me from among the dispersed forces, (which did not amount to a large number, as many said they were looking for proper commands,) and accompa nied by Captain William Berkley, of the Eighth Virginia regiment, and Lieutenants McIntyre and Sorrell, of my staff, I joined General Drayton's command south of the village. I found, on my arrival, that the enemy had been successfully repulsed, only a few skirmishers remaining in sight, which were being driven back by our troops of the same description. The conduct of the brigade during this most trying day, under destructive fires from artillery and musketry, is deserving of the highest commendation, officers and men generally acting with the utmost bravery and coolness. The names of those particularly mentioned by regimental commanders will be found in their reports, herewith furnished. My staff, Lieutenants McIntyre, Johnston, (who was wounded in the foot shortly after the infantry engagement commenced, and in consequence of which he lost his leg,) and. Sorrell are entitled to my thanks for meritorious and gallant services during the day. I feel it duty, and grateful to my feelings, again to recur to the part taken by Captain Moody's section of artillery. It is partly due to At length, for some cause unknown to me, a large portion of the pieces were withdrawn, and I moved my command farther back to a more secure place. Having been here a short time, I was informed that a portion of Colonel Stephen D. Lee's battalion had taken the place of the Washington artillery, and wished some skirmishers to protect his pieces from the sharpshooters of the enemy. I sent forward the Fifty-sixth regiment, under the command of Captain McPhail, for this purpose. Not long after I learned that the enemy had crossed the Antietam, a stream in our front, in very large force, and was moving toward the point occupied by the artillery. I again moved forward my force, and took up a position in front of two pieces of Colonel Lee's battalion, in a cornfield, with space enough between the wings for them to be used with effect. The fiftysixth regiment, which was in front, was recalled, and rejoined the left wing of the main body. Soon a large number of the enemy's skirmishers were seen to our left, as if to flank us; there were none of our forces in sight in that direction. A brisk fire from the left checked and finally caused them to retire. Now a large force made its appearance, marching to the front, having debouched from the woods on the banks of the Antietam, which had partially concealed them; at the same time heavy bodies were observed moving to at- the brave and energetic manner with which it was tack our troops on the right, composed of Drayton's and a portion of Kemper's brigade. I moved my command some distance to the front in the standing corn, (as many of my guns were short range,) in order that they could produce more effect, and opened fire. At this time I do not think my effective force could have exceeded two hundred men; yet these, with two rifled pieces, most gallantly and skilfully served, under the command of Captain Moody, and superintended by Colonel Lee, checked and held at bay a force of the enemy many times our number. When this unequal contest had lasted over an hour, I discovered that the Federals had turned our extreme right, which began to give way; and a number of the Yankee This report has been delayed for the reasons flags appeared on the hill in rear of the town, and assigned in my report of the battle of Boonsboro'. not far from our only avenue of escape. I or- A list of killed, wounded, &c., is herewith furdered the brigade to fall back, deeming it in im-nished, as far as could be obtained. minent danger of being surrounded and captured, as it would have been impossible for it to have held its position without the support of the troops on the right. There being some delay in withdrawing Moody's section of artillery, I take pleasure in saying I saw Major Cabell halt and face his men about, to await its removal, as mentioned in his official report. The main street of the town was commanded by the Federal artillery; my troops passed, therefore, for the most part, to the north of the town, along the cross streets. In this direction I found troops scattered in squads from various parts of the army, so that it was impossible to distinguish men of the different commands. Having reached the rear of the town, and learning that General Toombs had reënforced our right just after it was driven back, and restored the fortunes of the day in that quarter, I as many men as I could get to follow handled that the infantry were enabled to hold their position, and it is, therefore, entitled to a full share of the credit for whatever success attended our efforts on that part of the field. Colonel Lee, at times during the action, personally assisted at his pieces. His bravery and intrepidity at the battle of Sharpsburg should add fresh fame to the high reputation he has already won. In this battle, as in former ones, we are called on to deplore the loss of many brave spirits, who have sealed their devotion to the southern cause with their life's blood. May their memories ever be enshrined in the hearts of their countrymen! Very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. B. GARNETT, Major Archer Anderson, Assistant Adjutant- MAJOR: On the evening of September thirteenth, I received orders from Major-General D. H. Hill to march with my brigade and take a position, with it and a battery of artillery, on the eminence immediately on the north-east of Boonsboro', and to send a regiment, at daylight on the following morning, to occupy the Hamburg pass. This was accomplished, and on the following morning, at an early