Jno. F. Neff to Thirty-third Virginia Infantry, January 1, 1862

duly 8, 1862.

_ duly 8, 1862. Sir: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the regiment under my command in the recent engagements with the enemy in front of Richmond. The report must necessarily lack clearness, owing to the fact that the ground on which we operated was

* Nominal list omitted, entirely unknown to me., There are no general landmarks or starting points with which to locate my position, yet I trust to make myself tolerably intelligible :

We had been halting on the road leading along in rear of the enemy’s right flank until late in the afternoon of Friday, June 27, when the brigade was again put in motion and marched on down the road for perhaps 2 miles, when the regiments were counter-marched and the pieces loaded. Heavy firing was heard on our right over a line extending several miles. This firing, as [ was informed, was from the divisions of Generals Hill, Ewell, and Longstreet, who were actively

engaging the enemy’s right flank, posted on the north side of Chickahominy River and occupying Gaines’ farm. Our brigade was immediately in rear of General Lawton’s brigade, which was moving along very slowly in the road already mentioned. Coming to the end of the woods which had skirted the road for a long distance we filed to the right, the Twenty-seventh Virginia leading, my regiment following immediately in rear. After marching through a clover field, by a small white house in the edge of the field, we turned off to the right, the men leaving their blankets and knapsacks at the corner of a narrow lane, which we now entered, making directly for the battle-field. Our progress being no louger obstructed by troops in our front, we pushed rapidly on through pine thickets and swamps for about half a mile until we reached an open plain with a wood in front, beyond which the battle seemed to be raging. Shells were flying over the field, and the wounded and stragglers were falling to the rear every moment; some few of the latter were rallied and joined the regiment. On the edge of this plain the Twenty-seventh and Thirty-third were formed into line of battle, the Thirty-third on the right, but soon moved off again, marching by the flank, Thirty-third in front. We marched on in this manner across the field to an old road having telegraph wires extending along its course; here we were halted, and the brigade formed in column of regiments, Thirty-third in front.

Soon after, and near sundown, a line of battle was formed, and the whole line moved forward in the direction of the firing, the Thirty-third ontheright. Marching on, we soon entered the woods, a portion of which contained thick undergrowth. The firing in our front was very heavy; shells were bursting over us, and rifle balls pretty well spent were also falling in our midst. After entering the woods some 40 or 50 paces I came upon a Georgia regiment lying in the woods, and was about to pass my men through their ranks when the colonel remonstrated against it, at the same time telling me that several regiments were drawn up in his front and that there was great danger of being shot by our friends. I then marched the regiment by the left flank and passed on after the Twenty-seventh, which I could scarcely keep in sight of, going through the swamp and thicket. Urging my men along as fast as possible I soon got across the swamp and over the hill, leaving nothing but a deep ravine between me and the enemy’s camp, situated on the rising ground beyond, but which had already been carried by our forces only a few moments before. I here met General Ewell, who delayed both regiments for a few moments to give us some instructions, when we again pressed forward. Here, too, I for the first time found that only a portion of my regiment had come up—the rest were still entangled in the swamp; but there was no time to wait, as we were already separated from the rest of the brigade, which had hurried on past regiments and brigades in their front. We pushed on by several regiments, and coming up again with the Fourth Virginia, we

pele

Cuar. XXTIT.] SEVEN-DAYS’ BATTLES. 585

marched on in line at arapid pace. The firing on our left was quite heavy, but on the right the enemy was in full retreat, and but few shots were fired. Marching for about half a mile, after gaining the enemy’s camp we approached a heavy piece of timber beyond a ravine. We were ordered to halt and soon after to take position 150 paces perhaps in rear, where we lay for the night, throwing out pickets on our front and flank. Soon after taking this position I was joined by a portion of the regiment commanded by Maj. F. W. M. Holliday, which had become separated from the rest of the regiment in the swamp, as already mentioned, This portion of the regiment had advanced farther to our right than any of our forces and was fired upon by a New York regiment, inflicting-a loss upon us of 1 man killed. The hostile regiment running as soon as it fired, no opportunity was given to return their fire.

The loss of the regiment was 1 killed and 3 wounded. Among the wounded Lieutenant Eastham, Company I.

Saturday, the 28th, remained in our position all day, men being employed a portion of the day in gathering arms and burying the dead of friend and foe.

Sunday, the 29th, marched down to Grapevine Bridge, where we remained for several hours, and then returned to our former position.

Monday, the 50th, were aroused at 2.30 a.m. Got under arms and took up the line of march in the direction of Grapevine Bridge, crossed Chickahominy, and marched to the York River Railroad. Marched down the road some distance, and then down what I was told was the Williamsburg road. Heard heavy firing in front of us, but did not get under fire all day. Bivouacked at dark near White Oak Swamp.

Tuesday, July 1, marched at daylight, crossed the swamp, and moved on in the direction of James River. Do not remember what troops were immediately in our front. The Thirty-third Regiment marched in rear of the brigade. About 11 o’clock we filed into a wood on the right of the road and formed line of battle, Thirty-third on the extreme left. Reinained in this position a considerable time, and then fell back a short distance to get out of range of shells. Here we remained until near sundown, when we were ordered to ‘“ Attention,” faced to the left, and moved down the road in the direction of the firing, Thirty-third leading. As we approached the scene of action found the firing very warm, shot and shell flying over and around us. We again filed to the right into the woods, through which we soon made our way; entered a corn field and inclined to the left, marching on until we again reached the main road. In the road we halted for a moment, the men lying down behind a fence in the mean time, which afforded a partial protection. Soon moved off again, crossed the fence to our left, and marched in an oblique direction through a thick undergrowth across a swamp ; clambered up a steep acclivity on the opposite side; crossed the fence, and found ourselves on the field of battle.

It was now quite dark, and it was difficult to tell where were our friends or foes. The regiment was put in line as well as circumstances would permit, the men sheltering themselves behind the hill as much as possible while they delivered a pretty warm fire upon the enemy. We were for some time unsupported, and our small force must certainly have been crushed by the superior weight of the enemy had they known our numbers. We were subsequently joined by some Louisiana regiments and General Lawton’s brigade.

Considerable confusion was created necessarily in the swamp and bushes, officers and men becoming separated and regiments more or less intermingled ; yet, so far as my observation extended, both officers and men behaved well. Major Holliday, Adjutant Walton, Captain Golladay, and Sergeant-Major Baldwin were particularly brought under my notice. Captain Golladay was the only captain in the regiment on the occasion.

The firing did not cease until about 9 p. m., when it gradually died away, the enemy finally withdrawing.

The loss of the regiment in this engagement was 4 killed and 29 wounded. The strength of the regiment, as ascertained a short time before going into the engagement, was 130 rank and file.

The entire loss of the regiment in the recent engagements before Richmond is 5 killed and 32 wounded.*

Respectfully submitted.

Colonel Thirty-third Virginia Infantry.
Capt. J. F. O’BRIEN,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., First Brigade, Valley District.
No. 239.
Report of Lieut. Col. R. H. Cunningham, Twenty-first Virginia Infantry,
commanding Second Brigade, Second Division (Jackson’s), of the battles
of Gaines’ Mill and Malvern Hill.