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478 Series I Volume XII-I Serial 15 - Second Manassas Part I

Page 478 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.


No. 10. Report of Lieutenant S. Hale, Acting Adjutant, Forty-eighth Virginia Infantry.

CAMP OF FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT VIRGINIA VOLS.,

May 16, 1862.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to the order of Colonel John A. Campbell, commanding Second Brigade, Valley District, of this date, I have the honor of making the following report of the part taken by the Forty-eighth Regiment Virginia Volunteers in the battle of the 8th instant, near McDowell:

Late in the evening of the 8th this regiment, under the command of Major James C. Campbell, was at its place in the brigade, between the First Battalion Virginia Provisional Army in front and the Twenty-first Regiment Virginia Volunteers in its rear, on the road on the eastern side of Great North Mountain. When the order to march was given Major Campbell led the regiment along the road in rear of the First Battalion until near a log cabin on the right of the road, when, perceiving that the enemy's balls and shells were falling in and near the road, he threw the regiment to the right of the road, causing it to march along a ravine, partially sheltered by the mountains on the right; he, however, continuing to ride along the road near the head of the regiment. Just below the cabin mentioned Major Campbell was wounded and taken from his horse.

Seeing that Major Campbell was wounded I hastened to the front, stated the fact to Senior Captain Vermillion, and notified him that the command fell upon him. He declined, and ordered me to tender the command to Captain Harman, next in rank. He declined, and suggested that I should command. I hastened to the right and reported to Captain Vermillion, and his consent assumed the command. Just then I met you, and, as you remember, stated the facts, and was directed by you to hold the command of the regiment.

In pursuance of the order to follow the regiment in front the regiment was halted and ordered to load near the creek at the foot of the mountain, and then I followed the battalion up the ravine to the left of the road to the field occupied by our troops during the battle.

After getting into field the front companies were halted until the rear companies cleared the ravine. I then hastened on to the woods, on the right. Just as I entered the woods the First Battalion was hidden from my view by other regiments, and being informed by a field officer, whose name I do not know, that the enemy had been driven back on the right, and that we were needed on the hill occupied by the Fifty-eighth Virginia and Twelfth Georgia Volunteers, I halted the regiment, ordered the captains to close up their companies, and ran to Colonel J. A. Campbell, stated the facts connected with the command of the regiment, and was ordered by him to hasten to the hill mentioned.

During the remainder of the night the regiment was in Colonel Campbell's presence, and I can only state facts that came under his own observation and mention movements made by his direction.

I immediately obeyed his order mentioned, and marched the regiment by the left flank, at double-quick, to a point immediately behind the Fifty-eighth Regiment, halted, closed the regiment, then filed the left companies into line in front of the Fifty-eighth, wheeled the right companies to the left and threw them forward into line, thus forming the whole regiment in front of the Fifty-eighth Regiment, our regiment resting near the left of the Twelfth Georgia Regiment.


Page 478 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. Chapter XXIV.