Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill's Report
HEADQUARTERS LIGHT DIVISION,
Camp Gregg, Va., February 25, 1863.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my division from the crossing of the Rapidan, August 20, <ar16_670> to the repulse of the enemy at Castleman's Ferry, November 5, [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.
The morning after arriving (Sunday, the 24th) I was directed to occupy the hills covering this ford. My batteries were placed in eligible positions, the brigades being sheltered in rear of them. The enemy planted a number of batteries upon the hills across the river, and about 10 a.m. opened a heavy fire upon my batteries, which was continued without intermission until late in the afternoon. My batteries did not reply to this fire, but when their heavy columns of infantry advanced down the road toward the Springs simultaneously the batteries of Braxton, Latham, Davidson, Mcintosh, and Pegram poured in such a storm of shot that the enemy were scattered in the greatest confusion. Twice was this repeated. My own loss was 18; that of the enemy must have been heavy in comparison.
At night-fall I was relieved by Brigadier-General Hood, and the next morning commenced the flank movement to Manassas. A march of 54 miles was made in two days.
Wednesday morning [27th], at Manassas Junction, Branch's brigade had a sharp encounter with a battery supported by the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry. They were soon dispersed. Field, Pender, Archer, and Thomas were diverted to the right and directed toward the railroad bridge, and soon encountered the New Jersey Brigade of General Taylor. They had just arrived from Alexandria, disembarked from the cars, and were forming line of battle when they were attacked, routed completely, General Taylor mortally wounded, and 200 prisoners taken. The trains in which they came and the railroad bridge were destroyed. That night about 12 o'clock the depot buildings, with an immense amount of commissary stores and about two miles of loaded freight cars, were burned, and at 1 o'clock I moved my division to Centreville.
At 10 a.m. moved upon the Warrenton pike toward the stone bridge, when I received an order from General Jackson, dated battle-field of Manassas, 8 a.m., that the enemy were in full retreat, and to move down to the fords and intercept him; but having just seen two intercepted dispatches from Pope to McDowell, ordering the formation of his line of battle for the next day on Manassas Plains, I deemed it best to push on and join General Jackson. That evening (Thursday) there was a little artillery practice by some of my batteries on the enemy's infantry.
BATTLE OF MANASSAS.
Friday morning, in accordance with orders from General Jackson, I occupied the line of the unfinished railroad, my extreme left resting near Sudley Ford, my right near the point where the road strikes the open field, Gregg, Field, and Thomas in the front line, Gregg on the left, and Field on the right, with Branch, Pender, and Archer as supports. My batteries were in the open field in rear of the infantry, the nature of my position being such as to preclude the effective use of much artillery. The evident intention of the enemy this day was to turn our left <ar16_671> and overwhelm Jackson's corps before Longstreet come up, and to accomplish this the most persistent and furious onsets were made by column after column of infantry, accompanied by numerous batteries of artillery. Soon my reserves were all in, and up to 6 o'clock my division, assisted by the Louisiana Brigade of General Hays, commanded by Colonel Forno, with a heroic courage and obstinacy almost beyond parallel, had met and repulsed six distinct and separate assaults, a portion of the time the majority of the men being without a cartridge. The reply of the gallant Gregg to a message of mine is worthy of note: "Tell General Hill that my ammunition is exhausted, but that I will hold my position with the bayonet." The enemy prepared for a last and determined attempt. Their serried masses, overwhelming superiority of numbers, and bold bearing made the chances of victory to tremble in the balance; my own division exhausted by seven hours' unremitted fighting, hardly one round per man remaining, and weakened in all things save its unconquerable spirit. Casting about for help, fortunately it was here reported to me that the brigades of Generals Lawton and Early were near by, and sending to them they promptly moved to my front at the most opportune moment, and this last charge met the same disastrous fate that had befallen those preceding. Having received an order from General Jackson to endeavor to avoid a general engagement, my commanders of brigades contented themselves with repulsing the enemy and following them up but a few hundred yards.
During the night of the 29th my brigades were engaged in refilling cartridge boxes and generally putting themselves in condition for the morrow's fight. Brigadier-General Field was severely wounded, and I regret that his invaluable assistance was in consequence lost to me during the balance of the campaign. His gallant bearing and soldierly qualities gave him unbounded influence over his men, and they were ever ready to follow where he led. The command of his brigade devolved upon Colonel [J. M.] Brockenbrough, of the Fortieth Virginia. The gallant Forno was also stricken down with, as was supposed at the time, a mortal wound. Colonel [H. B.] Strong succeeded to his command. General Pender was knocked down by a shell, but, as once before, refused to leave the field. Archer's horse was killed under him. Branch, Pender, Brockenbrough, and Strong were brought from the front and placed in reserve.
