Summary:
Confederate Colonel E. Johnson reports to Colonel C. L. Stevenson, Assistant
Adjutant for the Army of the Northwest, stationed at Staunton, on a December,
1861, engagement in western Virginia.
HDQRS. MONTEREY LINE,
Camp Alleghany,
December 19, 1861.
COL.:
I have the honor to submit the following report of the engagement with the enemy which occurred at this place on the 13th instant:
On the 12th I sent out a scouting party of 106 men, commanded by Maj. John D. H. Ross, of the Fifty-second Virginia Volunteers, with instructions to ambuscade a point on the pike beyond Camp Baxter, on Greenbrier. On the afternoon of that day the advance guard of the enemy approached, were fired into by Maj. Ross's command, and many of them killed or wounded. Immediately the main body of the enemy approached in force, deployed, and advanced upon our scouting party, who retired and came into camp that night.
On the morning of the 13th, about 4 a.m., I was aroused by the officer of the day, who reported firing at the advance pickets on the pike in the direction of the enemy. I immediately turned out the whole of my command, and prepared to meet them. I ordered Hansbrough's battalion, the Thirty-first Virginia, commanded by Maj. Boykin, and Reger's battalion to occupy the crest of the mountain on the right, to guard against approach from that quarter. On this hill there were no defenses. There were some fields and felled timber beyond, which reached the crest of the mountain. The enemy advanced to our front, and, conducted by a guide, a Union man from Western Virginia, who was familiar with the roads and trails in the vicinity, turned off from the turnpike about a mile from our position, near the base of the mountain, and reached our right by a trail which led into a road coming into the field slightly in our rear. As they approached this position pickets thrown out from Hansbrough's battalion discovered them, and reported them as advancing in strong force.
About 7.15 o'clock a.m. the enemy advanced, and a terrific fire commenced. The enemy on this flank numbered fully 2,000. They were gallantly met by our troops, who did not exceed 300 at this time. As soon as I heard the firing I ordered two companies of the Twelfth Georgia (Hawkins' and Blandford's), who had at the first alarm been posted on the pike about a quarter of a mile in front down the mountain, to move up immediately to the support of our forces on the right. Three other companies of the Twelfth (Davis', Hardeman's, and Patterson's), Lieut. U. E. Moore commanding, were also ordered to the support of those on the right, who were making a gallant defense and holding the position against immense odds. Gallantly did the Georgians move up, and, taking position on the left, received a terrible fire from the enemy.
By this time the extreme right had been forced back, but seeing the Georgians, who came on with a shout, they joined them, and moved upon the enemy, who, taking advantage of some fallen trees, brush, and timber, poured upon them a terrific fire. Our men were checked, but not driven back. They did not yield an inch, but steadily advanced, cheered and led by their officers. Many of the officers fought by the side of their men and led them on to the conflict. I never witnessed harder fighting. The enemy, behind trees, with their long-range arms, at first had decidedly the advantage, but our men soon came up to them and drove them from their cover. I cannot speak in terms too exaggerated of the unflinching courage and dashing gallantry of those 500 men who contended from 7.15 a.m. until 1.45 p.m. against an immensely superior force of the enemy, and finally drove them from their positions and pursued them a mile or more down the mountain.
I cannot name all who deserve particular mention for this gallantry and good conduct. Col. Hansbrough, whilst gallantly leading his battalion, was wounded by a pistol-shot and carried from the field. Soon after the fight became general the brave Lieut. G. T. Thompson, of the Thirty-first Virginia, fell severely wounded. His good conduct had attracted my attention, and he fell within a few feet of me. Capt. Mollohan, while cheering and leading his men in pursuit of the enemy, fell mortally wounded. Lieut. Moore, Twelfth Georgia Volunteers, whilst gallantly leading a charge, fell mortally wounded. This gallant officer was ever ready for any expedition involving danger; he was truly brave. Capt.'s Davis, Blandford, Hardeman, and Hawkins, their officers and men, behaved admirably. Capt. Davis and his company were conspicuous for their gallantry and good conduct throughout the fight. Adjutant Willis, Lieut.'s McCoy, Etheridge, Marshall, and Turpin, Twelfth Georgia Regt., deserve particular mention for their good conduct. Maj. F. M. Boykin, jr., commanding Thirty-fist Virginia Volunteers, his officers and men, deserve my thanks for their unflinching courage throughout the struggle. This regiment suffered severely. Lieut.'s Toothman, J. Johnson, McNewmar, J. R. Philips, all wounded, deserve honorable mention. Capt. Thompson, Thirty-first Virginia, deserves special notice. Adjutant Morgan, Lieut.'s Robinson, Haymond, Sergeants Jarvis, Roder, Privates Collins, Musgrave, and Green, Hansbrough's battalion, are favorably mentioned by their commanders.