hour, Colonel Doles, with the Fourth Georgia regiment, was in position at the pass. At about nine o'clock, I received orders to send forward my artillery, and, soon after, to move with the whole force to the main pass east of Boonsboro'. Upon arriving, I was ordered to follow the road leading to Braddock's Gap, and place myself in communication with BrigadierGeneral Anderson, who had preceded me in that direction. Upon coming up and communicating with that officer, it was arranged that he should extend along the Braddock road and make room for the troops of my command, and that an attack should be made upon the enemy, then occupying the heights to the south. While taking position General Hill arrived, and, with him, BrigadierGeneral Drayton's command. General Hill directed General Anderson's and my command to extend still farther on this road, making room for General Drayton's troops, and that the attack should be made as soon as all were in position. tam river, on the fifteenth, under orders from Major-General Longstreet, during the temporary absence of the division commander, I posted my own, Anderson's, and McRae's brigades on the heights overlooking the river, with the right resting on the road from Boonsboro' to Sharpsburg, facing the river. The troops bivouacked during the remainder of the fifteenth and the sixteenth in this position. On the morning of the sixteenth, the enemy made his appearance in force in our front, and from about nine o'clock until nightfall, we were subjected to annoying artillery fire. During the evening I received orders to move my brigade to the left of our division, and take up a position to cover a road leading from our left to the turnpike leading from Sharpsburg to Hagerstown, and in support of certain batteries of artillery in our vicinity. The troops rested on their arms during the night of the sixteenth. General Anderson's and my own brigade got into position on the road, and General Drayton's Early on the morning of the seventeenth, the command was rapidly forming, when the action skirmishers of Colonel Walker's brigade, of Jackcommenced by the enemy attacking him in force. son's corps, immediately on my left, became enThis he sustained for some time, General Ander- gaged, and the enemy, from his batteries on the son's and my own brigades pushing forward eastern bank of the Antietam, opened a severe enthrough dense thickets and up very steep accliv-filading fire on the troops of my command, the posiities to outflank the enemy and come in to Gen- tion which we had been ordered to occupy being in eral Drayton's support. The natural difficulties full view of nearly all of his batteries. This fire of the ground and the condition of the troops inflicted severe loss before the troops were called prevented these movements from being made into positive action, the men laying under it with the rapidity which was desirable, and the without flinching for over an hour, while the eneenemy forced his way to the Braddock road be- my plied his guns unceasingly. During this while tween General Drayton's force and my own, and a set of farm buildings in our front were set on sent a column of troops down the road as if to fire to prevent their being made use of by the cut off the troops forming our right. In this enemy. At about eight o'clock, I received orders object he was thwarted by two pieces of artillery to close in to my left and advance. The troops belonging to Colonel Rosser's cavalry, which was sprung to their arms with alacrity, and moved speedily placed in position a short distance in our forward through the burning buildings in our rear, on the Braddock road. A few well-directed front, re-formed on the farther side, and opened a shot and shell drove the enemy up the hill, leav-rapid fire upon the enemy. While engaged in reing the road in our possession. Meantime, General Anderson had extended to the right, and came up with the enemy, with whom he had a short engagement. My own brigade had pressed up to within a short distance of the crest of the heights, and held its position, under a noisy but comparatively harmless fire; but, Anderson's brigade having extended far to the right, it was, for the time, unsupported by any other troops. Soon after, Brigadier-General Hood's command came from the main pass, and, forming upon my left, the troops pressed up the road, driving the enemy before them, until they occupied their first position, and darkness put an end to the operations. I found, soon afterward, that General Anderson's command had been withdrawn, at nightfall, from the heights to the Braddock road. Orders were received from Major-General Longstreet to renew the attack as early as practicable, and arrangements were in progress, when further orders were received to move back to the main road and follow the army. The movement was made without confusion, and, upon coming on the road near Boonsboro', the route was taken following the main army to Sharpsburg. Upon arriving on the west bank of the Antie- forming the brigade I received a shot in the neck, which disabled me, and the troops moved forward under command of Colonel Doles, of the Fourth Georgia regiment. After an absence of an hour and a half, I returned to the field, with such force as I could collect from detachments, and found my brigade relieved and in position to the west of Sharpsburg. I remained with it until the afternoon, when, finding myself faint and exhausted, I relinquished the command to Colonel Doles, to whose report I must refer for the operations of the brigade while under his command. I noticed the gallant and efficient conduct of officers and men, which, in many instances, was admirable, especially in consideration of the hardships to