ion, had been before us, completely clearing this part of the enemy's line and strewing the roads and fields around with their dead. Pushing forward rapidly, we reached, under a terrific fie of shell, by which several of my men were wounded, the position in rear of the enemy's breastworks and field fortifications near Chancellorsville. Here our line of battle was formed. After a short rest, I was ordered to advance in line, with Orr's Rifle Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, on my left (the battalion of direction), and the Thirteenth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers on my right.

We commenced the advance about 11 p. m., but soon found ourselves entangled in an almost impenetrable thicket, where I found two regiments lying ventre a terre. I tried to get those men near me forward, but without success. Passing over their prostrate forms, I was pushing on, when my acting adjutant, Captain T. P. Alston, came to inform me that the left of my regiment had become separated from me in the thicket through which we were forcing our way. I directed him to inform Captain A. C. Haskell (Brigadier-General McGowan's assistant adjutant-general) of the fact and to ask for instructions. He returned to say to me that the Rifle Regiment had not continued the advance, and that they being the battalion of direction, the left of my regiment, ignorant that I was moving on, had awaited the movement of the Rifles, and that I was ordered to return to my position in the road, which I accordingly did, and at 12 p. m. (2nd instant) filed out to the right of the Plank road, with the Rifles in front and the Thirteenth following me. Proceeding without noise and cautiously, we passed down to a dense pine thicket in front of the enemy's line of breastworks. After posting our line of skirmishers and pickets in front, we lay down to rest. Just at daylight Brigadier-General Archer filed past us with his brigade and formed his line of battle on our right. Soon after, he came to me to inform me that he would advance in line with us, and, accordingly, when the order was given to advance, we started in line; but I had not advanced many paces before an order was given me, either by Brigadier-General McGowan or one of his staff, to oblique to the left. This separated us from Brigadier-General Archer's line; but as we cleared the woods the fire of the enemy was opened upon us, leaving us no time to look about us. With a shout of defiance we rushed forward, cleared the Yankee breast-works at a bound, and, pushing 100 yards or so to the front, engaged the enemy, who appeared to be collected in force on our right. Here we continued to fight for about a half hour, we in the open woods and the enemy behind their works.

At this point I lost many men and one noble officer, Lieutenant E. C. Du Bose, Company L, who fell dead while distinguishing himself by his gallantry and coolness.

The enemy, finding our right unsupported, commenced advance upon their abandoned breastworks in our rear. The regiment (Rifles) on my right perceiving this, fell back to the breastworks, leaving my regiment exposed to a flanking fire. This being the case, I ordered my regiment to retire to the breastworks, which they did in good order. Here we commenced fighting, but the firing was difficult, from the fact that the enemy did not show themselves in the front, but continued to advance on our right, partially screened from view by the inequalities of the ground. It was only occasionally that I could obtain a view of them, and whenever such opportunity offered I availed myself of it by firing by battalion. Holding this position for upward of an hour, we were re-enforced, or rather encumbered, by a portion of General Colston's command, for, instead of pushing rapidly to the right and occu-