Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 06.djvu/270

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
260
Southern Historical Society Papers.

onel Burgwyn commanding, displayed conspicuous gallantry, of which I was an eye-witness. The Twenty-sixth North Carolina regiment, of its whole number, lost in this action more than half, in killed and wounded, among whom were Colonel Burgwyn killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel Lane severely wounded. Colonel Leventhrope, of the Eleventh North Carolina regiment, was wounded and Colonel Ross killed.

The Fifty-second and Forty-seventh North Carolina regiments, on the right of the centre, were subjected to a heavy artillery fire, but suffered much less than the Eleventh and Twenty-sixth North Carolina regiments. These regiments behaved to my entire satisfaction.

Pettigrew's brigade, under the leadership of that gallant officer and accomplished scholar, Brigadier-General J. Johnston Pettigrew (now lost to his country), fought as well and displayed as heroic courage as it was ever my fortune to witness on a battle-field.

The number of its own gallant dead and wounded, as well as the larger number of the enemy's dead and wounded left on the field over which it fought, attests better than any commendation of mine the gallant part it played on the 1st of July. In one instance, when the Twenty-sixth North Carolina regiment encountered the second line of the enemy, his dead marked his line of battle with the accuracy of a line at dress parade.

Archer's brigade on the right, Colonel D. B. Fry commanding, after advancing a short distance, discovered a large body of cavalry on its right flank.

Colonel Fry judiciously changed his front, thus protecting the right flank of the division during the engagement. This brigade (Archer's), the heroes of Chancellorsville, fully maintained its hard won and well-deserved reputation. The officer making the report of the part it played in the first and second charges, has failed to particularize any officer or soldier who displayed particular gallantry, which accounts for no one being named from this gallant little brigade.

After breaking through the first and second lines of the enemy, and several of the regiments being out of ammunition, General Pender's division relieved my own, and continued the pursuit beyond the town of Gettysburg.

At the same time that it would afford me much gratification, I would be doing but justice to the several batteries of Pegram's battalion, in mentioning the assistance they rendered during this battle; but I have been unable to find out the names of the commanders of those batteries stationed at the points where important service was rendered—all reports of artillery officers being made through their chief. My thanks are particularly due to Major Pegram for his ready co-operation. He displayed his usual coolness, good judgment and gallantry.

My thanks are also due to my personal staff—Major Finney, Assistant Adjutant-General; Major Harrison, Adjutant and Inspector-General; Lieutenants Selden and Heth, my Aids-de-Camp, and