On the 30th, about 2 o'clock, the enemy again made an attack along our whole line. The attack on my part of the line was gallantly resisted by Archer and Thomas, Gregg still holding the extreme left. This onset was so fierce and in such force that at first some headway was made, but throwing in Pender and Brockenbrough, their advance was again checked and eventually repulsed with great loss.
Later in the evening I sent a message to General Jackson that I had ordered my whole line to advance and it was approved, and he directed me to advance en échelon of brigades, refusing my left. This order was promptly carried out, Pender, Archer, Thomas, and Branch steadily advancing. Branch, on the extreme left, thrown considerably back, met no resistance; Brockenbrough, on the extreme right, being separated from his own division by one or two of Taliaferro's brigades, advanced in conjunction with them. Gregg and Strong were held back to meet a threatened movement on my left. The three brigades of Pender, Archer, and Thomas, however, held together and drove everything before them, capturing two batteries, many prisoners, and resting that night on Bull Run, and the ground thus won was occupied that night. These brigades had penetrated so far within the enemy's lines that Captain Ashe, assistant <ar16_672> adjutant-general to General Penned, was taken prisoner that night returning from my headquarters to his own brigade. The batteries of Brampton, Pegram, Mcintosh, and Crenshaw were gallantly served during this fight and did yeoman service.
The battle being thus gloriously won, my men slept among the dead and dying enemy. My loss was 199 killed, 1,308 wounded; total, 1,507, of which Gregg's brigade lost 619.
The brave Colonels [J. F.] Marshall, of South Carolina, and [W. A.] Forbes, of Tennessee, were killed. Lieutenant-Colonel [D. A.] Led-Setter, of South Carolina, also met a soldier's death. Colonels [D. Barnes, Edwards, and McGowan, Lieutenant-Colonels McCorkle, [T. S. Farrow, and McCrady, and Major [B. T.] Brockman, of Gregg's brigade were wounded. The stubborn tenacity with which Gregg's brigade held its position this day is worthy of highest commendation.
OX HILL.
Monday evening, September 1, the division arrived near German town, on the Little River turnpike, and it was understood the enemy were in force in a strong position known as Ox Hill, and prepared to dispute our farther passage. By direction of General Jackson I sent forward the brigades of Branch and Brockenbrough to feel and engage the enemy. This battle commenced under the most unfavorable circumstances--a heavy, blinding rain-storm directly in the faces of my men. These two brigades gallantly engaged the enemy, Branch being exposed to a very heavy fire in front and on his flank. Gregg, Pender, Thomas, and Archer were successively thrown in. The enemy obstinately con tested the ground, and it was not until the Federal Generals Kearny and Stevens had fallen in front of Thomas' brigade that they were driven from the ground. They did not, however, retire far until later during the night, when they entirely disappeared. The brunt of this fight was borne by Branch, Gregg, and Pender.
Colonel [R. H.] Riddick and Lieutenant-Colonel [Major Eli H.] Miller, of Pender's brigade, were mortally wounded, and Captain [L. W.] Stowe, commanding Sixteenth North Carolina, and Major [Jona.] Rivers, of Thomas' brigade, severely so. My loss was 39 killed and 267 wounded; total, 306.(*)
* * * * * * * * * *
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. P. HILL,
Major-General, Commanding Light Division.
Lieut. Col. C. J. FAULKNER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Army Corps.
<ar16_673>
[Inclosure.]
General summary of killed and wounded.
A Brigadier-generals. D Majors. G Non-commissioned officers.
B Colonels. E Captains. H Privates.
C Lieutenant-colonels. F Lieutenants. I Total killed and wounded.
------------------Killed.-------------------- -----------------Wounded.----------------------
Date of battles. A B C D E F G H A B C D E F G H I
1862
August 24 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 6 .... .... .... .... .... .... 2 10 18
August 27 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 5 .... .... .... .... .... 2 2 11 20
August 28 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 3 3
August 29 and 30 .... 1 1 .... 5 14 25 153 2 4 1 3 28 78 130 1,062 1,507
September 1 .... .... .... .... .... 5 2 32 .... 1 1 1 5 11 25 223 306
September 14 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 1 .... .... .... .... 1 3 2 47 54
September 15 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 2 .... .... .... .... .... 1 1 11 15
September 17 1 .... .... .... 1 2 16 43 1 1 .... .... 8 8 39 226 346
September 18 .... .... .... .... 1 .... 1 1 .... .... .... .... .... 3 3 17 26
September 20 .... .... .... .... 1 .... 2 27 .... .... .... 1 4 11 21 194 261
November 2 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 1 1 2
Total 1 1 1 .... 8 21 46 270 3 6 2 5 46 116 226 1,805 2,558
Camp Gregg, Va., February 25, 1863.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my division from the crossing of the Rapidan, August 20, <ar16_670> to the repulse of the enemy at Castleman's Ferry, November 5, [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.
