No.*7. Report of Col. Albert Rust, Third Arkansas Infantry. BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, October 3, 1861. GENERAL: This morning, about 7 o'clock, hearing of the advance of the enemy upon us in force, I ordered my men, the Third Arkansas Regiment, to get ready to repel an attack from him, and obeyed a summons to report myself to you at your quarters. You placed me in command of the left wing of our fo.ces, composed of my own regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson's Virginia Regiment, Hansbrough's Virginia battalion, and Anderson's two pieces of artillery, and ordered me on no account to allow the enemy to turn our left flank, and suggested the disposition to be made of the most of the infantry under my command, the artillery having already been planted. After forming my men, and while marching them to the position designed for them, the enemy commenced a rapid firing of artillery, and before I had satisfactorily formed that portion of the men under my immediate command between the river and the terminus of abatis to the right of Anderson's battery on the Greenbank road, the advance guard of a column of the enemy, marching by flank, had crossed the river some distance below us, as had been anticipated, and upon ascending the first mountain came upon the left flank of my force, which promptly fired a volley into them, which caused them instantly to retire, recross the river, rapidly traverse the meadow, unite with another force, with which a like attempt was made to turn our right flank with a similar result, and, as you are already aware, rapidly and in disorder retreated from the field. Before the retreat of the enemy began, and while I supposed he was advancing beyond the position occupied by my command, I sent a lieutenant to Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, of my own regiment, who was on my right, to close up my line by falling down the river some 60 or 80 yards, until he united with me, preparatory to making a charge upon the rear and flank of the enemy across the river and meadow beyond it. The lieutenant returned and reported Colonel Barton not present, which I have ascertained was not true, as he was not absent from his post for a moment during the engagement, and had conceived the same idea of attacking the enemy in flank as myself. However, as the enemy had fully eight times as many infantry in the meadow and in the skirt of the woods beyond it as I could have assailed him with, supported by six or seven pieces of artillery, which kept up a continuous and extraordinarily rapid fire during the whole time, the propriety of making the attack is very questionable.* The men and officers, with one or two exceptions, behaved admirably. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. RUST, Colonel, Commanding. General HENRY R. JACKSON, Commanding Brigade. No. 8. Report of Capt. L. M. Shumaker, C. S. Army, commanding light battery. CAMP AT GREENBRIER RIVER, October 4, 1861. SIR: In obedience to your oral order I have the honor to report that at daybreak yesterday, October 3, in pursuance of your instruc * Nominal list of casualties omitted. See tabulated statement, p. 229. tions, given in person, I proceeded to get my battery ready for action. I placed my rifled piece in position on a hill in rear of Yager's house, just vacated by Captain Anderson, and then returned to my camp, and sent Lieutenant Wooding to take charge of it. Before getting my other pieces in position word was brought that the rifled gun was useless, a ball having lodged in it near the muzzle. I galloped to the place at once, and had it withdrawn to a position where the men could drive the ball up. I then ordered Lieutenant Wooding to take a gun and go across the river and report to Colonel Johnson, who had sent for it to support his skirmishers. I then brought up one of my bronze 6-pounder guns to the position occupied by the rifled piece, and directed fire upon three of the guns of the enemy in battery in a meadow about 800 yards distant. At this time the enemy had opened a steady and well-directed fire upon position from six guns of different caliber. After the men had succeeded in ramming home the ball lodged in the rifled piece I brought it up to the front and opened fire upon the enemy's caissons; but, unfortunately, the balls would lodge, owing to the close fit and to the gun's fouling easily. Finding the last ball hopelessly lodged, as I supposed, I sent it to the rear, out of the way. At this time the fire of the enemy was very severe, and so well aimed as to make it necessary to change my position several times. About this time Lieutenant Wooding returned and informed me that the skir mishers had all fallen back, and that Colonel Johnson had directed him to return across the river, and that he had broken his lanyard. I ordered him to take position in front of Yager's house, where he could enfilade the road leading to our position, and to open fire upon the enemy's batteries, changing his position whenever the range of their fire made it necessary. At this time we were replying to them with only four pieces-two of my own, one of Captain Rice's, who commanded his piece, and