178 Southern Historical Society Papers.
advanced and attacked the enemy in strong position. A furious com- bat continued until eleven o'clock, when I withdrew, by order of General Johnson. The conduct of officers and men, during the period embraced in this report, is considerd highly commendable. I am indebted to Lieutenant-Colonel Forsyth and Major Sands for valuable assistance during the late military operations. Accompany- ing this report is a list of the killed, wounded, and missing of this regiment in the engagements near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I am, Lieutenant, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
CULLEN A. BATTLE, Colonel Third Alabama Regiment.
REPORT OF MAJOR BLACKFORD, OF SHARPSHOOTERS OF RODES'S BRIGADE.
HEADQUARTERS " BATTALION OF SHARP- SHOOTERS" RODES'S BRIGADE,
Darksville, Va., July lyth, 1863.
Lieutenant SAM'L H. MOORE,
A. A. A. General, Rodes 's Brigade :
LIEUTENANT, I have the honor to make the following re- port of the action of the "Corps of Sharpshooters," under my command, during the battles of the ist, 2d and 3d July.
The corps was deployed two miles from Gettysburg with the left resting upon the Heidlersburg Pike. After receiving instructions from General Rodes to keep connected with those on my right, and feel for General Early' s advance on the left, I moved steadily for- ward upon the town, driving in the cavalry videttes, posted in the road, and on commanding hills. About half a mile from the suburbs a large force of cavalry was observed in line, with a heavy line of men dismounted as skirmishers, the former charged us twice, but were easily repulsed.
After an hour or more of active skirmishing, the enemy's infantry advanced in force through the town, and under cover of a cloud of skirmishers, moved upon our batteries the right company of my
