shower of grape from the battery, whose real position and strength

were not previously known, but they seized and held the crest of the mountain until they nobly bore their part in the charge by our whole line.

In all this I am happy to say there was no faltering. It was the through work of good soldiers. The Twelfth Regiment being in the center of the brigade, was moved directly to the front, and briskly engaged the enemy. Its first advance, deployed as skirmishers, told upon the enemy with marked effect. It was more like a charge than an advance of skirmishers. They soon gained the crest, and drove the enemy back to the cover of the thicket behind it.

Meantime a section of artillery, under Lieutenant Crome, took position on the top of the slope, and opened and effective fire upon the enemy. It was, of necessity, advanced so near the enemy's lines as to expose the men to a most effective fire from his infantry. Lieutenant Crome was mortally wounded while serving a peace whose gunners had already fallen. The two pieces of artillery were, in fact, silenced by the killing of the men who saved them.

Captain McMullin, commander of the battery, had previously been sent to the right of the road by which we approached the enemy, and kept up a most effective fire while the infantry advanced upon the enemy's lines.

At about 5 o'clock p. m. a general charge of the whole line was ordered by the general commanding, when the First Brigade moved forward to the work, and the enemy was driven at every point of our front.

Total of First Brigade taken into action, 1455.

The killed of the enemy far outnumbered our own, besides which the First Brigade sent to the rear a number of prisoners fully equal to its total loss.

Very respectfully, &c.,

E. P. SCAMMON,

Colonel, Commanding Kanawha Division.

Captain G. M. BASCOM,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS KANAWHA DIVISION,
Camp near mouth of Antietam Creek, Md., September 22, 1862.

SIR: I herewith transmit the reports of Colonel Hugh Ewing, commanding First Brigade, and Colonel George Crook, commanding Second Brigade of the Kanawha Division in the battle of the 17th instant. To these reports and accompanying papers I have little to add.

The general commanding is fully aware of the fact of our being opposed by greatly superior numbers, and that, though we were unable to drive the enemy from our front, and flank, we successfully resisted his advance and maintained our position. I confess to have been deeply chagrined at being left so weak as to be unable to make an advance upon the enemy, but am satisfied with the consciousness that we succeeded in doing all that was expected of us, and fully answered the purpose of the commanding general.

While I leave it to brigade and regimental commanders to make special mention of their officers and men, I must claim the privilege of testifying to the energy and skillful bravery of Colonels Ewing and Crook, and I cannot refrain from paying the poor tribute of honorable mention to the memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Coleman, commanding Eleventh Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He had acted the part of