Today in History:

918 Series I Volume XXV-I Serial 39 - Chancellorsville Part I

Page 918 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.

Its gallantry has cost it many noble sacrifices, and we are called upon to mourn the loss of some of our bravest spirits. The fearless [T. J.] Purdie was killed while urging forward his men; the gentle but gallant [J. L.] Hill, after the works had been taken; and Johnnie Young, a mere boy, not yet eighteen, but a brave and efficient captain, fell, at the head of his company. Captain [W. J.] Kerr, Lieutenants [E. M.] Campbell, [R. A.] Bolick, [J. W.] Emack, [G. W.] Weaver, [J. D.] Bouchelle, [William K.] Babb, [J. D.] Callais, and [Charlton C.] Ragin, all fell in the gallant discharge of their duties, as did also J. Rooker Lane, of Company E, Fifth Virginia Cavalry, who at the time was acting as my volunteer aide.

I cannot speak in too high terms of the behavior of the officers of this brigade. Colonel [William M.] Barbour, though wounded, was from time to time with his command, giving all the assistance he could. Major [William G.] Morris, wounded in the foot, left the hospital on horseback, and assisted in reforming his regiment; Major [Thomas W.] Mayhew, after the left wing of the Thirty-third was withdrawn and Lieutenant-Colonel [R. V.] Cowan was wounded, gallantly commanded the skirmishers in the night attack, was wounded in the charge the next day, and is now thought to be in the hands of the enemy. Lieutenant-Colonel [W. H. A.] Speer was wounded in one of the night attacks, and Colonels [Clark M.] Avery and [E. G.] Haywood, Lieutenant-Colonels [Forney] George and [J. B.] Ashcraft, and Major [W. L.] Davidson in the charge Sunday morning. After the loss of so many field officers, Major [J. D.] Barry and Captains [James G.] Harris, [J. H.] Saunders, [T. W.] Brown, and [W. T.] Nicholson rendered me great assistance. Captain Saunders, in his official report, calls special attention to the efficiency of Lieuts. E. Price and Isaac L. Farrow, of the Thirty-third Regiment, Lieutenant [James A.] Bryan, ordnance officer, and Lieutenant [E. T.] Nicholson, brigade inspector, discharged their duties well, though the latter had but few stragglers and no skulkers to drive forward that I have yet heard of.

I am specially indebted to my aide-de-camp (Lieutenant O. Lane) and to one of my couriers (George E. Barringer) for the great assistance rendered me. They both bore themselves well under the hottest fires. My other courier was a poltroon, and has been sent back to his regiment.

The brigade loss is 12 commissioned officers killed, 59 wounded, and 1 missing; 149 enlisted men killed, 567 wounded, and 121 missing, making an aggregate of 909.*

Respectfully.

JAMES H. LANE,

Brigadier-General.

Captain R. H. FINNEY, Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 354. Report of Captain N. A. Pool, Seventh North Carolina Infantry.

[MAY] --, 1863.

SIR: [The following is] an account of the part acted by the Seventh Regiment North Carolina troops at the battle of Chancellorsville, May 2 and 3:

At dark on the night of May 2, the Seventh North Carolina Regiment, commanded by Colonel E. G. Haywood, was ordered to the right of the

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* But see Guild's report, p. 807.

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Page 918 N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXVII.