Ambrose P. Hill to A. S. Pendleton, January 1, 1863

CAPTAIN:

I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Light Division in the battle of Fredericksburg:

It having been definitely ascertained that the enemy had crossed the Rappahannock in large force, on the evening of December 11, I was directed by General R. E. Lee (subsequently by the lieutenant-general also) to move my division at dawn on the 12th, and relieve Major-General Hood. In obedience to this order, I put my troops in position, my front line consisting of two regiments of Brockenbrough’s brigade, the brigades of Generals Archer, Lane, and Pender, my extreme right resting upon the road leading from Hamilton’s Crossing to tae Port Royal road, and my left to within a short distance of Deep Creek. Upon the hill crowning the right of my line, Lieut. Col. R. Lindsay Walker, my chief of artillery, had in position, under his own immediate direction, fourteen rifle and Napoleon guns, composed of the batteries of Pegram and MceIntosh, with sections from the batteries of Crenshaw, Latham, and Johnson, commanded, respectively, by Lieutenants Ellett, Potts, and Clutter. The batteries of Captains Davidson and Braxton (the latter commanded by Lieutenant Marye) were placed to cover my left, about 200 yards in front of Pender’s brigade. My line of battle as thus formed was fully timber, in the skirt of which was posted his brigade, jutting out into the low grounds, some distance from the main body. Along the military road—a new road running in rear of my front line from right to left, cut by Major-General Hood—were posted my reserves, consisting of the remainder of Brockcnbrough’s brigade (Fortieth and Fifty-fifth Virginia), as a support to Walker’s batteries, Gregg’s brigade crossing the interval between Archer and Lane, and Thomas’ brigade the interval between Lane and Pender. The division remained as thus posted during Friday and Friday night, undisturbed except by the shelling from the enemy’s guns.

On Saturday morning, Lieutenant-General Jackson directed that Brax ton’s battery and two batteries from Brigadier-General Taliaferro’s divis. ion be placed in advance of the railroad, and General Lane was directed to support them. Braxton’s battery was relieved by Latimer, a young veteran.

About 10 o’clock Saturday morning, the lifting of the fog discovered to us the lines of the enemy drawn out in battle array on the low grounds between us and the river, covering the whole of my front and extending far to the left toward Fredericksburg. They were deployed in three lines, with heavy reserves, behind the Port Royal road. Soon their lines, accompanied by ten full batteries (six on their left and four on the right), _ moved forward to the attack. They had advanced but a short distance when, Stuart’s Horse Artillery opening on them from the Port Royalroad and enfilading their lines, the advance was halted, and four of the batteries gave their attention for an hour or more to MajorPelham. As soon as Pelham ceased his fire, all their batteries, right and left, opened a terrific fire upon the positions occupied by my batteries and shelled the woods promiscuously. There being no reply from any of our bat eries,

6 16 OPERATIONS IN N. V. A., W. V. A., M. D., AND P. A. (CHar XXXL

and being unable to elicit any discoveries from this sharp practice, continued for an hour or more, the advance was again sounded, and, preceded by clouds of skirmishers, they right gallantly essayed another attempt. To cover this advance their batteries were now served with redoubled activity; and now, the mass of infantry being within pointblank range, the roar was deepened and made deadly to the enemy as shell and canister from our long-silent but now madly aroused batteries plowed through their ranks. The enemy, however, continued to advance, and the three batteries already mentioned as having been posted in advance of the railroad were compelled to retire, their withdrawal being covered by Lieutenant-Colonel [J. L.] Hill with the Seventh North Carolina. Lane’s brigade was the first to encounter the masses of the enemy, who, recoiling somewhat from his direct front, shifted their main attack to his right, endeavoring to penetrate through the interval between Archer and himself. The attack directly in front of Archer and of Walker’s guns had been gallantly repulsed, the enemy finding what shelter they could along the railroad. Concentrating their columns of attack, the enemy now made a bold effort, and pushing onward turned Lane’s right, although obstinately resisted by the Twentyeighth and Thirty-seventh North Carolina Regiments. Colonel [W. M.] Barbour, of the Thirty-seventh, finding his right turned, changed front with his three right companies and poured in a destructive fire. These two regiments continued to fight until their ammunition was exhausted, and were then quietly and steadily retired from the field, refilling their boxes and rejoining their brigade. The three remaining regiments of Lane’s brigade (Seventh, Eighteenth, and Thirty-third North Carolina) steadily continued to battle-against overwhelming numbers, and the attack was checked by well-directed volleys from the Thirty-third Regiment, Colonel [Clark M.] Avery. General Thomas, responding to the call of General Lane, rapidly threw forward his brigade of Georgians by the flank, and, deploying by successive formations, squarely met the enemy, charged them, and, joined by the Seventh and part of the Kighteenth North Carolina, drove them back, with tremendous loss, to their original position.