The morning after arriving (Sunday, the 24th) I was directed to occupy the hills covering this ford. My batteries were placed in eligible positions, the brigades being sheltered in rear of them. The enemy planted a number of batteries upon the hills across the river, and about 10 a.m. opened a heavy fire upon my batteries, which was continued without intermission until late in the afternoon. My batteries did not reply to this fire, but when their heavy columns of infantry advanced down the road toward the Springs simultaneously the batteries of Braxton, Latham, Davidson, Mcintosh, and Pegram poured in such a storm of shot that the enemy were scattered in the greatest confusion. Twice was this repeated. My own loss was 18; that of the enemy must have been heavy in comparison.
At night-fall I was relieved by Brigadier-General Hood, and the next morning commenced the flank movement to Manassas. A march of 54 miles was made in two days.
Wednesday morning [27th], at Manassas Junction, Branch's brigade had a sharp encounter with a battery supported by the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry. They were soon dispersed. Field, Pender, Archer, and Thomas were diverted to the right and directed toward the railroad bridge, and soon encountered the New Jersey Brigade of General Taylor. They had just arrived from Alexandria, disembarked from the cars, and were forming line of battle when they were attacked, routed completely, General Taylor mortally wounded, and 200 prisoners taken. The trains in which they came and the railroad bridge were destroyed. That night about 12 o'clock the depot buildings, with an immense amount of commissary stores and about two miles of loaded freight cars, were burned, and at 1 o'clock I moved my division to Centreville.
At 10 a.m. moved upon the Warrenton pike toward the stone bridge, when I received an order from General Jackson, dated battle-field of Manassas, 8 a.m., that the enemy were in full retreat, and to move down to the fords and intercept him; but having just seen two intercepted dispatches from Pope to McDowell, ordering the formation of his line of battle for the next day on Manassas Plains, I deemed it best to push on and join General Jackson. That evening (Thursday) there was a little artillery practice by some of my batteries on the enemy's infantry.
BATTLE OF MANASSAS.
Friday morning, in accordance with orders from General Jackson, I occupied the line of the unfinished railroad, my extreme left resting near Sudley Ford, my right near the point where the road strikes the open field, Gregg, Field, and Thomas in the front line, Gregg on the left, and Field on the right, with Branch, Pender, and Archer as supports. My batteries were in the open field in rear of the infantry, the nature of my position being such as to preclude the effective use of much artillery. The evident intention of the enemy this day was to turn our left <ar16_671> and overwhelm Jackson's corps before Longstreet come up, and to accomplish this the most persistent and furious onsets were made by column after column of infantry, accompanied by numerous batteries of artillery. Soon my reserves were all in, and up to 6 o'clock my division, assisted by the Louisiana Brigade of General Hays, commanded by Colonel Forno, with a heroic courage and obstinacy almost beyond parallel, had met and repulsed six distinct and separate assaults, a portion of the time the majority of the men being without a cartridge. The reply of the gallant Gregg to a message of mine is worthy of note: "Tell General Hill that my ammunition is exhausted, but that I will hold my position with the bayonet." The enemy prepared for a last and determined attempt. Their serried masses, overwhelming superiority of numbers, and bold bearing made the chances of victory to tremble in the balance; my own division exhausted by seven hours' unremitted fighting, hardly one round per man remaining, and weakened in all things save its unconquerable spirit. Casting about for help, fortunately it was here reported to me that the brigades of Generals Lawton and Early were near by, and sending to them they promptly moved to my front at the most opportune moment, and this last charge met the same disastrous fate that had befallen those preceding. Having received an order from General Jackson to endeavor to avoid a general engagement, my commanders of brigades contented themselves with repulsing the enemy and following them up but a few hundred yards.
During the night of the 29th my brigades were engaged in refilling cartridge boxes and generally putting themselves in condition for the morrow's fight. Brigadier-General Field was severely wounded, and I regret that his invaluable assistance was in consequence lost to me during the balance of the campaign. His gallant bearing and soldierly qualities gave him unbounded influence over his men, and they were ever ready to follow where he led. The command of his brigade devolved upon Colonel [J. M.] Brockenbrough, of the Fortieth Virginia. The gallant Forno was also stricken down with, as was supposed at the time, a mortal wound. Colonel [H. B.] Strong succeeded to his command. General Pender was knocked down by a shell, but, as once before, refused to leave the field. Archer's horse was killed under him. Branch, Pender, Brockenbrough, and Strong were brought from the front and placed in reserve.
On the 30th, about 2 o'clock, the enemy again made an attack along our whole line. The attack on my part of the line was gallantly resisted by Archer and Thomas, Gregg still holding the extreme left. This onset was so fierce and in such force that at first some headway was made, but throwing in Pender and Brockenbrough, their advance was again checked and eventually repulsed with great loss.
Later in the evening I sent a message to General Jackson that I had ordered my whole line to advance and it was approved, and he directed me to advance en échelon of brigades, refusing my left. This order was promptly carried out, Pender, Archer, Thomas, and Branch steadily advancing. Branch, on the extreme left, thrown considerably back, met no resistance; Brockenbrough, on the extreme right, being separated from his own division by one or two of Taliaferro's brigades, advanced in conjunction with them. Gregg and Strong were held back to meet a threatened movement on my left. The three brigades of Pender, Archer, and Thomas, however, held together and drove everything before them, capturing two batteries, many prisoners, and resting that night on Bull Run, and the ground thus won was occupied that night. These brigades had penetrated so far within the enemy's lines that Captain Ashe, assistant <ar16_672> adjutant-general to General Penned, was taken prisoner that night returning from my headquarters to his own brigade. The batteries of Brampton, Pegram, Mcintosh, and Crenshaw were gallantly served during this fight and did yeoman service.
The battle being thus gloriously won, my men slept among the dead and dying enemy. My loss was 199 killed, 1,308 wounded; total, 1,507, of which Gregg's brigade lost 619.
The brave Colonels [J. F.] Marshall, of South Carolina, and [W. A.] Forbes, of Tennessee, were killed. Lieutenant-Colonel [D. A.] Led-Setter, of South Carolina, also met a soldier's death. Colonels [D. Barnes, Edwards, and McGowan, Lieutenant-Colonels McCorkle, [T. S. Farrow, and McCrady, and Major [B. T.] Brockman, of Gregg's brigade were wounded. The stubborn tenacity with which Gregg's brigade held its position this day is worthy of highest commendation.
OX HILL.
Monday evening, September 1, the division arrived near German town, on the Little River turnpike, and it was understood the enemy were in force in a strong position known as Ox Hill, and prepared to dispute our farther passage. By direction of General Jackson I sent forward the brigades of Branch and Brockenbrough to feel and engage the enemy. This battle commenced under the most unfavorable circumstances--a heavy, blinding rain-storm directly in the faces of my men. These two brigades gallantly engaged the enemy, Branch being exposed to a very heavy fire in front and on his flank. Gregg, Pender, Thomas, and Archer were successively thrown in. The enemy obstinately con tested the ground, and it was not until the Federal Generals Kearny and Stevens had fallen in front of Thomas' brigade that they were driven from the ground. They did not, however, retire far until later during the night, when they entirely disappeared. The brunt of this fight was borne by Branch, Gregg, and Pender.
Colonel [R. H.] Riddick and Lieutenant-Colonel [Major Eli H.] Miller, of Pender's brigade, were mortally wounded, and Captain [L. W.] Stowe, commanding Sixteenth North Carolina, and Major [Jona.] Rivers, of Thomas' brigade, severely so. My loss was 39 killed and 267 wounded; total, 306.(*)
* * * * * * * * * *
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. P. HILL,
Major-General, Commanding Light Division.
Lieut. Col. C. J. FAULKNER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Army Corps.
<ar16_673>
[Inclosure.]
General summary of killed and wounded.
A Brigadier-generals. D Majors. G Non-commissioned officers.
B Colonels. E Captains. H Privates.
C Lieutenant-colonels. F Lieutenants. I Total killed and wounded.
------------------Killed.-------------------- -----------------Wounded.----------------------
Date of battles. A B C D E F G H A B C D E F G H I
1862
August 24 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 6 .... .... .... .... .... .... 2 10 18
August 27 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 5 .... .... .... .... .... 2 2 11 20
August 28 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 3 3
August 29 and 30 .... 1 1 .... 5 14 25 153 2 4 1 3 28 78 130 1,062 1,507
September 1 .... .... .... .... .... 5 2 32 .... 1 1 1 5 11 25 223 306
September 14 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 1 .... .... .... .... 1 3 2 47 54
September 15 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 2 .... .... .... .... .... 1 1 11 15
September 17 1 .... .... .... 1 2 16 43 1 1 .... .... 8 8 39 226 346
September 18 .... .... .... .... 1 .... 1 1 .... .... .... .... .... 3 3 17 26
September 20 .... .... .... .... 1 .... 2 27 .... .... .... 1 4 11 21 194 261
November 2 .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 1 1 2
Total 1 1 1 .... 8 21 46 270 3 6 2 5 46 116 226 1,805 2,558
