W. S. Smith, September 11, 1861

je i — Camp Scott, Va., September 11, 1861. — Se: I have the honor to submit the following statement of the part taken by my regiment in the action near Carnifix Ferry yesterday :

At about 11 o’elock a. m. on the 10th instant, a general halt of the — whole column having been ordered at a point about 24 miles distant from the enemy’s intrenchments, my regiment was ordered by General – Benham to form in line of battle behind the crest of a hill on the right flank of the position then being occupied by the Second and Third . – Brigades, it having appeared that they were about to be attacked. My line was just deployed when I received an order from General Rose-‘ crans to move forward, which I did, taking my place in line according to our previous order of march, the Tenth Ohio, MeMullin’s battery, my own section of two rifled cannon, and yourself, with Gilmore’s and Wests cavalry, leading in their order. We closed upon the head of the -eolumn, and marched thus until we had reached a point within twothirds of a mile of the enemy’s position, when I was again halted by an “order from the rear. – -— We remained halted in this position for about ten minutes, and until the enemy opened fire upon the head of our column. I was then ordered to move forward, which I did, until I was induced by the heavy firing apparently on our right to move in that direction with my regiment until my line was fairly deployed, when I received an order from General Benham to move forward to the left. My regiment was then moved forward by the left flank down the ravine to our left running nearly parallel with the enemy’s front, then up the right-hand slope until I saw the works of the enemy from my position at the head of my regiment. : – I then moved to the left along the skirt of the woods in front of the enemy’s line, and about 200 yards from it, until I reached his extreme right flank, moving all the while behind the summit of the hill which sheltered it’from his fire. The enemy’s line from his battery at the center to the right flank. was completely revealed to us during this

See eT ee IRAN AA EE “i flank movement under cover. When we reached the enemy’s extreme right we received his fire from behind the breastwork of logs and rails, distant now about 100 yards. The order was immediately given to my

regiment to fall down and creep up to the crest of the hill, where we `

opened fire and maintained it briskly, driving the enemy in upon his center. Having been ordered to make a reconnaissance, not an attack, . we ceased firing, and lay in our position to await further orders, sending Lieutenant-Colonel Mason to report the result of our reconnaissance to Generals Benham and Rosecrans. I have since learned through a prisoner taken by us that our fire cleared the enemy from his works on the right and drove him in on his center. 3 After waiting as I supposed a sufficient length of time, and fearing that Colonel Mason had lost his way in the thick underbrush, I drew down my eight companies into the ravine and back into the main road, and then went in person to report to Generals Benham and Rosecrans. This I did, and requested that a brigadier might lead us to an attack upon the enemy’s extreme right. A brigade, consisting of the Twentyeighth Ohio, eight companies of the Thirteenth Ohio, three of the Twenty-third Ohio, and two of the Twelfth Ohio Regiments, was extemporized by General Rosecrans, and ‘I was placed in command and ordered to carry*the works on the right by assault. I formed the command as aboye constituted in the ravine, and was then ordered by Gen- –

eral Rosecrans to halt and await further orders. We remained in this position for about one hour, when General Rosecrans ordered me to move .

forward to the attack. I reached the head of my column and started .

just at dusk. Before we could march down the ravine through which we had passed before and countermarched up the right-hand slope, so as to draw out my line on the flank and in front of a portion of the enemy’s line, it became so dark and the men so weary, having marched from 3 o’elock in the morning, that it was found impossible to ascend to their dre iv

line. The ground was covered with rocks and a dense undergrowth of – laurel, and Colonel Moor reported that it would take until 2 o’eloek in _the morning to get two companies of his regiment up.

I then ordered the whole column to face about, and march out just as it had marched in, and crossed the ravine to the rear of the column to lead it out, when a shot or two from the enemy’s skirmishers, or an accidental shot from one of our own pieces, caused the whole column,

doubled as it. was into a “U?” shape, to open fire, killing two and –

wounding about thirty of our own men. The melancholy mistake was at once discovered, and the column extrieated and marched back by the left into the main road, and so on back to the grounds selected for our encampment. j

At the beginning of the action my section- of two rifled cannon, under command of Captain Schneider, and supported by his company (E, Thirteenth Regiment), was ordered by General Benham to take position in the road by whieh our eolumns approached, and at a point about 400 yards distant from the enemy’s works. Several shots were fired from this position with good effect. Captain Sehneider then found a better position for his guns about 100 paces to the right, and cut a road to it with his sword and one hatchet, and from this new position, in full view of the enemy’s battery, he fired 75 rounds of solid shot and 15 of

shells. His shot plowed through the parapet of the enemy’s battery, _

spreading consternation among those who served the pieces. Captain Schneider and his men behaved with great gallantry, delivering their

fire with coolness and accuracy, although exposed to a brisk fire – from the enemy’s battery and from his musketry. The same may be .

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. Cuar. XIV] ENGAGEMENT AT CARNIFIX FERRY, W. VA. 141 said of my whole regiment, which was kept in perfect order throughout . the day.* : ; –

Respectfully submitted.