the other regiments calmly held their positions under a heavy artillery fire, one of the most trying positions in which soldiers can be placed.

I cannot refrain making special allusion to our conscripts, many of whom were under fire for the first time. They proved themselves worthy accessions to a brigade which has borne itself well in all the battles of the last eight months.

Captain F. T. Hawks, the assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant Oscar Lane, my aide, and Private James W. Shepperd, my courier, were of great assistance to me throughout the fight, often carrying orders and messages for me under the hottest fire.

Our ambulance corps was very efficient, and removed our wounded rapidly.

Lieutenant James A. Bryan, ordnance officer, was untiring in his exertions to keep the command supplied with ammunition.

Our loss in officers was 2 killed, 25 wounded, and 5 prisoners. Enlisted men-60 killed, 232 wounded, 183 prisoners, and 28 missing, making aggregate of 535.*

Respectfully,

JAMES H. LANE,

Brigadier-General.

Major R. C. MORGAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 314. Report of Brigadier General James J. Archer, C. S. Army, commanding Fifth [Archer's] Brigade.

HDQRS. ARCHER'S BRIGADE, A. P. HILL'S LIGHT DIVISION, December 20, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my brigade in the battle of Fredericksburg:

On arriving from sick leave Saturday morning, I found my brigade posted in the edge of a wood before Bernard's house, overlooking the plain through which the railroad and Bowling Green turnpike pass, the former at a distance from my front of about 250 yards, the latter of about three-quarters of a mile, my left resting where the wood extends forward to the front to a point beyond the railroad. General Lane's brigade was on my left, with an interval of about 600 yards between us, while [as I was informed] General Gregg's brigade was immediately behind the interval close enough to prevent my being flanked. On my right I found Lieutenant-Colonel [R. L.] Walker with fifteen pieces of light artillery, supported by Colonel [J. M.] Brockenbrough's brigade.

As the fog cleared away the enemy was seen advancing from the Bowling Green road, and a little after 9 a.m. several batteries were brought forward and placed in position about 1,000 yards from us, which were fired on by some of our batteries far off to the right, and with which they carried on a brisk exchange of shots for about an hour, occasionally throwing shell into the wood where I was posted. About 10.30 a.m. they turned all their guns on our position, and after thirty or forty minutes' severe

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*But see Report No. 265, p.560. Lieutenant Wiley W. Cloninger, Twenty-eighth North Carolina, reported as killed.

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