Semmes to go to the support of Colonel Parham, who was picketing at Crampton's Gap, should he send for me. In a short time I received an order from Colonel Munford to bring my command up, as the enemy were approaching in strong force. I moved to the gap, and was ordered by Colonel Parham to a position at the base of the mountain. Just as I had taken the position, I received an order from General Semmes, through Lieutenant Cody, to carry my command back to the church. I started, and, when I reached the summit of the mountain, was ordered by Colonel Parham to remain. Seeing a large force of the enemy in line of battle approaching, and he giving me peremptory orders to remain, I sent two companies to the junction of the roads, and, by his order, moved my command to position on the left of the line he had already formed, which position I maintained until the enemy forced back the regiments on my right and had passed my flank. They (the enemy) being then nearer the gap of the mountain than I was, I was forced to fall back, to prevent being captured, the enemy being checked by a support that had been sent to us by General Cobb. I halted my command, and was forming a line of battle, when I was struck with a spent ball just above the left eye. The blood flowed so profusely from the wound that I was compelled to turn the command over to Captain P. H. Loud and go to the rear. The loss in this battle was 3 killed, 21 wounded, and 37 missing. Captain Y. L. Wootton was wounded and left upon the field; Lieutenant Foster was wounded and borne to the rear, and Lieutenant Olmstead has not since been heard from; was probably wounded and in the hands of the enemy.*

The officers and men behaved with great gallantry, except a few who were too cowardly to go to the line of battle.

W. C. HOLT,

Major, Commanding Tenth Georgia Regiment.

Captain BRIGGS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 227. Report of Captain P. H. Loud, Tenth Georgia Infantry, of the battle of Sharpsburg.

CAMP NEAR MARTINSBURG, W. VA., September 23, 1862.

SIR: The Tenth Georgia Regiment went into the action at the battle of Sharpsburg, Md., at 8 a. m. of September 17, on the left of, and distant from, Sharpsburg about 2 miles. The regiment occupied the position of second in line from the right of the brigade, the Thirty-second Virginia Regiment being on the extreme right, and the Fifty-third Georgia Regiment on the extreme left, the Fifteenth Virginia being on our left. The regiment was marched by the right flank to an open field opposite some hay-stacks and piles of rocks, where, finding the enemy fronting us posted in force, the order was given "by company into line" and "forward into line," which movements were made by the regiment under a most galling fire from the enemy's sharpshooters. These move-

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*Nominal list of casualties shows 3 men killed and 3 officers and 18 men wounded.

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