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593 Series I Volume XXI- Serial 31 - Fredericksburg

Page 593 Chapter XXXIII. BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG, VA.

and chivalric daring of its commanding officer are always guarantees of its good success, and Lieutenants [R. E.] Elliott and [R.] Fishburne, jr., of this company, were wounded gallantly discharging their duty. Captains Pulliam, [J. F.] Moorer, [J. P.] Cunningham, [J. D.] Graham, Lieutenants [J. C.] Maxwell, [R. S.] Brown, [A. M.] Perry, and [Edward] Wallace, commanding companies, and their lieutenants, all acted with conspicuous bravery, and deserve my thanks for their hearty co-operation. It is useless to mention individual instances of courage; they are too numerous. Suffice it to say, the regiment never acted with more coolness.

Adjutant [E. E.] Sill was of every assistance to me and exhibited great gallantry. M. B. Moses, of Company D, acting as orderly to me, bore himself well, but was disabled before reaching the wall and compelled to retire. S. P. Boozer, of Company F, acting as same, coolly conveyed several orders to different parts of the regiment and was wounded by my side. His demeanor was inspiriting.

Captain Stackhouse, while under my command (which was until General Kershaw reached the stone wall and assumed command), acted deliberately and commanded his men with success and bravery.

Number of officers and men carried into action, 350. Commissioned officers wounded, 3. Enlisted men killed, 6; wounded, 53. Total, 62.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

J. D. KENNEDY,

Colonel, Commanding Second South Carolina Regiment.

Captain C. R. HOLMES,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Kershaw's Brigade.


Numbers 276. Report of Colonel James D. Nance, Third South Carolina Infantry.

RICHMOND, VA., December 24, 1862.

SIR: Early in the morning of the 13th instant, I took my position in line of battle just to the right of the Telegraph road as you approach Fredericksburg, and immediately at the foot of the first range of hills from the river. Except some slight shelling, which annoyed us and wounded one or more of my men, nothing of special interest occurred to us until about 2 p. m., when, by command of Brigadier-General Kershaw, I moved by the left out of some breastworks, which I had thrown up the night before, down the Telegraph road 500 or 600 yards, filed to the left, and, crossing the branch running by its side, took the road leading over the high hill on the left of the Telegraph road and into the open field behind Marye's house. When within 500 or 600 yards of this house, Lieutenant [A. E.] Doby, aide-de-camp, delivered to me an order to form my regiment and move forward and occupy the crest of the hill at Marye's house, with my right resting at the house. I immediately began to close up my regiment to execute the order, when Major Gaillard rode up, and, speaking for Brigadier-General Kershaw, extended substantially the same order, and, at my request, gave me the direction of the crest which I was to occupy, so that I could form parallel to it before advancing. The regiment was considerably strung out in the

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Page 593 Chapter XXXIII. BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG, VA.