Numbers 355. Report of Colonel Junius Daniel,

Forty-fifth North Carolina Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of the engagement at Malvern Cliff (Turkey Brigade).

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, DEPT. OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Camp near Petersburg, Va., July 16, 1862.

Major: In obedience to instructions just received, dated July 16, 1862, I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of my command on the north side of the James River:

Agreeably to orders from Major-General Holmes i left Drewry's Bluff on the morning of the 29th ultimo with my command, consisting of my own regiment, the Forty-fifth North Carolina Troop; Colonel Kenan's, the Forty-third North Carolina Troops, and Colonel Craton's, the Fiftieth North Carolina Troops: Brem's and Graham's field batteries-the former of six and the latter of four pieces-and burroughs' battalion of cavalry (in all about 1,700 effective men), and crossed the

James River at the pontoon bridge about 12 m. on that day, and encamped with Walker's brigade, by order of the major-general commanding, on the Mill road near the New Market road.

The next day we continued the march at an early hour, following the New Market road leading toward the enemy's left, and arrived upon the field of action at about 3 p. m.

Upon getting near the field I received orders from General Holmes to order the artillery forward to the forks of the road in front of us, and there to report to Colonel Deshler, chief of ordnance, and to order Major Burroughs, with his cavalry, to report to Colonel rosser, and to halt my infantry a little in the rear of the forks of roads, and there to await further others. As i was marching, by order of the general, with my artillery in front and cavalry in rear, I directed Captains Graham and Brem to move forward and report to Colonel Deshler, and did not see these batteries any more until I saw them leaving the field, when Captain Graham's battery was almost completely disorganized, and with two pieces and two caissons less than when it left me. This battery, as I afterward learned, left the field without proper orders and in great disorders, as will be seen in my special report handed in some days since . For the operations of Captain Brem's battery I respectfully refer you to his report.

At the time that I ordered these batteries to report to Colonel Deshler I ordered Major Burroughs a staff officer to report to Colonel Rosser in a field upon the right of the road and in rear of our position. Seeing Colonel Rosser a short time after this, and learning that he would move his cavalry from a field on the right of the road to one on the left and in front of us, I sent an officer to direct Major Burroughs to turn into the field on the left instead of the right.

About this time the gunboats opened a very heavy fire upon my line, and after the first few discharges the cavalry became confused and partially disorganized, and commenced leaving the field in great disorder-so much so as to seriously injure some of the infantry by running through their rank. After this I did not see them again, as they were placed under the orders of Colonel Rosser.

The position occupied by command was in the road, with a cultivated field intervening between it and the river, distant from 900 to 1,000 yards, with an open field in front of the center and some woods opposite the extreme right and left. This position was reached by

58 R R-VOL XI, PT II