open with shell and canister, while I was ordered by General Hill, who came up at that moment, to take position with the infantry a little to the left front as support. Pegram's battery-of four guns only-was soon replied to by three batteries of the enemy. This gallant officer maintained this unequal contest for an hour and until his guns wee silenced by his losses in men. I remained in this position until next morning, when I was withdrawn and placed on picket in a wood on my left rear, being retired from that point late in the evening.

It is proper to observe that several prisoners were captured by my brigade during the night.

I have taken occasion before to speak of the distinguished services of Pegram's battery. it is sufficient to say now that it fully sustained the reputation made on other fields. The battery sustained a heavy loss in the death of the brave and accomplished Lieutenant Mercer Featherston.

A list of the killed, wounded, and missing is herewith inclosed.*

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. W. FIELD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major R. C. MORGAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 52. Report of Brigadier General James J. Archer, C. S. Army, commanding-Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS ARCHER'S BRIGADE, GENERAL A. P. HILL'S LIGHT DIVISION,
August 14, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that early in the morning of the 9th instant I marched with my brigade, about 1,200 strong, constituting a part of Major-General Hill's division, from Orange Court-House toward the battle-field. On arriving near the point where General Jackson's division was already engaged, I proceeded to form line of battle in the woods to the left of Branch's brigade, which completed its formation and advanced before my line was half formed. Supposing that I would be wanted in front immediately, I moved forward with the First Tennessee and Nineteenth Georgia Regiments, Fifth Alabama Battalion and Seventh Tennessee in line, leaving the Fourteenth Tennessee, which was in rear, to come up into line and overtake the brigade as it best could. I advanced several hundred yards in this manner, obliquing toward the right in order to get near the left of Branch's brigade, when I overtook its left regiment, which had become separated from its main body. In passing to the front of this regiment my line became somewhat broken, and I halted a few minutes for it to reform. During the time thus employed Colonel Forbes' Fourteenth Tennessee Regiment came up into line, and I rode to the road, about 50 yards on my right, to ascertain whether they were our own or the enemy's troops firing there. I found it was Branch's brigade in the open field on the right of the road, and in a line even with that of my own,

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*Embodied in Numbers 27.

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