which they had been subjected, many having been without food for twenty-four and some for forty-eight hours. The commanding officers of regiments, Colonel Doles, of the Fourth Georgia; Colonel DeRosset, of the Third North Carolina, (severely wounded;) Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, of the First North Carolina, and Captain Key, of the Forty-fourth Georgia, all led their troops gallantly. They were ably seconded by their respective field officers, and I concur in the remarks REPORT OF COLONEL COLQUITT, COMMAND vanced to the position it occupied the day previ ous. Upon the right of the road across the valley, and upon the hill-side, three regiments were placed, with instructions to connect with General Garland's line on the right. The force was insufficient to reach that distance, and there was a gap left of three or four hundred yards between the two brigades. The remaining regi ments of my brigade, to wit, the Twenty-third and Twenty-eighth Georgia, were put in position on the left of the turnpike, under cover of a stone fence and a channel worn by water down the mountain side. The first attack of the enemy was made upon the extreme right of my line, as with the view to pass in the opening between Garland's and my command. This was met and repulsed by a small body of skirmishers and a few companies of the Sixth Georgia. At four o'clock in the afternoon, a large force had been concentrated in my front, and was moving up the ING BRIGADE, OF BATTLE OF SOUTH MOUN- valley, along each side of the turnpike. I in TAIN. BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, NEAR Major J. W. Ratchford, Assistant-Adjutant Gen- formed General Hill of the movement, and asked for supports. Being pressed at other points, he had none to give me. The enemy advanced slowly, but steadily, preceded by skirmishers. Upon the right of the road, four hundred yards in SIR: Herewith I submit a report of the action advance of my line, there was a thick growth of of my brigade in the battle of South Mountain, woods, with fields opening in front and around September fourteenth. On the night of Septem- them. In these I had concealed four companies ber twelfth, I left the camp of the division, with of skirmishers, under the command of Captain the brigade and Captain Lane's battery, with in- Arnold. As the enemy advanced, the skirmishers structions to occupy the commanding points at poured upon his flank a sudden and unexpected Boonville, four miles to the rear. The march, fire, which caused the troops on this part of his and the unavoidable delay in selecting positions line to give back in confusion. They were subin the dark, consumed most of the night. Early sequently rallied and thrown to the right, strengththe next morning General Hill arrived. While ening the attack to be made upon my left. Two engaged in making a reconnoissance, he received regiments here were to meet at least five, perhaps information that General Stuart, commanding the ten times their numbers. Nobly did they do it. cavalry in rear, stood in need of support. I was Confident in their superior numbers, the enemy's ordered to move at once, with my brigade and the forces advanced to a short distance of our lines, battery of artillery. Proceeding along the turn- when, raising a shout, they came to a charge. pike two and a half or three miles, I reached the As they came full into view upon the rising summit of South Mountain, and discovered the ground, forty paces distant, they were met by a enemy's cavalry advancing and ours gradually terrific volley of musketry from the stone fence giving back. I reported my arrival to General and hill-side. This gave a sudden check to their Stuart, and consulted with him as to the best advance. They rallied under cover of the uneven disposition of the forces. Two pieces of artillery ground, and the fight opened in earnest. They were ordered to the front, to a position com- made still another effort to advance, but were manding the turnpike leading down the valley, kept back by the steady fire of our men. The continued advance of the enemy rendered fight continued, with fury, until after dark. Not the execution of the order impracticable. They an inch of ground was yielded; the ammunition were thrown rapidly into position at the most of many of the men was exhausted, but they stood available points, and the infantry disposed upon with bayonets fixed. The the right and left of the road. The enemy made I am proud of the officers and men of no further efforts to advance, and, at dark, with- my command, for their noble conduct on this drew from my immediate front. To the right and day. Especial credit is due to Colonel Barleft of the turnpike, a mile distant on either side, clay, of the Twenty-third Georgia, and Major were practicable roads leading over the mountain, Graybill, Twenty-eighth Georgia, who, with their and connecting a cross-road along the ridge with regiments, met and defeated the fiercest asthe turnpike. Upon each of these roads I threw saults of the enemy. My thanks are due Lieuout strong infantry pickets, the cavalry being tenants Jordan and Grattan, of my staff, for withdrawn, and my main body was retired to the their assistance this day. rear of the cross-road, leaving a line of skirmishers in front. Early next morning my pickets were in, being relieved by other forces which had during and my brigade ad Very respectfully, A. H. COLQUITT, by their boldness, that they were supported by a line in rear. During the engagement of this day, I had the misfortune to lose my Acting AssistantAdjutant-General, Lieutenant R. P. Jordan. He fell while gallantly dashing toward the enemy's line. I have not known a more active, efficient, and fearless