James H. Lane to R. C. Morgan, December 23, 1862

December 23, 1862.

I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my brigade in the late engagement before Fredericksburg :

At 6.30 o’clock on the morning of the 12th, we left our bivouac and took the position assigned us on the railroad, my right being about 250 yards to the left of the small piece of woods beyond the track, and my left resting on a dirt road which crosses the railroad near the point where it makes a bend. Several batteries were to my left and rear, and General Pender some distance farther back, my left nearly covering his right. When I had made this disposition of my command, I rode to the right of General Archer’s brigade, which was posted in the woods some was at that time commanding, that there was an open space between

*Â¥or list of casualties, see Report No. 265, p. 560. Lieuts. W. H. Putnam, Fourteas Georgia, and C. Johnson, Forty-ninth Soe ye reported as killed, and Lieut. W. J. Solomon, Fourteenth Georgia, as having died of wounds received.

us of about 600 yards. I also informed General Gregg of this opening, his command, which was to have been my support, being on the military road opposite this opening and-some 500 or 600 yards from the railroad. I subsequently met General A. P. Hill and spoke to him of our relative positions.

Nothing of interest occurred on Friday and Friday night.

Saturday morning I ordered the Seventh and Eighteenth Regiments beyond the railroad, to support three batteries which had been placed on a hill immediately in their front. Lieutenant-Colonel Hill at once approached the captain of one of these batteries, told him he would insure its safety against any attempt on the part of the enemy to capture it, and that he must let him know when he wished him to move to the front. As soon as the fog lifted, heavy skirmishing commenced along my whole line, and the enemy were seen advancing. Our skirmishers, with the exception of Captain [J. McLeod] Turner’s company, on the left, fell back. The batteries just alluded to then opened with telling effect and checked their advance. During this firing Captain Turner withdrew his company, as his men were suffering, and rejoined his regiment. Several pieces of artillery, after firing afew rounds, hurried from — the field, saying they were choked. On intimation from one of the captains of the batteries, Lieutenant-Colonel Hill promptly moved his regiment to the crest of the hill in front of the artillery, and delivered a volley at the sharpshooters, who were in range, the artillery all limbering up and driving to the rear. The Seventh and Highteenth both suffered from the enemy’s artillery fire, and at times from their sharpshooters.

About two hours later the enemy advanced in strong force across the open field to the right of my front. Colonel Barbour, his regiment being on the right, informed me, through Adjutant [David W.] Oates, of the advance, and wished to know what he must do should he be flanked. On being ordered to hold his position as long as possible, he deflected his three right companies, and formed them to the rear, at right angles to the track. I at once sent my courier, Mr. Shepperd, to inform General A. P. Hill that the enemy were advancing in force upon the opening, Captain [F. T.] Hawks having been previously sent to apprise him that their skirmishers were infront of thesame. Hight regiments were seen to pass to my right, and another to move by the right flank by file left, between the small body of woods and the fence beyond the track. This last regiment then faced by the rear rank, and opened fire upon

‘my right. The three right companies of the Thirty-seventh became hotly engaged, and General Gregg’s command was soon after encountered on the military road. Although our right was turned by such a large force, our position was deemed too important to be given up without a blow, and nobly did both officers and men await the approach of another large force along our entire front. As this force was concealed from the Thirty-third, Eighteenth, and Seventh Regiments by the hill about 40 yards beyond the track, they were cautioned to reserve their fire. The Twenty-eighth and Thirty-seventh, however, had open, leve’ ground in their front, and when the enemy had gotten within 150 vards of our line they opened a terrific and deadly fire upon them, repulsing their first and second lines and checking the third. These two regiments were subjected not only to a direct, but to right and left oblique fires, that portion of the enemy’s force behind the hiil nearest the Twenty-eighth firing upon them. As soon as the right of my command became engaged with such an overwhelming force, I dispatched Captain Hawks to General Gregg for re-enforcements, with instructions, if he was unable to send them, to apply to General Thomas, or anybody else whom he might see.in command of troops, for assistance.

