Roger A. Pryor to SORREL, Assistant Adjutant- General, July 29, 1862

July 29, 1862.

Masor: I beg to submit the following report of the operations of the Fifth Brigade in the recent engagements around Richmond:

About 11 o’clock in the night of June 26 I was directed by MajorGeneral Longstreet to relieve the brigade of Colonel Colquitt in its advanced position on the field of the day’s fight. Expecting the enemy to renew the combat in the morning I disposed my regiments in such manner as to prevent a surprise, to resist an assault, and to re-enforce Featherston, whom a march by the left flank had placed in my front. Maurin’s battery I posted on an elevation in the rear, whence it might fire without affecting our men and yet attain the enemy, who occupied another eminence across Beaver Dam Creek. Scarcely had I completed my arrangements when, by the light of the earliest dawn, the enemy began the attack. Featherston, being in advance, received the first shock. As rapidly as possible I hurried my troops to his assistance. We assumed the aggressive, and after an obstinate resistance of two hours the enemy were pushed back until our brigades were prepared to ptirsue them across Beaver Dam Creek; but General Wilcox arrived meantime with his brigade and determined not to take this step until a bridge could be constructed for the passage of the artillery. While we were engaged in that business Major-General Longstreet came up and assumed personal direction of our movements.

In this affair at Ellison’s Mill my command sustained a considerable loss. The battalion of Lieutenant-Colonel Coppens and the Third Regiment Virginia Volunteers were especially distinguished.

Arriving at Hogan’s house in pursuit of the enemy I was directed by Major-General Longstreet to conduct ny brigade as an advance guard. J had not proceeded more than a mile when the enemy were observed in the woods on Dr. Gaines’ farm. I detached a few companies to drive in his nearest skirmishers and to dislodge his sharpshooters from their cover. This was effected without much difficulty. A line of skirmishers extending along the entire front of the woods in rear of Dr. Gaines’ house discovered to me the position in which the enemy had resolved to offer battle.

Of this position about 11 o’clock I attempted a reconnaissance. I deployed my entire brigade under a galling fire from the enemy’s battery over the river and advanced across the field a distance of half a mile to within range of the enemy’s infantry. I found him in very great force.

A few hours afterward Captain Meade, of Major-General Longstreet’s staff, delivered me an order to engage the enemy. Immediately I moved from my position at Gaines’ house straightforward to the wood in which the enemy was concealed. Ascending the hill in front of his position, my men were staggered by a terrific volley at the same time that they suffered severely from the battery across the Chickahominy. I was compelled to retire them to the cover of aravine in my rear. After the lapse of a few moments I again moved them forward, and again they encountered a fire which it was impossible to endure. ‘This time, however, they were not arrested before they had rushed down to the edge of the wood where the enemy lay.

In these assaults I sustained a very great loss—as much almost from the enemy’s artillery as from his infantry fire. A single shell killed and disabled 11 of my men. Meanwhile Wilcox had come to my assistance. Then Featherston and Pickett appeared. Forming line on the acclivity of the hill which screened us from the enemy we moved forward, but for several minutes of painful suspense we were held in check by the deadly volleys poured upon us. At last, with a terrific yell, our brave men rushed down the hill, leaped the ditch, and drove the enemy from his position at the point of the bayonet. Emerging from the woods, they encountered an awful fire of grape and canister from several batteries in the field before them. Nevertheless they pressed on, drove the enemy from his second line, and captured his artillery. So the field was won.

nar. XXIIL ] SEVEN-DAYS’ BATTLES. 781

In this brilliant fight my brigade bore a not unworthy part. AL though they had been engaged with the enemy from the earliest dawn and had already suffered serious losses, they were not behind the feremost in the final victorious charge.

At Frazier’s farm the position of my brigade was indicated by yourself. About 4 o’clock I received an order from Major-General LongStreet to go into the fight. At once I moved in line toward the field, but the wood and other obstructions forced me to form column and to send my regiments in successively. Arriving on the field, I discovered that the brigade on my right had been repulsed and that my command was exposed to a destructive fire on the flank as well as in front. Nevertheless they stood their ground and sustained the unequal combat until re-enforced by the brigade of General Gregg. We did not return to our original position until the enemy had abandoned the field and surrendered his artillery into our possession.

In this engagement my loss was uncommonly heavy in officers as well asmen. The Fourteenth Alabama, bearing the brunt of the struggle, was nearly annihilated. I crossed the Chickahominy on the 26th with 1,400 men. In the fights that followed I suffered a loss of 849 killed and wounded and 11 missing.

In a report which I had the honor to submit some days ago I distinguished the officers whom I thought worthy of promotion. I will only add now that Capt. V. Maurin, of the Donaldsonville Artillery, attached to my brigade, exhibited himself a most courageous and capable officer.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Major SORREL, Assistant Adjutant- General.
No. 306.
Reports of Brig. Gen. Winfield S. Featherston, C. S. Army, commanding
Sixth Brigade, of the battles of Gaines’ Mill and Frazier’s Farm (Nelsons Farm, or Glendale). ‘
RicHMOND, VA., July 12, 1862.
Sir: In obedience to orders I beg leave to submit the following report of the part taken by the Sixth Brigade, of Major-General Longstreet’s division, in the late battles of the Chickahominy :