a gun on a high hill to my left under the command of Captain Deshler. I galloped at once to the rear and brought up my fourth gun, under command of Sergt. Joseph H. Jones, and placed it in the best position that the nature of the ground and the tents of the infantry encampments would allow. The fire of the enemy had now become so severe as to compel me to order the removal of every gun a few feet after every third fire, and I sent word to Captain Rice (who had been working his piece beautifully for two hours, and to whom too much praise cannot be given for the deliberate manner with which he loaded and fired his piece, loading and firing by detail for an hour in the midst of a storm of shot and shell from the enemy) to change his position at once. He withdrew to a position about 250 feet in rear, and rested his men and awaited the cooling of his gun. Observing at this time that the enemy had been driven back from the river to our left by a fire from Colonel Rust's regiment, and that they were forming in two lines for a demonstration in front, I ordered the fire to cease, and directed my chiefs of piece to rest their men, cool their guns, then load their pieces with canister, and await my order to fire. The enemy meanwhile had been moving down to our right flank to the number of 2,000, when I beard two guns open to my left. I gal loped to the point and found my men in confusion, all of Captain Rice's gone but 2, 1 man dying, and was told that Captain Rice and 1 of my corporals were badly wounded. I reprimanded the sergeant, and be informed me that Colonel Johnson and Colonel Taliaferro ordered him to fire, and that he told them he had orders from me not to fire. Colonels Johnson and Taliaferro were not with the guns when I came up. I found two of Captain Rice's drivers, and ordered them to take the harness off one of the wounded horses, and get another, and take their gun to the rear. I called upon several of Colonel Scott's men, who came forward and assisted us in getting the gun off. Having no men that I could spare to work this gun, I sent it over the hill to a place of safety. I then returned to the gun on our right, and awaited the appearance of the enemy, who was evidently preparing to charge across the river. Just then your aide, Lieutenant Humphries, brought me your order to open fire upon them, when I supposed the head of their column was in evident confusion. I at once opened with two guns, and at the third fire they broke and ran from the woods in the wildest confusion. I continued to fire upon them with shot and spherical case as long as they were in range, when I ordered my men to wash out their guns, get water, and lie down to rest. In a short time I was satisfied that the day was won, and that the enemy were in full retreat. The casualties were 3 men wounded: Private Alexander M. Earles, bullet from shell through the thigh; Corporal Calvin H. P. Eaton, flesh torn from the thick part of thigh by round shot, and Joseph R. Dickerson, shot from shell through the side, neither of them dangerously. Thomas A. Elliott was knocked down by a piece of shell, but soon recovered and kept his place by his gun. Thomas Winsey (a driver) was struck by a Minie ball on the thigh, only a bruise; Sergeant Jones had his horse shot; one of the wheels of my guns was injured in the hub, and two of the caisson wheels had spokes knocked out of them. These constitute the injury sustained by my command. I take pleasure in calling attention to the officers and men who were with me, and whose gallantry and good conduct has won for themselves and their company the praise of the good and true all over our beloved country. Lieutenant Wooding went promptly wherever I ordered him, and kept up a galling fire upon the enemy's batteries and columns during the engagement, firing about ninety rounds, and for a while with only four men to work his gun. Sergeant Jones behaved with great coolness and judgment, and obeyed every order with promptness, managing his gun himself. His gun fired only forty rounds, being for much of the time out of range, but his fire was very destructive. Sergeant Brently, owing to his youth and temperament, was not efficient as a sergeant; yet the gun was well managed by Corporal Calvin H. P. Eaton until he was wounded, and then by Corporal Oliver P. Carter, who came back from the rifle piece to assist. This gun was worked more than either of the others under my command. My first sergeant, Timothy H. Stamps, was, unfortunately for myself and the company, at Monterey. I had to send him with my company wagons to buy or press forage for my horses. He started when he heard the first gun fired, and reached us just as the fight was over. Had he been with us, I am satisfied that much of the difficulty with our long-range gun would have been avoided, as he succeeded in getting the ball up soon after he came. My first lieutenant, Lanier, was absent on recruiting service, and Second Lieutenant Brown was at home collecting supplies of winter clothing for the men. Serg. William H. Parham was with Lieutenant Wooding, and did his duty well. Corporals Oliver P. Carter, John Q. Adams, and Calvin H. P. Eaton did their duty like brave