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828 Series I Volume XI-II Serial 13 - Peninsular Campaign Part II

Page 828 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN,VA. Chapter XXIII.

Alexander Gilchrist, Alexander Nethery, R. D. Riggins, John D. Allgood, Samuel W. Crowder, James Singleton, George T. Tucker, C. S. Roffe, and Henry Hoteln.

Company H.- The regimental commander reports Private Dudley as worthy of especial mention.

Company I.- Captain W. W. Wood was severely shocked by a bomb early in the action. The regimental commander reports all as having behaved well.

Company K.- Captain G. K. Griggs reports all as having behaved so well that he cannot mention one above another without doing injustice.

The regimental commander reports the color sergeant and guard as having won for themselves immortal honor. It consisted of Sergt. L. P. H. Tarpley, killed while gallantly carrying the colors in advance of the regiment; Color Corpl. Cornelius Gilbert, mortally wounded, since died from the same; Color Corpls. L. D. Watkins, C. C. Gregory, and John Burlington, for gallantry bearing the colors in turn in advance of the regiment. Color Corpl. William M. Bohannon behaved gallantly, and brought our colors from the field upon a musket, the staff having previously been shivered into fragments.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

JOS. R. CABELL,

Major, Commanding Thirty-eighth Regiment Virginia Volunteers.


No. 320. Report of Colonel H.b. Tomlin,

Fifty-third Virginia Infantry, of the battle of Malvern Hill.

JULY 10, 1862.

SIR: On June 29 the Fifty-third Regiment, reduced in strength by sickness and death to a very small number, marched from our camp on the Richmond and York River Railroad,as a part of Brigadier-General Armistead's brigade, in pursuit of the enemy retreating from before Richmond to the James River.

On Tuesday, July 1, after lying in the woods for some time, we marched in line of battle through woods to the edge of the field on Crew's farm. After receiving several orders from General Armistead through his aides I waited upon him in person, and was instructed by him to throw forward into the field to the distance of 50 yards one company as skirmishers, with a field officer in command, and to support them, if attacked, at every hazard; and in case of my wanting re-enforcements, to communicate the fact to him and he would send them. In obedience to his instructions I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Waddil to execute this command with Captain R. W. Martin's Company Immediately upon deploying this company the artillery was brought from the woods the field, and the attack became sufficiently spirited and warm to justify the advance of my regiment to the support of my skirmishers. From the woods to the summit of the hill the ground was gently sloping; the men were ordered to trail arms, and bending forward and low to use the crown of the hill as a protection until they reached the position occupied by the skirmishers, when they were commanded to charge, and at a run drove the enemy back, and advancing, occupied a ravine some 500 to 600 yards from the woods.

During this distance we encountered a red [hot] storm of every deadly missile. Fletcher Harwood, of Company K, acting as

color-bearer


Page 828 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN,VA. Chapter XXIII.