under cover of the woods. We again fell back to our old position, and remained there until relieved by one of General Patrick's regiments. We then fell back in good order slowly about 30 rods into the open field.

In making the charge and retiring, our colors fell three times, the bearers severely wounded. When they fell the last time, they were picked up and carried off the field by Lieutenant D. S. Holloway, of Company D. One of our men captured a rebel flag and took it to the rear. In this charge Lieutenant William Orr, Company K, was severely wounded. At this time, about 2 o'clock p. m., we retired from the field in good order, and formed in a strip of woods to the rear of the battle-field with the other three regiments of our brigade, for the purpose of stopping stragglers.

Our loss was, killed, Lieutenant Colonel A. O. Bachman and 7 men; wounded, Lieutenant William Orr, Company K, and 70 men; missing, 26 men.*

The officers all vied with each other in the performance of their duty, and too much praise cannot be awarded to the non-commissioned officers for their gallant conduct; and the men of this regiment are all brave men, if we except the few who found their way to the rear when danger approached.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM W. DUDLEY,

Captain Company B, Commanding Nineteenth Indiana Volunteers.

Lieutenant FRANK A. HASKELL,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Gibbon's Brigade.

No. 24. Report of Colonel Lucius Fairchild, Second Wisconsin Infantry, of the battle of South Mountain.

CAMP, GIBBON'S BRIGADE,

Near Sharpsburg, Md., September 20, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report the following as the part taken by the Second Wisconsin Volunteers, under my command, in the battle of South Mountain, Maryland, on Sunday, September 14, 1862:

Soon after a large portion of Hooker's corps were in line, and advancing up the mountain on the right of the turnpike, Gibbon's brigade advanced od the pike to the foot of the mountain. On arriving there, the Nineteenth Indiana Volunteers and my regiment filed into the field on the left. Companies B and E of my regiment were deployed as skirmishers, and ordered to advance, their right resting on the pike. The Nineteenth Indiana followed, with my regiment in their rear about 200 yards. By order of General Gibbon, we moved thus in double column until well within the gap. While lying down in that position, a shell from the enemy struck and employed in the ranks of the second division of the Second Regiment, killing 4 and badly wounding 3. Soon after, I deployed my column, the skirmishers being briskly engaged, and, when the Nineteenth Indiana opened fire, I moved forward to their right, the right of my regiment resting on the turnpike, and opened fire. After expending some 20 rounds of ammunition, I discovered the enemy gad entirely disappeared from our front. Then I ordered the

* But see revised statement, p. 189.