, and forming on Pender's left, a
simultaneous, daring charge was made, and the enemy driven pell-mell into the river. Then
commenced the most terrible slaughter that this war has yet witnessed. The broad surface
of the Potomac was blue with the floating bodies of our foe. But few escaped to tell the
tale. By their own account they lost 3,000 men, killed and drowned, from one brigade
alone. Some 200 prisoners were taken. My own loss was 30 killed and 231 wounded; total,
261.
This was a wholesome lesson to the enemy, and
taught them to know that it may be dangerous sometimes to press a retreating army. In this
battle I did not use a piece of artillery.
My division performed its share in the
destruction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and about November 1 took position at
Castleman's Ferry, near Snicker's Gap.
On November 3, Archer's and Thomas' brigades
being on picket at the ferry, with Pegram's and Latham's batteries, the enemy made an at,
erupt to cross the river, but were handsomely repulsed by the Nineteenth Georgia and the
batteries, with a loss of 200 men.
During this campaign the especial good conduct
of Colonels Brewer, [F.] Mallory, [R. W.] Folsom, and Maj. C. C. Cole deserves mention.
Captain Wright, of Georgia, commanding my escort, was invaluable to me, and proved himself
a cool, clear-headed fighter.
My thanks are due my staff for their hearty
co-operation and intelligent transmission of my orders under a fire frequently
uncomfortably hot--Maj. R. C. Morgan, assistant adjutant-general; Major [R. J.] Wingate,
Capt. R. H. T. Adams, signal officer; Lieut. Murray[F.] Taylor, aide-de-camp, and
Lieutenant [C. H.] Camfield, of my escort [Co. D, Cobb's Legion Cavalry].
My loss during this series of battles was 348
killed and 2,209 wounded; total, 2,557.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. P. HILL,
Major-General, Commanding Light Division.