officer. Lieutenant Grattan, my Aidde-camp, was conspicuously bold in the midst of danger, and untiring in the discharge of his duties. I regret that I cannot here mention the names of all, dead and living, who are entitled to a tribute at my hands. About seven o'clock in the morning, my brigade entered the fight. It was moved to the front, and formed on the right of General Ripley's brigade, which was then engaged. After a few rounds had been discharged, I ordered an advance, and at the same time sent word to the regiments on my left to advance simultaneously. The order was responded to with spirit by my men, and, with a shout, they moved through the cornfield REPORT OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL R. E. RODES. Respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS RODES'S BRIGADE, WRIGHT'S FARM, VA., October 13, 1862. Major J. W. Ratchford, A. A. G. to Major-General D. H. Hill's Division: MAJOR: I have the honor, herewith, to report the operations of this brigade during the actions of the fourteenth and seventeenth September, in Maryland. On the morning of the fourteenth, my brigade relieved Anderson's about a half mile west of Boonsboro'. Toward noon it was ordered to follow Ripley's brigade to the top of the South Mountain. Overtaking Ripley's brigade on the mountain, it was halted, and I immediately reported to Major-General Hill. After looking over the field of battle, I was ordered by MajorGeneral Hill to take position on the ridge immediately to the left of the gap through which the main road runs. Remaining there for three fourths of an hour, part of the time under artillery fire, and throwing out scouts and skirmishers to the left and front, I was then ordered to occupy another bare hill about three quarters of a mile still farther to the left. The whole brigade was moved to that hill, crossing, in doing so, a deep gorge which separated the hills. This movement left a wide interval between the right of my brigade, which, in its last position, rested in the gorge, and the balance of the division, which being reported to General Hill, together with the fact that no troops supported the battery on the first-mentioned ridge, by his order, I sent back one of my regiments (the Twelfth Alabama) to support the battery. in front, two hundred yards wide, and formed on the line of fence. The enemy was near and in full view. In a moment or two his ranks began to break before our fire, and the line soon disappeared under the crest of the hill upon which it had been established. It was soon replaced by another, and the fire opened with renewed vigor. In the mean time, Garland's brigade, which had been ordered to my right, had given way, and the enemy were advancing, unchecked. The regiments upon my left having also failed to advance, we were exposed to a fire from all sides, and nearly surrounded. I sent in haste to the rear for reenforcements, and communicated to General Hill the exposed condition of my men. With steady supports upon the right, we could yet maintain our position. The supports were not at hand, and could not reach us in time. The enemy closed in upon the right so near that our ranks were scarcely distinguishable. At the same time, his line in front advanced. My men stood firm until every field officer but one had fallen, and then made the best of their way out. In this sharp and unequal conflict, I lost many of my best officers and one half of the men in the ranks. If the brigades upon the right and left had advanced, we should have driven the enemy from the field. He had at one time broken in our front, but we had not strength to push the advantage. Colonel Smith, of the Twenty-seventh Georgia, Colonel Barclay, of the Twenty-third Georgia, and Lieutenant-Colonel Newton, commanding the Sixth Georgia, fell at the head of their regiments. Their loss is irreparable. Upon every battle-field they had distinguished By this time the enemy's line of battle was themselves for coolness and gallantry. Colonel pretty well developed, and in full view. It beFry, of the Thirteenth Alabama, and Captain came evident that he intended to attack with a Garrison, commanding Twenty-eighth Georgia, line covering both ridges and the gorge before were severely wounded. Subsequent to the action mentioned, and extending some half a mile to my of the forenoon, portions of my brigade encoun- left. I had, immediately after my arrival on the tered the enemy in two desultory engagements, in which they stood before superior numbers, and gave a check to their advance. In one of these, a small party were placed under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Betts, and directed to deploy as skirmishers along the crest of a hill upon which the enemy was advancing. They did so, with good effect, keeping back a large force by their annoying fire, and the apprehension, excited extreme left, discovered that the hill there was accessible to artillery, and that a good road passing by the left of said hill from the enemy's line continued immediately in my rear, and entered the main road about a half mile west of the gap. Under these circumstances, I sent for artillery, and determined upon the only plan by which the enemy could be prevented from immediately obtaining possession of said road, and thus march that the Third Alabama came up on its right. The Twenty-sixth Alabama, which had been placed on my right, was by this time completely demoralized; its Colonel (O'Neal) was wounded, and the men mingled in utter confusion with some South Carolina stragglers, on the summit of the hill, who stated that their brigade had been compelled to give way, and had retired. Notwithstanding this, if true, left my rear entirely exposed again, I had no