Today in History:

533 Series I Volume V- Serial 5 - West Virginia

Page 533 Chapter XIV. WITHDRAWAL OF CONFEDERATE FORCES.


No. 6. Report of Colonel Wade Hampton, C. S. Army.

GENERAL: On my arrival here I had the honor to make to you a report of my movement from the Occoquan, and I now beg to lay before you a more detailed statement, showing the quantity of public stores removed from my different camps on the line I occupied, as well as the amount of property destroyed.

Before doing this, I must, in justice to my command, state the positions occupied by me and give the amount of transportation at my disposal. The brigade store-house was at Bacon Race Church, 9 miles from Manassas by the nearest road, and by the only one we could use 12 miles. Here a very large amount of public and private property was accumulated. Three miles in front of the church I had two regiments posted, one at Wolf Run Shoals and the other at the lower Davis' Ford. Three batteries were also stationed near the church, one regiment (the Nineteenth Georgia) was placed near Occoquan Village, 7 miles from Bacon Race, and the Legion was opposite Colchester, 2 miles lower down. My brigade thus occupied a line on the river 12 miles long, and had to be supplied with forage and subsistence from Manassas altogether. Knowing the difficulties of my position, Major Barbour frequently sent trains from Manassas to the church to bring my supplies so far. The Sixteenth North Carolina Regiment, at Wolf Run, had ten wagons; the Fourteenth Georgia, at Davis' Ford, had nine; the Nineteenth Georgia had four, and the Legion seven. The teams, with the exception of those with the Legion, were in wretched order, and the roads were almost impassable.

At 3.30 p.m., while I was on my return from Bacon Race, on Friday, the 7th instant, I received your order to march at daylight the next morning. Couriers were at once sent to the different regiments, and in spite of the short and our very limited transportation the trains began to move at the hour appointed. My own movement was delayed by an attack of the enemy on my picket at Colchester. I marched the Legion down to repel this attack, and as soon as I thought it safe to do so they were withdrawn and put in motion.

All the guns of my sick men and all the ammunition were first placed in the wagons, and all were brought to this point except a small quantity of ammunition, which had to be destroyed on the road because the teams were unable to haul it. From the same cause I was forced to leave on the road fifty-nine of my tents. They were not destroyed until all the private baggage of the men had met the same fate. With the wagons you sent to me, and which did not reach me until 4.30 a.m. on the 8th, I moved all the public stores I possibly could. Be sides this, I sent back to Manassas 130 sick. Twelve wagons were loaded with public stores, and nine with those of the commissary department. Forage had also to be brought with us a great of the march.

With the means at my disposal I moved, literally in face of the enemy, four regiments of infantry, three batteries, containing 31 guns and gun-carriages, and 120 cavalry, bringing all to this point safely, over roads that were scarcely passable, a distance of 50 miles. There was no straggling, no confusion, and after the first day's march no loss of any property. If ample transportation had been placed at my command, not one particle of property, public or private, would have been destroyed. As it was,


Page 533 Chapter XIV. WITHDRAWAL OF CONFEDERATE FORCES.