Report of General S. McGowan of Battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Courthouse.
[We are indebted to our gallant friend, General McGowan, for a number of his reports, and take pleasure in giving the following in continuation of the reports of the campaign of 1864, the publication of which was begun in our August number.]
Headquarters McGowan's Brigade,
Lines near Petersburg,
Major—In obedience to orders from division headquarters, July 15th, 1864, I have the honor to submit the following report of the engagements of this campaign in which my brigade participated under my command.
WILDERNESS.
About noon of Wednesday, 4th May, under the orders of Major-General Wilcox, my brigade left their winter quarters on the Rapidan and marched through Orange Courthouse, following General Heth's division down the Plank road towards Fredericksburg. That night we bivouacked near Vediersville. The next morning took up the line of march in the same order; heard skirmishing in
