was ordered into the city on picket duty. We were relieved by one of General Barksdale's regiments at 7 p. m. and marched back to camp, having been absent six days and five nights.

Drs. [W. F.] Shine and [R. C.] Carlisle displayed their usual skill and energy in caring for the wounded. My loss was 4 killed and 57 wounded. Most of the wounds are slight.

Respectfully,

ELBERT BLAND,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Seventh South Carolina Regiment.

Captain C. R. HOLMES, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 279. Report of Captain E. T. Stackhouse, Eighth South Carolina Infantry.

DECEMBER 19, 1862.

GENERAL: In obedience to orders contained in circular of this date, requiring the commanders of regiments, battalions, and batteries to make reports of the engagements of their commands in the late action in front of Fredericksburg, I submit the following report:

On the morning of December 11, on hearing the signal guns, I formed my regiment, and, in obedience to your orders, formed my command on your left, occupying a good position on the Telegraph road at the point where the open land connects with the woods. I kept this position with but little change till 1 p. m. on the 13th, when, in obedience to your order, I moved my command left in front, following Colonel Kennedy's Second [South Carolina] Regiment by a tortuous and difficult way to the open land on Marye's Hill. As soon as we reached the open space on the hill, by order of Colonel Kennedy, I formed my command on his right. The two commands were then, by order of Colonel Kennedy, moved rapidly to the front. On reaching the crest of the hill in front (my right being on a line with the cemetery), we came to troops lying on the ground, firing to the front. Believing this to be a portion of General Cobb's brigade, who had been driven from their position, I halted my command, and went myself to the front to get a view of the road in front of Marye's Hill. Finding General Cobb's brigade in position in the road, I caused my command to cease firing (they had without orders opened fire on the advancing Yankee lines), and moved it rapidly to the road. I formed it on the Twenty-fourth Georgia Regiment, then in position behind the stone fence. Without much change we kept this position till the evening of the 16th. By your order I was permitted to form my command in four ranks on Colonel De Saussure's Fifteenth [South Carolina] Regiment, my right resting on the Twenty-fourth Georgia Regiment, till the evening of the 14th, when the Twenty-fourth Georgia Regiment was relieved by the Tenth Georgia Regiment, of General Semmes' brigade.

On the evening of the 13th, the enemy attempted several times to advance on our position, but succeeded only in reaching a defile 200 yards in front, which concealed them from view from our position. Notwithstanding the long range, I believed we did the enemy much injury on his march to the defile above alluded to.

On the 14th, we confined our fire to select parties of the enemy.

On the 15th and 16th, I have little of interest to record in connection with my command.

I was much pleased with the conduct of my command.