men and good soldiers. Privates Alexander M. Earles, John H. Welles, James Royster, James T. Williams, Andrew L. Crutchfield, James G. Covey, James M. Terry, Romulus S. Gaines, Thomas A. Elliott, Martin Crawley, Hermann Mantel, Benjamin W. Walton, Samuel Prescott, and John Murphy deserve especial praise for their bravery and good conduct. The drivers managed their horses well and kept them in place in the midst of a most terrific fire. Very respectfully, L. M. SHUMAKER, Captain, Commanding Light Battery, C. S. Army. Brig. Gen. HENRY R. JACKSON, Commanding Force Monterey Line. No. 9. Congratulatory orders from Brig. Gen. W. W. Loring, C. S. Army. GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMY OF THE NORTHWEST, Sewell Mountain, October 7, 1861. The general commanding has the pleasure to announce to the Army of the Northwest a signal defeat of the enemy from the fortifications of Cheat Mountain by the division of Brigadier-General Jackson. After three attempts of four and a half hours to force our lines in front and on both flanks with a superior force of artillery, some with longer range, he was repulsed with a considerable loss. The general commanding tenders his thanks to Brigadier-General Jackson, his officers and soldiers, for their gallant conduct in this engagement, and assures them that they will have the grateful remembrance of our people. By command of Brigadier-General Loring: C. L. STEVENSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. OCTOBER 3, 1861.-Expedition to Pohick Church, Virginia. Report of Brig. Gen. Henry W. Slocum, U. S. Army. HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRigade, Alexandria, Va., October 6, 1861. SIR: I received information on the 3d instant that a body of the enemy's cavalry was at Pohick Church, about 12 miles from these headquarters, together with such other information as led me to suppose that the force could be captured without difficulty. The plan of an expedition for this purpose was fully matured and was verbally communicated to Colonel Christian, Twenty-sixth New York Volunteers, who was detailed to the command. An order was then issued of which I herewith inclose a copy. The expedition proved an entire failure, and this result I am informed and believe is to be attributed to the fact that my orders relative to the manner of the execution were not obeyed; and what is still more annoying to me and disgraceful to my command, is the fact that instead of being marched back to the camp in good order, a large portion of the command was allowed to disband beyond our line of pickets, and, as might have been anticipated from such a proceeding, this force sent to operate against the troops of the enemy was converted into a band of marauders, who plundered alike friend and foe. I deem it my duty to lay these facts before the commanding general, and to suggest that a court of inquiry be convened for the purpose of a thorough investigation of all the circumstances attending the expedition. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. W. SLOCUM, Brigadier-General Volunteers, Commanding. Maj. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General. [Inclosure.] HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, Col. WILLIAM H. CHRISTIAN: SIR: You will take command of a detachment of 300 infantry from the regiments composing this brigade and one company of cavalry, and will endeavor to cut off and take prisoners a body of the enemy's cavalry, numbering probably 50 men, stationed at or near Pohick Church. You will proceed with 225 infantry, according to verbal directions already given you, to certain points in the rear of the enemy's position, and will make your attack at precisely 6 o'clock to-morrow morning. You will send out 75 infantry and the company of cavalry on the Richmond road, with instructions for them to be at Potter's store, 4 miles from Pohick Church, and 6 miles from these headquarters, at 5.45 o'clock, driving in the enemy's pickets and advancing as rapidly as possible towards Pohick Church, in order to cut off the enemy or to render assistance to the other detachments of your command. The object of the expedition being accomplished, you will return without delay. By order of Brigadier-General Slocum: JOSEPH HOWLAND, OCTOBER 3, 1861.-Skirmish at Springfield Station, Va. Report of Brig. Gen. William B. Franklin, U. S. Army. OCTOBER 3, 1861. Eight hundred men of Newton's brigade, under the command of Colonel Pratt, Thirty-first New York Regiment, went out to Springfield to-day with a train for wood and sleepers. They drove in the enemy's pickets at Springfield with no loss, and brought off thirty-two car loads of wood and sleepers. They heard rumors of a large force of the enemy at Annandale, some 8,000, but I do not think the information reliable. Colonel Pratt conducted the expedition with great judgment. W. B. FRANKLIN. Brigadier-General. General MCCLELLAN. OCTOBER 4, 1861.—Skirmish near Edwards Ferry, Maryland. POOLESVILLE, October 4, 1861—3.15 p. m. The enemy opened fire on our lookout near Edwards Ferry at 9 a. m. His firing was wild and without effect. I returned his fire with three Parrott 10-pounders, and he retired. |