In the mean time the main column of attack had wedged in to the right and rear of Lane, encountered Archer’s left, and, attacked in flank and rear, the Fourteenth Tennessee and Nineteenth Georgia were compelled to give back. General Archer, observing the threatening condition of affairs on his left, very promptly detached the Fifth Alabama Battalion, holding his line with the brave First Tennessee, under the gallant Turney ; and this movement, rapidly executed and assisted by two regiments of Brockenbrough’s (the Forty-seventh Virginia and Twenty-second Virginia Battalion), was attended with signal success.

The advancing columns of the enemy had also encountered an obstacle in the military road which they little expected. Gregg’s brigade of South Carolinians stood in the way. Taken somewhat by surprise, Orr’s Rifles was thrown into confusion, mistaking the advancing enemy for our own troops falling back. It was at this moment that Brig. Gen. Maxcy Gregg, himself fearful of harming our friends, fell in front of the Rifles,.mortally wounded. A more chivalrous gentleman and gallant soldier never adorned the service which he so loved. One company of the Rifles, Lieutenant (J. D.] Charles, and the four remaining regiments (the First, Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth) stood firm as on parade. Colonel [D. H.] Hamilton, nowin command of the brigade, threw back the right wing of his regiment and opened a destructive fire. The Twelfth faced about, and the Thirteenth and Fourteenth, under the direction of

Colonel [Samuel] McGowan, faced by the rear rank, changed front for. ward, and stood prepared to resist any attempt to sweep down my rear. The combat was short, sharp, and decisive. The rattling musketry and charging yell of the Fifth Alabama Battalion, the Forty-seventh Virginia, and Twenty-second Virginia Battalion, the withering fire from Hamilton’s regiment right in their faces, was more than Yankee firmness could stand. In addition to this, that gallant old warrior, General Early, to whom I had sent, requesting that he would move down to my support, came crashing through the woods at the double-quick. The enemy, completely broken, fled in confusion. The two regiments of Brockenbrough’s brigade, Archer, with the First Tennessee and Fifth Alabama Battalion, and Early’s troops, chased them across the railroad and back to their reserves. In this backward movement of theirs my artillery again inflicted heavy loss upon them. On the extreme left of my line, held by the North Carolina brigade of General Pender (Thir-. teenth, Sixteenth, Twenty-second, Thirty-fourth, and Thirty-eighth), the enemy made several threatening attempts to advance, but were invariably repulsed by the well-directed fire from Davidson’s and Latimer’s guns. From the nature of the ground occupied by Pender’s brigade, and the entire absence of all protection against artillery, his brigade received the greater part of the terrible fire directed at Davidson and Latimer, and suffered severely. General Pender was himself wounded, and his aide, Lieutenant [Jacob] Shepperd, killed, while gallantly rallying a portion of the Eighteenth Regiment, of Lane’s brigade.

During the temporary absence of General Pender, the command of the brigade devolved upon Colonel! Scales, of the Thirteenth. The two batteries suffering much by the fire of a heavy line of skirmishers, Colonel Scales directed Major [Chris. C.] Cole, of the Twenty-second North Carolina, to dislodge them, which was handsomely done. The Sixteenth, Colonel JJ ohn S.] McElroy, which had been thrown out as a support to Latimer’s battery, became pretty hotly engaged with a brigade of the enemy which had advanced up Deep Run under cover, and, assisted by two North Carolina regiments of Law’s brigade, Hood’s division, drove them back.

The enemy having thus been repulsed at all points, my brigades remained in their original positions save General Thomas’ (Fourteenth, Thirty-fifth, Forty-fifth, and Forty-ninth Georgia), which was not recalled from the position it had so gallantly won in the front line, and General Archer, who, being out of ammunition, was relieved by Colonel {R. F.] Hoke, of Early’s division.

