The bravery and soldierly conduct of the men was most striking, and becomes still more noticeable when it is considered that for several days they had been marching and fighting, with scarcely any rest, by night or day, and the rapidity of the movement had prevented their having any regular supplies of food, the supply train being delayed at the rear by the advance of other troops.

The batteries on the left bank of the Antietam were used not only to assist in the movement of the corps, but also were most efficiently turned upon the enemy in his attacks on the center and right of the army. They were all very well served, and the 20-pounder battery, under Lieutenant Benjamin, was especially efficient.

In their reports (which are transmitted herewith) the commandants of divisions and separate brigades speak in the highest terms of their troops, and make special mention of numbers of officers and men who distinguished themselves. These are too numerous to be named in this report, but the whole list will very shortly be published in a special order from these headquarters. I must confine myself to the expression of my great satisfaction with the manner in which all the subordinate commands of the corps were handled. The movements were accurate as those of a parade, and the systematic order with which they were executed made the spectacle in the heat of the battle a grand and imposing one. Permit me also to express my obligations to the gentlemen on General Burnside's staff for the intelligence, courage, and unwearied industry they exhibited in the constant communication between him and the headquarters of this corps.

The casualties in the corps during the day were 2,222; of which 357 were killed, 1,742 wounded, and 123 missing.* Among numerous officers killed and wounded we have to mourn the loss of Colonel Henry W. Kingsbury, Eleventh Connecticut; Lieutenant Colonel A. H. Coleman, commanding Eleventh Regiment Ohio Volunteers; Lieutenant Colonel M. Clarke, commanding Thirty-sixth Regiment Ohio volunteer Infantry, and Lieutenant-Colonel Bell, commanding Fifty-first Pennsylvania. All these gallant officers were killed in the action whilst heroically leading their men, under a terrible fire of shell, canister, and musketry.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. D. COX,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel LEWIS RICHMOND,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Right Wing, Major General Burnside Commanding

No. 139. Reports of Brigadier General Orlando B. Willcox, U. S. Army, commanding First Division, of the battles of South Mountain and Antietam.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Mouth of Antietam Creek, Md., September 21, 1862.

SIR: I respectfully submit a report of my division for the 14th instant at South Mountain.

In compliance with orders from General Reno, we left camp, 1 1/2 miles beyond Middletown, and marched to the base of South Mountain to support General Cox's division. Communicating with General Cox, he ad-

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*But see revise 1 statement, p. 198.

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