My whole command held their ground until the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-seventh had fired away not only their own ammunition, but that of their own dead and wounded, which in some cases was handed to them by their officers. When -these regiments had ceased firing, the enemy, in column doubled on the center, bore down in mass from behind the hill upon the left of the Twenty-eighth and right of the Thirtythird, and the power of numbers forced them entirely across the railroad. The Twenty-eighth and Thirty-seventh, being flanked right and left, fell back in an orderly manner, and were resupplied with ammunition. A well-directed volley from the Thirty-third checked the enemy for a time, and Colonel Avery ordered a charge, but, being unsupported on his right, he countermanded the order and withdrew his regiment into the woods, about 75 yards from the railroad. The Highteenth Regiment then fell back about 100 yards, the right companies firing into the foe until he reached the woods in the pursuit. The Seventh, being on the left, fell back about 50 yards in perfect order. During the greater part of the engagement the enemy’s artillery played upon the woods in our rear. While awaiting re-enforcements, I sent my aide, Lieutenant Lane, to the left to tell Lieutenant-Colonel Hill, if he could possibly be spared, to come to the assistance of my right, as it was heavily pressed. The right, however, was forced to fall back before the order could be delivered. General Thomas came to my assistance, but too late to save my line. He encountered the enemy in the edge of the woods, drove them back, and, with the Eighteenth and Seventh Regiments of my brigade on his left, chased them to their first position. The Thirtythird, in accordance with orders, held the position in the woods to which it had fallen back until I could move up the Twenty-eighth and Thirtyseventh, when all again resumed their positions on the railroad.

That night the whole brigade was aligned on the track, and skirmishars thrown forward preparatory to a general advance. After this order was countermanded, my command rested on their arms until morning, when, having already been on duty upward of forty-eight hours, there was heavy skirmishing along my whole front, a number of men being killed and wounded.

We formed a portion of the second line on Monday, and, as we occupied an exposed position, the men soon constructed a very good temporary breastwork of logs, bush, and dirt, behind which they rested until Tuesday morning, when it was ascertained that the enemy had all recrossed the Rappahannock.

I cannot speak in too high terms of the gallantry of Colonels [C. M.’ Avery, [W. M.] Barbour, [S. D.] Lowe, and [T. J.] Purdie, and Lieutenant-Colonel [J. L.] Hill. They all commanded their regiments with bravery, and to my entire satisfaction. Colonel Purdie was slightly wounded. Colonel Barbour received a painful wound on the neck, which for a time paralyzed his right arm, but he reported for duty again on Tuesday. The other officers, both field and company, generally discharged their duties well. Colonel Avery alludes in high terms to the efficiency of Lieutenant-Colonel [R. V.] Ccwan. Colonel Purdie, in his report, makes an unenviable allusion to one of his officers, name not given. The Yankee wretches dragged Lient. J. W. Pettus, Company C, Thirty-seventh Regiment, some distance by the legs after he had been wounded in the head and leg. The men of the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-seventh “fought like brave men, long and well,” while those of the other regiments calmly held their positions under a heavy artillery fire, one of the most trying positions in which soldiers can be placed.

I cannot refrain making special allusion to our conscripts, many of whom were under fire for the first time. They proved themselves worthy accessions to a brigade which has borne itself well in all the battles of the last eight months.

Capt. F. T. Hawks, the assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. Oscar Lane, my aide, and Private James W. Shepperd, my courier, were of great assistance to me throughout the fight, often carrying orders and messages for me under the hottest fire.

Our ambulance corps was very efficient, and removed our wounded rapidly. ier , to keep the command supplied with ammunition. :

Our loss in officers was 2 killed, 25 wounded, and 5 prisoners. Enlisted men—60 killed, 232 wounded, 183 prisoners, and’ 28 missing, making an aggregate of 535.*

Respectfully,