The pieces retired through the entrance, and the left and center sections, seeing this, supposed that I had ordered the whole battery off, and commenced to retire also. The hill being quite steep this was done with some precipitation, and amid the noise and confusion I was unable to halt them until they had reached the plain. As I could get no position on the hill where I would not be under the fire of three batteries, all at close range and one of them a flank fire, I concluded it would be a purposeless sacrifice of life to renew the effort. I was retiring from the field when met by Captain [W. H.] Rogers, of your staff, with your order to retire.

My loss while on top of the hill, which I did not occupy more than two minutes, was 7 wounded, among the number Lieutenant Munro, who was dangerously wounded. I also lost 7 horses killed.

About 2 o'clock in the afternoon I was ordered by Colonel Stephen d. Lee, of the artillery, to the Rappahannock, below the bridge, for the purpose of attacking the rifle battery planted there. A rifle battery and my own were put under the command of Major Kemper, and places in battery 800 yards form the enemy's battery. We commenced firing about 4 o'clock on the enemy's battery, and kept it up for several minutes; the enemy not responding, we ceased firing. I know nothing personally of the effect of our fire. I was told subsequently by the late Colonel Watkins, of the Twenty-second South Carolina Volunteers, in conversation with a major, a prisoner taken at Manassas, who was present at the bridge when fired on by us, that four of the enemy's guns were dismounted and the enemy retreated precipitately up the river.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. ROYCE,

Captain Light Battery.

Brigadier General N. G. EVANS.

BATTLE OF MANASSAS.

GENERAL: Near 4 p. m. on August 30 I received your order to hasten to the front. I executed the order with as much dispatch as possible. When I arrived on the field I was ordered into battery, and was in the act of doing so when hill with my battery. When I arrived at the next hill General Longstreet ordered me into position, form which I opened fire immediately upon the enemy. The enemy were in large force in the valley of a creek which my position commanded, but were enabled to shelter themselves to a great extent behind the small hills that rose in the valley. I commenced firing immediately on going into battery, and continued firing until the enemy had retreated out of range. The essential service rendered by my battery here was in forcing back a large column of the enemy, which was attempting to cross from a skirt of wood to re-enforce this part of the enemy's line, and in baffling the repeated attempts of a battery to get position in the valley near the creek about 800 yards distant. The enemy having retired out of range I ceased firing, and General Longstreet soon afterward ordered me back to the rear. It was then near night.

My loss was 6 men wounded (1 mortally, 2 severely, and 3 slightly) and 3 horses killed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. BOYCE,

Captain Light Battery.

Brigadier General N. G. EVANS.