which we advanced, and waited for an advance of the enemy, which, however, the did not see proper to make, and so ended the conflict of the day. We remained here until the night of the 4th, when we retired, and fell back beyond Hagerstown, Md. We next took position between Hagerstown and Williamsport, where we lay in line of battle two days, and retired on the night of the 13th instant. Owing to the darkness of the night and the impossibility of the artillery getting on, we found ourselves 5 miles from the river at daylight. We moved on to within 2 miles of the river, and formed a line of battle upon the crest of a hill, to protect our rear until the artillery and the column in advance of us could cross the river. While here, a small squadron of the enemy's cavalry, consisting of 75 or 100 men, made their appearance in our front. They were mistaken at first for our own cavalry until they had advanced close upon us. Their first charge was upon the First Tennessee Regiment, which was upon the right of the brigade. Our men, unfortunately, did not have their guns all loaded, and were forced to fight with clubbed guns. The enemy, finding they were making rather slow headway at this point, moved down the line upon the Thirteenth Alabama, Seventh and Fourteenth Tennessee Regiments, who by this time had succeeded in getting many of their guns loaded, and were but a short time in killing and wounding a majority of them. The rest made a desperate effort to escape back to the woods, but most of those were shot from their horses as they fled, so that not over a dozen or twenty made their escape. We lost in this encounter 1 man killed and 7 wounded. It was our sad misfortune, too, in this affair, to lose General Pettigrew, who was in command of the brigade. No encomium that I might add could do justice to his memory. Both officers and men of the entire brigade feel that by his death the Confederacy has lost a model soldier and one of her most noble and gifted sons. We received orders to retire toward the river, and we moved out, with General Pettigrew's brigade upon our left. Our route to the river was part of the way through a dense and tangled copse of undergrowth, with deep ravines running up from the river. We kept our line pretty well organized in passing through these obstructions and passed beyond the river. Not wishing to burden you with a report too lengthy, I have noted down in a brief style the facts deemed most important for your information. All of which

I respectfully beg leave to submit.

S. G. SHEPARD,

Lieutenant-Colonel Seventh Tennessee Regiment.

Captain WILLIAM BROWN,

Acting Assiatant Adjutant and Inspector General.

Numbers 553. Reports of Brigadier General Joseph R. Davis, C. S. Army, commanding brigade and Heth's division.

HEADQUARTERS DAVIS' BRIGADE, August 26, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the battle of July 1, at Gettysburg: Early on the morning of the 1st, I moved in rear of Archer's bri-