Today in History:

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

Page 795 Chapter XXIV. OPERATIONS IN SHENANDOAH VALLEY.

The Twenty-first North Carolina Regiment, as perfect as can now be made out: Killed, 21; wounded, 55-privates, by two discharges.

Among the wounded are Colonel Kirkland, Lieutenant-Colonel Pepper, badly; Captain Hedgocock, badly; Lieutenant Beall and 6 other officers. Captain Ligon, killed.

The Twenty-first Georgia Regiment, Colonel Mercer: Killed, 1; wounded, 16. Among the wounded are 2 officers, Lieutenants Butler and Easley.

The pluck and enthusiasm displayed by my brigade in marching, hungry and partly barefoot, to overtake the retreating foe, and the ready courage and calmness with which they encountered the enemy and met his fire, and the readiness with which my staff officers bore orders cannot be too highly commended.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, yours,

I. R. TRIMBLE,

Brigadier-General.

Major General R. S. EWELL,

Commanding Third Division.


HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH BRIGADE,
Brown's Gap, Va., June 11, 1862.

In compliance with the orders of Major-General Ewell I send a statement of the operations of my brigade on the 8th and 9th instant in the battle of Cross Keys:

At your request I rode forward with you on the morning of the 8th at about 10 o'clock to examine the ground most desirable for defense. It was decided to post my artillery (Courtney battery) on the hill to the south of the small stream, and immediately on the left of the road from Union Church to Port Republic. You directed my brigade to take the right of our line of defense and occupy the pine hill to the east of the road and the battery, but somewhat retired from the front, en echelon position. Previous to assigning my brigade its position in line of battle I rode forward in front and to the right about half a mile, and examined a wooded hill running nearly parallel to our line of battle. Finding this position advantageous, with its left in view and protected by my artillery and its right by a ravine and densely-wooded hill, I at once occupied this position with two regiments (the Sixteenth Mississippi and Twenty-first Georgia) about 10.30 o'clock, leaving the Twenty-first North Carolina with the battery to protect it.

Colonel Cantey, of the Fifteenth Alabama, by General Ewell's orders, had been left on picket at Union Church, one mile in advance. This regiment was the first engaged, resisting the enemy's advance by a destructive fire from the church, the grave-yard, and the woods. Their force was checked, and they did not pursue the regiment, which soon after retired, finding itself outflanked on right and left, and narrowly escaped being cut entirely off from the failure of [the] cavalry picket to do their duty. Colonel Cantey's own pickets, thrown our as a precaution, though told the cavalry was on that duty, alone saved his regiment. In retreating in good order he passed the enemy's flanking forces on the right and left within long gun-shot range, and succeeded in reaching my position with trifling loss. Colonel Cantey was placed on the right of the two regiments before named.

Half and hour later the enemy were seen to advance with General


Page 795 Chapter XXIV. OPERATIONS IN SHENANDOAH VALLEY.