Numbers 386. Report of Colonel C. T. Zachry, Twenty-seventh Georgia Infantry.

CAMP NEAR GUINEY'S STATION, VA.,

May 8, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this regiment from April 29 to May 6, inclusive:

Shorty after 8 a. m. on the 29th, I received orders to march to the field beyond Mr. Dickinson's. In ten minutes I proceeded, in heavy marching order, to the indicated point. Half an hour later, the other regiments of the brigade having arrived, I proceeded with the brigade to the open field to the right of Hamilton's Crossing, where we remained in line of battle throughout the day and bivouacked at night. Before day I moved to the front, occupying with the Twenty-eighth Georgia a rifle-pit in front of two batteries, my right reaching the road leading from Guiney's to Hamilton's Crossing. Here I remained till before day on the 1st instant (Friday).

From 5 till 7 p. m. on the 30th we were under a heavy shelling, which injured no one, but convinced many that they had exaggerated ideas of the danger of shells.

Before day Friday morning (30th*) we marched about 6 miles in a westerly direction will we struck the Plank road leading from Orange Court-House to Fredericksburg, resting twice. We took the left end of the Plank road. Artillery and musketry could now be distinctly heard about 1 mile in front. Proceeding about that distance, we halted, loaded, unsung knapsacks, faced to the right, and advanced in the order of battle about 1 mile, passing two lines of General McLaws' troops. The brigade during this move wheeled to the left.

About 7 p. m. we returned to the Plank road; marched up it to where the road leading To Spotsylvania Court-House diverges, and bivouacked.

Early on the 1st+ (Saturday,) we were on the march again. Proceeding half a mile, we turned to the left off the Plank road, and marched around to the west of Chancellorsville; formed line of battle,facing eastward. This march was a trying one to the men; the day was very warm; many fell our of ranks exhausted, some fainting and having spasms; only a few had eaten anything since the morning before.

About 6 o'clock in the evening, the order for an advance was given. We moved forward through thick woods, a portion of the ground swampy and boggy. In the worst of this ground, being crowded by the regiment on my left changing direction several degrees to the right I had to halt and rectify my alignment. The enemy's skirmishers were being driven in by ours advancing rapidly; a loud shout ran along the whole line. The gary us a well-directed fire of shell, grape, and shrapnel. On our left and in front the battle roared fiercely. Emerging from the woods, we hastened at double-quick diagonally across the Plank road to where Does was driving the enemy. We reached the opposite woods just at dark. My loss was 10 wounded and 1 killed.

About an hour after dark we were moved down the Plank road 7 or 8 rods into the woods. About 10 o'clock in the night a furious fire of musketry and artillery was opened in our front. The enemy had the range of our position; the shelling was terrific; 2 of my men were wounded. A few moments afterward all was quiet again, and I was moved across the road under the crest of a small hill; had been there but a short while when the firing was renewed for a few minutes.

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*Sic. Should be 1st.

+Sic. Should be 2nd.

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