Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[593] J. A. Cowan, and H. H. Barnes, and private J. D. Barton, of this regiment, were greatly distinguished for their courage. Private J. B. Stinson, of same regiment, acting as courier to General Anderson, was wounded in three places at Sharpsburg, and there, as on every other battlefield, behaved most nobly. Colonel Bennet, of the Fourteenth North Carolina, commends Captains Jones, Freeman, Bell, Debun, and Weir, Lieutenants Liles, Mitchell, Harney, Shankle, Bevers, Threadgill, Meachem, Sergeants Jenkins, McLester, Corporal Crump, privates McGregor, Beasley, Odell, and Morgan. The Second North Carolina, after the death of the gallant and accomplished Tew, was commanded by Captain Roberts, since resigned. The Thirtieth North Carolina, after the fall of its gallant Colonel, was commanded by Major Sillers, a brave and meritorious officer.

I much regret that the officers of these two regiments have declined to present the names of those specially distinguished for coolness and courage. The Thirteenth North Carolina, under Lieutenant-Colonel Ruffin, greatly distinguished itself at South Mountain. I regret that I have no report from that heroic officer, now absent, sick. He often, however, spoke of the great gallantry of Sergeant Walter S. Williamson.

Respectfully submitted.

Colonel: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my division, from the crossing of the Rapidan, August twentieth, to the repulse of the enemy at Castleman's Ferry, November fifth, 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 Lieutenant-Colonel L. Walker, chief of artillery.

The march was without incident of importance, until arriving at the ford opposite Warrenton Springs. The morning after arriving, (Sunday, the twenty-fourth,) I was directed to occupy the hills crowning 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 ten 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 but eignteen; that of the enemy must have been heavy in comparison. At nightfall, I was relieved by Brigadier-General Hood, and the next morning commenced the flank movement to Manassas. A march of thirty-four miles was made in two days.

Wednesday morning, 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 directed to the right and 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, and routed completely, General Taylor mortally wounded, and two hundred prisoners taken; the train in which they came and the railroad bridge were destroyed. That night, about twelve o'clock, the depot buildings, with an immense amount of commissary stores, and about two miles of loaded freight cars, were burned; and, at one o'clock, I moved my division to Centreville. At ten A. M., moved upon the Warrenton pike, toward the stone bridge, when I received an order from General Jackson, dated battle-field of Manassas, eight 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 despatches 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's 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 and overwhelm Jackson's corps before Longstreet came up, and to accomplish this, the most persistent and furious onsets was made, by column after column of infantry, accompanied by numerous batteries of artillery. Soon my reserves were all in, and up to six o'clock, my division, assisted by the Louisiana brigade of General Hays, commanded by Colonel Forno, with an 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 notice: “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