About dusk I received an order from the lieutenant-general to advance my whole line and drive the enemy. This order was, however, countermanded while preparations were being made to carry it out. During the night my division was relieved from the front by the divisions of Generals Early and Taliaferro. When the fight was hottest, General Taliaferro very promptly responded to my call and moved down his division to within easy supporting distance of my left.

I cannot close this report without calling the attention of the lieutenant-general to the admirable manner in which the troops of this division behaved under that most trying of all things to the soldier, viz, inaction under a heavy fire of artillery. The absence of all straggling was remarkable, and is entitled to high commendation. The conscripts showed themselves desirous of being thought worthy comrades of our veteran soldiers. In this, as in all previous battles, my thanks are eminently due to the brigade commanders for their hearty co-operation— the coolness and skill with which they have handled their troops.

General Pender, though wounded, resumed the command of his brigade as sovn as his wound was dressed.

Among the field officers wounded are Colonels [Peter] Turney, [W.M.] Barbour, [Thomas J.] Purdie; Lieutenant-Colonel [N. J.] George, First Tennessee; Majors [A.S.] Van de Graaff, [Joseph J.] Norton, [Herbert D. Lee, [James H.] Neal, and [F.G.] Buchanan. The three field officers and senior captain (Turney) of the First Tennessee were struck down.

General Pender mentions especially First Lieut. S. S. Kirkland and Mr. John Young, volunteer aide-de-camp. General Archer was efficiently served by Lieutenants [George] Lemmon and [O. H.] Thomas. General Lane speaks of the good conduct of Captain [F. T.] Hawks and Lieutenant [Oscar] Lane, aide-de-camp ; and General Thomas, that where all did so well he cannot say more.

mented Gregg, was severely wounded, but refused to leave the field until, fainting from exhaustion and loss of blood, he was carried off. Captain [T. P.] Alston, of First South Carolina Volunteers, also deserves special mention. He having been severely wounded, after being dressed at the hospital, returned to the field in spite of the remonstrance of the surgeon. Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, assisted by Lieutenant [John H.] Chamberlayne, directed the fire from his guns with admirable coolness and precision. Pegram, as usual, with McIntosh to help him, managed to find the hottest place, though perhaps Davidson might have been willing to exchange positions with them.

I had forgotten to mention that at 3.30 o’clock my batteries on the right, except one section of Pegram’s, were relieved by the corps of Colonel Brown. The chief surgeon of the division (Dr. [J. W.] Powell), by his system and order and untiring personal attention, secured more comfort to the wounded than has beeo usual. By 10 o’clock the next day his hospital had been cleared of all those who could be moved, and, with their wounds dressed, they were on their way to Richmond. He acknowledges valuable assistance from ‘he Richmond committee.

The members of my staffi—Major [R. ©.] Morgan, assistant adjutantgeneral; Captain [R. . Wingate, assistant adjutant and inspectorgeneral; Captain [F. T.] Hill, aide-de-camp ; Major [ William H.] Palmer, First Virginia Regiment ; Captain [R. H. T.] Adams, signal officer, and Captain Gordon, volunteer aide-de-camp (whose horse was killed)— were active and zealous in the discharge of their duties. Captain [C. R.] Howard, my engineer officer, was particularly efticient in strength-. ening my lines. Captain [Robert C.] Stanard, ordnance officer, made efficient arrangements for the supply of ammunition. Captain Braxton, though sick, appeared in the field and fought with his guns. Sergeant Tucker, chief of couriers, was, as usual, always by my side, active and fearless.

The loss in the Light Division is :*

bee osha ” wo ow aa ea x a Wt Pa fg Offioers ci5~c).0sti.2). LER eek or Be ere eicl 16 19 1] 146 Salleted men 6o:, 0504-02240) ese wees ee ee 215 1,355 496 1,976 Vatall cdg oa 2kd. sedeancund + Reels ee iene da Aa ee mae 231 1,474 417 2,

I respectfully refer you ‘0 the accompanying reports of commanding officers of brigades. I an, sir, very resp3ctfully,

your obedient servant,