skirmishers to brush the woods, they soon encountered the enemy in heavy force and a formidable artillery fire. Kemper's battery was placed in position on the road, Colonel Henagan's (Eighth South Carolina) regiment was thrown to his right across the road, and the whole command became engaged. I ordered the Second and Third Regiments to charge, which they did in gallant style, and immediately after the Seventh Regiment, Colonel [D. Wyatt] Aiken. These regiments steadily and rapidly advanced, driving the enemy before them through the wood and well into the field beyond them into confusion and strewing the ground with dead. In the mean time the Seventh Regiment, which was next to the Williamsburg road, found itself flanked by the enemy, who had advanced along that road, in the direction of Kemper's battery and the Eighth Regiment, to a position some 200 yards in our rear. Matters were in this position when General Semmes attacked on my right. The line of his fire upon the enemy rendered the position of my advanced regiments on the left of the road extremely hazardous, and Colonel Aiken very properly fell back to the general line of battle, followed by Colonels [James D.] Nance and Kennedy. In the mean time Kemper's battery, flanked by the Eighth Regiment, had inflicted terrible havoc upon the enemy, whose dead lay in heaps along the road scarcely 200 yards from the battery.

The conduct of both officers and men in this engagement was most commendable. Nothing could exceed the gallantry, self-possession, and efficiency of the regimental commanders, Colonels Henagan, Kennedy, Nance, and Aiken, to whom my thanks are especially due. Though my loss was heavy, it is with pride and satisfaction that we turn to 500 dead of the enemy left on the field as attesting the bravery and efficiency of the troops engaged at Savage's, and that our loss was fearfully avenged.

I regret to record the loss of Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin C. Garlington, Third Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, of whom his commanding officer most truly says, "He was an officer of fine judgment, cool courage, and commendable energy." He was killed instantly in the act of brandishing his sword defiantly.

Lieutenant Colonel A. D. Goodwyn, of the Second Regiment, and Lieutenant-Colonel [Elbert] Bland, of the Seventh South Carolina Regiment, were both severely wounded, conspicuously exposed as they were in the active discharge of their duties in the field.

Major Gaillard, Second Regiment, was charged with the important and responsible duty of directing the movements of the skirmishers during the day. This duty he discharged with great judgment and gallantry. His horse was killed under him during the engagement. He was efficiently assisted in the duties of his position by Major W. D. Rutherford, Third South Carolina Regiment.

Captain Kemper and the officers and men under his command maintained the high reputation they established at Vienna, Bull Run, and Manassas and are entitled to particular notice in this report.

For particular mention of such of the company officers as require especial notice I respectfully refer to the reports of the regimental commanders, which accompany this.

This action being closed by the approach of a stormy night, my command, re-enforced by the Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment, Colonel Griffin, lay upon their arms on the field of battle until daylight, when it was ascertained that the enemy had disappeared. Removing our wounded and burying our dead, we marched, under the command of Major-General McLaws, by the Enroughty [Darby] town road to New Market,