time or means to examine the worth of their statement. I determined, in accordance with the orders I received about this time, in reply to my last request for reenforcements, to fight on on the new front. My loss up to this time had been heavy in all the regiments except the Twelfth Alabama. The Fifth Alabama, which had occupied the left centre, got separated into two parts in endeavoring to follow up the flank movement of Gordon's ing entirely in our rear without difficulty, and that was to extend my line as far as I could to the left, to let the right rest in the gorge still, and to send to my superiors for reenforcements, to continue the line from my right to the gap on the main road, an interval of three quarters of a mile at least. Having thrown out skirmishers along the whole front and to the left, they very soon became engaged with the enemy's skirmishers. This was about three P. M., and it was perfectly evident then that my force of about twelve hundred muskets was opposed to one which outflanked mine, on either side, by at least half a mile. I thought the enemy's force opposed to my brigade was at least a division. In a short time the firing became steady along the whole line, the enemy advancing very slowly; the danger of his possessing the top of the left hill, and thus being in my rear, became so imminent, that I had to cause my left regiment (the Sixth Alabama, un-regiment; both parts became engaged again beder Colonel Gordon) to move along the brow of the hill under fire, still farther to the left. He did so in good style, and having a fair opportunity to do so with advantage, charged and drove the enemy back a short distance. By this time the enemy, though met gallantly by all of the regiments with me, had penetrated between them, and had begun to swing their extreme right around toward my rear, making for the head of the gorge, up the bottom and sides of which the whole of my force, except the Sixth Alabama, had to retreat, if at all. I renewed again and yet again my application for reënforcements; but none came. Some artillery, under Captain Carter, who was moving up without orders, and some of Captain Cutts's, under a gallant Lieutenant, whose name I do not now recollect, was reported by the last-named officer to be on its way to my relief; but at this time the enemy had obtained possession of the summit of the left hill before spoken of, and had command of the road in rear of the main mountain; the artillery could only have been used by being hauled up on the high peaks, which arose upon the summit of the ridge just at the head of the gorge before mentioned. This they had not time to do, and hence I ordered it back. Just before this, I heard that some Confederate troops had joined my right very nearly. fore they could rejoin, and the right battalion was finally cut off entirely; the left and smaller battalion, under Major Hobson's gallant manage ment, though flanked, wheeled against the flanking party, and, by desperate fighting, silenced the enemy so far as to enable his little command to make its way to the peak before mentioned. In the first attack of the enemy up the bottom of the gorge, they pushed on so vigorously as to catch Captain Ready and a portion of his party of skirmishers, and separate the Third from the Fifth Alabama regiment. The Third made a most gallant resistance at this point, and had my line been a continuous one, it could never have been forced. Having reestablished my line, though still with wide intervals, necessarily, on the high peak, (this was done under constant fire and in full view of the enemy, now in full possession of the extreme left hill and of the gorge,) the fight at close quarters was resumed, and again accompanied by the enemy's throwing their, by this time apparently interminable right, around toward my rear. In this position the Sixth Alabama and the Twelfth suffered pretty severely; the latter, together with the remainder of the Third Alabama, which had been well handled by Colonel Battle, was forced to retire, and in so doing lost heavily; its Colonel (Gayle) was seen to fall, and its Lieutenant-Colonel (Pickens) was shot through the lungs. The former was left on the field, supposed to be dead; Pickens was brought off. Gordon's regiment retired slowly, now being under an enfilading as well as direct fire, and in danger of being sur rounded; but was still, fortunately for the whole command, held together by its able commander. Finding that the enemy were forcing my right back, and that the only chance to continue the fight was to change my front so as to face to the left, I ordered all the regiments to fall back up the gorge and sides of the mountain, fighting, the whole concentrating around the high peak before mentioned. This enabled me to face the enemy's right again, and to make another short After this I could meet the enemy with no orstand with Gordon's excellent regiment, which he ganized force, except Gordon's regiment; one had kept constantly in hand, and had handled in a more desperate stand was made by it from an manner I have never seen or heard equalled dur- advantageous position. The enemy by this time ing this war, and with the remainders of the Fifth, were nearly on top of the highest peak, and were Third, and Twelfth Alabama regiments, I found pushing on when Gordon's regiment, unexpectedly the Twelfth had been relieved by other troops to them, opened fire on their front and checked and closed in toward my right; but had passed them. This last stand was so disastrous to the in rear of the original line so far that, upon re- enemy that it attracted the attention of the strag establishing the line on the main peak, I found glers even, many of whom Colonel Battle and I |