Numbers 43. Report of Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell, C. S. Army, commanding Second Corps, of engagement at Rappahannock Station.

HDQRS. SECOND CORPS, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
November 13, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose the report of Major-General Early, in reference to the attack on the tete-de-pont on the Rappahannock near the railroad, on the 7th instant.

I received information that the enemy was moving on Kelly's Ford in force, and had turned my whole attention to that point, toward which two divisions were moving, knowing that both the general commanding and Major-General Early were at the tete-de-pont, and as I heard no report of artillery or other indications of an attack, I did not visit it. I had paid frequent visits to the works at the tete-de-pont, where much labor had been bestowed. I differ from Major-General Early as to the necessity for more artillery, the darkness and nature of the ground what was there of but little use in the final attack, and i think the same would have been the case had there been more.

I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. S. EWELL,

Lieutenant-General.

Colonel R. H. CHILTON,

Chief of Staff.

Numbers 44. Report of Major General Jubal A. Early, C. S. Army, commanding division, of engagement at Rappahannock Station.

HEADQUARTERS EARLY'S DIVISION,
November 11, 1863.

COLONEL: I submit the following report of the circumstances attending the storming of our advanced work across the Rappahannock at Rappahannock Station, and the capture of a battery and a large portion of two brigades of this division by the enemy, on the 7th instant:

Having received on the 5th an order to relieve the brigade of Johnson's division, which was on picket at Rappahannock Station, by a brigade from my division, on the morning of the 6th I ordered Brigadier-General Hays to send his brigade to the point indicated at the time specified, under the command of Colonel Penn, of the Seventh Louisiana Regiment, as the general himself was then engaged on a court of inquiry at that time sitting.

Colonel Penn accordingly moved with the brigade to the station on the morning of the 6th, and relieved Walker's brigade, of Johnson's division. My camp was fully 5 miles from the point picketed, and I received no report from Colonel Penn on the 6th, but on the 7th, a little before 2 p. m., I received a dispatch from him stating that the enemy was advancing on him with infantry and cavalry in