My command consisted of the Twelfth Georgia Regt., under the immediate command of Lieut. Col. Z. T. Conner; Fifty-second Virginia, Maj. Ross', Hansbrough's, and Reger's battalions; Thirty-first Virginia, Maj. Boykin; Lee Battery of artillery, four pieces, Capt. P. B. Anderson; Capt. Miller's battery, four pieces, and a detachment of Pittsylvania cavalry, Lieut. Dabney. The artillery was posted on the hill to the left of my position, which had been entrenched. Immediately after the troops were turned out the Twelfth Georgia and Fifty-second Virginia were ordered into the trenches. The Pittsylvania cavalry, dismounted, under Lieut. Dabney, also went into the trenches, armed with carbines. A large column of the enemy, led by one Slater, a traitor, well acquainted with the counter, approached the left of this position by a road running along a leading ridge.
About half an hour after the attack was made on the right this column came up on the left to our trenches. They were evidently surprised to find us entrenched. Here the brave Anderson, by a fatal mistake, lost his life. As the enemy advanced he road to the trenches and invited them in, thinking they were our returning pickets, at the same time telling our men not to fire. He was instantly shot down by the advanced body of the enemy's force. Our men then opened a galling fire upon them, and they fell back into the fallen timber and brush, from which they kept up a constant fire at our men in the trenches and upon our artillerists.
My acting assistant adjutant-general, Capt. James Deshler, of the artillery, whilst behaving most gallantly, was shot down in the trenches by a wound through both thighs. He refused to leave the field, and remained in the trenches until the day was over. Capt. Miller opened upon the enemy with his guns and behaved with great gallantry, exposing himself and his guns to the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters. After the enemy's force on the right had been repulsed and driven from the field, I ordered all of our men who had been engaged in that quarter to join the troops in the trenches on the left. They took post with the other troops, and opened fire on the enemy as occasion offered. The enemy, under the fire of artillery and infantry, soon retreated from the left, leaving their dead and wounded.
The enemy's force on the left was larger, if anything, than the force on the right. They numbered in all about 5,000 men, who had been drawn from Belington, Beverly, Huttonsville, Elk Water, and Cheat Mountain. My force did not exceed 1,200 effective men of all arms. Gen. Reynolds, U. S. Army, commanded the whole of the enemy's forces, and Gen. Milroy the attack on our right. Gen. Milroy is reported by prisoners captured to have been wounded. The enemy left upon the field 35 dead and 13 wounded. They carried from the field large numbers of dead and wounded. This I get from citizens who reside upon the roads along which they retreated. Ten or twelve ambulances were seen conveying their wounded. We captured 3 prisoners and about 100 stand of arms, which the enemy had thrown away in his flight.
Although we have reason to be thankful to God for the victory achieved over our enemies on this occasion, we can but lament the loss of many valuable lives. Our casualties amount to 20 killed, 96 wounded, and 28 missing. Many of the missing have returned since the day of the battle. I am much indebted to Surgs. H. R. Green, of the Twelfth Georgia Regt., and W. T. Blanc, of the Thirty-first Virginia Volunteers, for their attention to our own wounded as well as those of the enemy. They have been untiring in their efforts to alleviate their sufferings. Dr. Green was slightly wounded in the hand by a spent ball while attending to the wounded.
Herewith I submit a list of casualties; also the reports of commanders of regiments and corps.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. JOHNSON,
Col. Twelfth Georgia Regt., Cmdg. Monterey Line.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 5, Serial No. 5, Pages 462-464, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
