Summary:
Col. William S. H. Baylor commanded the Fifth Virginia Infantry in the Army of
Northern Virginia. Col. Baylor details his unit's successful charge upon the
enemy position.
Captain
Camp near Manassas, Va.
July 9, 1862
CAPT:
It was marching left in front, and in the rapid movement forward was partly cut in two by the Second Brigade, which created some confusion in the right companies, and resulted in depriving me of some of my best men, who, in the confusion and rapid movement, lost their way and were unable to join me during the battle. I am happy, however, to state that some of those who were thus cut off joined themselves to other regiments and no doubt did their duty as soldiers of the First Brigade.
On arriving at or near the tavern I, with the Second Virginia, was ordered to support several batteries that were being placed in position just to the front of it, which order I promptly executed, moving my regiment to the support of the left battery, leaving the right for the Second Regt.
This disposition had hardly been made before the news came [I do not know how] "They are driving our men back," and now Brig.-Gen. Winder ordered the brigade forward, thus placing my regiment on the left and the Second Regt. immediately on its right. The movement was made at a rapid pace through swamps and bogs and thick undergrowth, which made it exceedingly difficult to keep the proper alignment. From the moment of my being placed in position to support the battery the shells from the enemy's batteries fell around us thick and fast, and yet my men, like veterans, pressed on to the front with a spirit and determination which afterward contributed to the complete success of our general's undertaking.
After emerging from the woods there was an open and almost naked field, ascending by a regular inclined plane for almost 1,000 yards to the tops of McGehee's hill, on which the enemy was posted in strong force, both of artillery and infantry. Being ordered to charge in connection with the entire brigade, and to keep my right resting upon the left of the Second Regt., I found great difficulty in doing so from the constant obliquing of the brigade to the right. It was now dusk, and I could hardly see the left of the Second; but I urged my men forward, being guided more by the cheering than by the sight of that regiment.
The charge was executed in gallant style and at a double-quick until I arrived within 150 yards of the top of the hill, when I ordered a halt, seeing that the Second Regt. had halted, closed up the regiment, and opened a fire upon the enemy. By this time I found that my regiment had become separated a considerable distance from the Second, and discovered a regiment lying down between the two, somewhat to their rear. My right had run over part of this regiment in the charge, and I am informed that previously my left had done the same thing for another regiment, which was lying down and in its way. While my regiment was engaged in action to the front I ascertained that the regiment lying down between mine and the Second Regt. was the Thirty-eighth Georgia. Upon asking for its colonel, I was informed that all of its field officers were wounded, and that Capt. Lawton, assistant adjutant-general and chief of Brig.-Gen. Lawton's staff, was controlling it. I asked him why his regiment was lying down; he replied that it had no ammunition. I inquired if he had bayonets, and whether he would fill up the space between me and the Second Regt. in the charge. He replied that he would, and I take pleasure in stating that upon my giving the order to charge he moved up in fine style and assisted in holding the hill during the night.
The whole line in this last and successful charge obliqued to the right and the right of my regiment swept the road, in which it captured two Parrott pieces in battery, which, from their heated condition, evidently had been used very freely and with terrible effect upon our forces. The enemy retired slowly and sullenly, and, to the best of my knowledge, did not abandon the pieces and their position until our line had approached to within 75 yards of his.
Not stopping at the top of the hill, I moved forward to a fence some 50 yards to the front, and placed the regiment behind it, nearly in line with the balance of the brigade. While there a battery of ours on our left fired a discharge of canister, which enfiladed my entire line, but, providentially, hurt no one. I speak it to the praise of my regiment that while this discharge cut all around them it showed no symptoms of alarm, but remained steady and firm until one of the privates gave notice to the battery that we were friends.
