WM. R. Holmes to Hpdqqrs. Fifteenth Regiment Georgia Volunteers, July 23, 1862

July 23, 1862.

Sig: Pursuant to orders received of this date I send you the reports of the actions and a correct list of the casualties which occurred in our regiment in the engagements of June 27 and July 1:

On June 27, while our regiment was on picket, five companies, being immediately on the outposts, with the rest as a reserve—composed of the following companies: Company F, Cherokee Brown Rifles; Company C, Semmes Guards; Company D, Burke Sharpshooters ; Company H, Wright Infantry, and Company I, Buena Vista Guards—were ordered by Colonel Butt forward to the picket line, 200 yards beyond the Garnett house, to the left, to open fire upon the enemy’s pickets. On arriving upon the line Colonel Butt gave me command of Company C, Semmes Guards, commanded by Captain Shepherd, and Company F, Cherokee Brown Rifles, Captain Shuford, and ordered me to take those two companies 60 yards to the right, and march them to the edge of the woods looking out upon the wheat field; when in that position to open fire upon the enemy. Ididso. At the time 1 halted them a regiment of the enemy, stationed in line opposite us across the field, which I saw plainly, opened fire upon us. I ordered our men to lie down and fire deliberately at them, which order they obeyed handsomely. The fire then became general on the line opposite us and extended soon to our left and right, which placed us under an enfilade fire from two points. I occupied the position at the edge of the woods until nearly half of the men in the companies that I commanded were either killed or wounded. I then ordered the men to fall back six paces and get behind trees, which they did, and there they fought until the combat ceased.

The left companies—Company D, Burke Sharpshooters ; Company I, Buena Vista Guards, and Company H, Wright Infantry—were commanded by Colonel Butt in person. Being to my left 60 yards, remained in their position, not being so exposed as they were on lower ground, which protected Companies D and H very much. Company I, being on the right of these companies nearest the right companies under iny command, suffered more than the other two companies, owing [to] a part of it [being] stationed on rising ground.

Two of the companies of our regiment—Company K, Stewart Greys, and Company B, Jackson Blues, Company KK under cominand of Lieutenant Rockwell, and Company B of Capt. A. McC. Lewis—being on picket, collected their men on the post to the left of the road and entered the fight at the time the companies did on the right, which was composed of those companies on reserve and not on post that day. I did not see them or know they were in the fight until afterward.

We fought about a half or three-quarters of an hour against overwhelming numbers, said to have been nine regiments of the enemy, before thé Fifteenth Georgia came to the support of our regiment. The companies I commanded were never re-enforced, and I did not know that the Fifteenth Georgia had been ordered in until after the fight, when, on going to where Colonel Butt was stationed, I learned that

hey were on the ground. : : Rho the fuhpreedied, which was after night had set in, I had but two men that were able to fire their pieces. All were either killed, wounded, or unable to fire, not being able to load their pieces. Others were out of ammunition. A few, I am told, that were not hurt went off with the wounded men. Of the seven companies, the number of muskets carried into the fight was 271, this being the number reported on that day for duty.

The regiment lost in this engagement 10 killed and 110 wounded, a list of which you will find inclosed.

On July 1, at Malvern Hill, we were placed in line with the other regiments of your brigade. We were to be, I learn: d, the supporting brigade to Generals Cobb’s and Anderson’s commands, which occupied positions in front of our line. After marching by the flanks and forward quite a number of times we were brought immediately in front of the battery that we were tocharge. The Second Georgia’s position was directly in front of the battery, which I thought must be fully threequarters of a mile distant from the woods we emerged from. Being under the direct fire of the enemy’s guns the whole of that distance our brigade moved forward steadily for some distance and in good order, when, owing to some command, the Fifteenth Georgia, being next

to our right, got in front of us, masking the whole of the right wing of —

the Second. The Seventeenth Georgia at the same time crowded upon the Fifteenth Georgia. This crowding caused much confusion. At the time I was 15 or 20 steps in front of our regiment, looking back to see if our regiment was moving onin order. I found myself in front of another regiment, which I was told was the Fifteenth Georgia. I soon saw the mixed condition of troops, that the Fifteenth and Seventeenth, which occupied the line to our right, had by some command been moved to the left, which placed them upon the line we occupied. While in that huddled condition the order was given to march by the left flank, which our regiment performed in good order under a most destructive fire of grape and canister, being under full range of the enemy’s guns.

After crossing a fence our regiment was ordered to lie down and wait for support to come up. Soon one of the regiments of Kershaw’s brigade came up and moved forward and we ordered as a support; we followed close after them. They moved in order and made a most gallant charge, but were completely checked by the deadly fire from the enemy’s battery. Their ranks being torn asunder, they had to fall back, which left our regiment in front without any support. Colonel Butt being wounded at that time, I had to assume command. I ordered our regiment to lie down until we could get a supporting regiment. We were under a most terrific fire of grape, but the men acted with the utmost coolness, not one exhibiting, that I could see, the least fear. We lay under that fire for fully half an hour waiting for some regiment to come up that we might continue our charge to the battery, which was not more than 150 yards in front of us. Word being brought that the enemy was flanking us on our right (immediately afterward there occurred a very heavy fire, which came in upon the rear of our right wing), I ordered the regiment up and gave the command aboutface, and marched in order to the rear across a small drain and gave the command halt, but owing to great noise was not heard. I intended to halt and change front, that I might receive the enemy that (I was told) had flanked us. I was in front of the regiment at the time I ordered them to about-face, which placed me in the rear in falling back. My order to halt went unheeded. The regiment continued to move off to the rear, which I think was fortunate, as when [we were] alone and could effect nothing in the position we occupied. Had the regiment remained in the position I intended to make a stand for the enemy (that was said to have flanked us) I do not think I would have brought off you will find consolidated with the other list of killed and wounded.

your obedient servant,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Second Georgia.

Brigadier-General ToomBs.

No. 276.

Report of Col. William T. Millican, Fifteenth Georgia Infantry, of the

actions at Garnett’s and Golding’s Farms and battle of Malvern Hill.

HpDqQrs. FIFTEENTH REGIMENT GEORGIA VOLUNTEERS,

Camp McIntosh, July 26, 1862.