Under orders I afterward moved farther forward, and subsequently withdrew with the whole to the front. I immediately called for Company L to man the two pieces captured, but ascertained that Capt. Burke, First Lieut. Swoope, and 9 men were wounded, leaving only 1 officer and 9 men unhurt. I ordered him to take command of one of the pieces and load it with canister; but he ascertained that the enemy had used every charge but two, one of which was found in the limberbox, the other reversed in one of the guns. I reported these facts to Gen. Winder.
My men got but little repose, as we had every reason to believe that the enemy intend to attack us during the night.
I found several wounded North Carolinians near the top of the hill, from which I inferred that the hill had been in our possession and retaken by the enemy prior to our coming forward. I afterward ascertained that my inference was correct.
I sent out details as early as practicable to take care of my wounded and to bury the dead.
I cannot undertake to mention the conduct of all the officers; all did their duty. Capt. William H. Randolph was killed by my side urging his men on to the charge. A braver officer never poured out his blood for his country. Capt.'s Fletcher and Burke were wounded and disabled while in the fearless discharge of their duty. Lieut.'s Swoope, Keiser, and Brown, and others were also wounded in the midst of the fight, while the officers who were so fortunate as to escape unhurt did everything that brave men could do, and were foremost in the strife. Lieut. McKenney, after fighting bravely through the battle, was wounded by the accidental discharge of a musket. Lieut. Col. J. H. S. Funk again proved himself efficient, cool, and brave, doing all that an officer could do toward the achievement which blessed our brigade with a glorious triumph. Capt. Roberts, acting major, managed the left of the regiment in a highly creditable manner, and behaved with intrepidity and daring throughout the entire engagement.
While I feel unable to do justice to the officers, I find it impossible to give too much praise to the non-commissioned officers and privates, who, without the hope of praise or the incentives of promotion, behaved like heroes under the most in the full enjoyment of that liberty for which they have so cheerfully and nobly struggled.
I feel it but right to mention Mr. S. H. Bell and Mr. William J. Hunter, citizens of Augusta County, for their prompt and humane efforts in attending to and removing the wounded and burying the dead.
The list of casualties,* hereto appended, is, thanks to a protecting Providence, small, owing to the interposition of the darkness of night and the overshooting of the enemy.
On Tuesday, July 1, by order of Gen. Winder, I had placed my regiment in the woods in rear of the battle-field. I had scarcely gotten into position before a Parrott shell mortally wounded Capt. Fletcher. This gallant young officer had on many occasions proved himself so brave as to be the idol of his company and of the entire regiment. His last words on the field were words of encouragement to his men.
Gen. Winder ordered me to move back some distance and out of the range of the guns. I had hardly executed the order before another shell exploded in the line, killing 1 and wounding 4 privates. The brigade was then moved still farther back. I obtained permission of Gen. Winder to go to the rear to look after my wounded, and while there was informed that the brigade was moving to the front. With difficulty I reached the head of my regiment just as it filed to the right into the woods. The blockaded-up condition of the road compelled the regiment to move in single file, which scattered it very much. Having received no orders, I followed the Second Regt. across a corn field until I arrived at a woods and found it posted in a ravine, which seemed to be providentially placed in our way as a breastwork against the terrific shower of shell and grape. I soon after met with Col. Botts, who informed me that he had lost the balance of the brigade. After remaining in this perilous situation, in which our men were unable to do any good and were in very great danger and finding it impossible to join the rest of the brigade, Col. Botts and I, on consultation, determined to fall back to the road, which we succeeded in doing with but a few wounded. I gathered the scattered men of the brigade, assisted by Col. Botts, and moved along the road until I received orders to halt and rest.
It is a great source of regret to me and my whole regiment that we were unable to be with our old companies, and where we could have rendered them some assistance. As it was, we were almost as much exposed.
A list of the casualties of this day is also appended.* [1]
[1] Embodied in return, p.973.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. S. H. BAYLOR,
Col. Fifth Virginia Infantry.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I. Vol. 11. Part II, Reports, Etc. Serial No. 13., Pages 579-582, Broadfoot Publishing Company, , .
