a murderous fire of grape, shell, and Minie balls. After a desperate struggle, I succeeded in carrying the breastworks in front and in capturing a number of prisoners. About this time I received a wound in my right arm, which compelled me to leave the field. I am informed by the senior captain, commanding the regiment, that the regiment continued to advance upon the enemy's second line of entrenchments, but, in common with the whole brigade, was compelled to retire by an enfilade fire from the enemy's artillery and infantry.

During the entire engagement my officers and men behaved gallantly. Lieutenant Charlton C. Ragin, Company K, was killed, gallantly commanding his company.

The annexed tabular statement* will show that my total loss is as follows: 1 officer killed, 19 officers wounded, 35 men killed, 175 wounded, 8 men missing.

I do not hesitate to say that it was the bloodiest battle that I have very witnessed. The Seventh North Carolina was on my right, and, as its field officers and many of the company officers are killed and wounded, I may be permitted to allude to the gallant manner in which its officers and men advanced upon the enemy's entrenchments. I doubt not that the other regiments of the brigade also behaved gallantly, but they were still farther to my right, and, of course, did not come under my observation.

In conclusion, I shall always feel proud of the noble bearing of my officers and men on the bloody field, but sad when I reflect how many who charged the enemy's entrenchments with me are numbered with the dead.

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

WILL. M. BARBOUR,

Colonel Thirty-seventh North Carolina Troops.

Captain GEORGE B. JOHNSTON, Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

Numbers 359. Report of Brigadier General J. J. Archer, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.

HEADQUARTERS ARCHER'S BRIGADE, June 2, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that about 11 a. m., May 2, by order of Major General A. P. Hill, I withdrew my brigade from its advanced position on the Plank road, leaving my pickets out to wait until relieved, and proceeded to follow the other brigades of the division, which, with the exception of Thomas', had gone to the left by the Welford Furnace road. Thomas' brigade followed in my rear. When I had advanced 2 miles beyond the furnace, a lieutenant-colonel of cavalry + rode up, and reported that a large body of the enemy had attacked the train in my rear, and driven off the troops which had been left to protect it. As the apparent exigency of the case allowed no time to communicate with the major-general, I immediately ordered back my own and Thomas' brigade, but when I arrived at the furnace found that the enemy had already been repulsed by Lieutenant-Colonel [J. T.] Brown, of the artillery, and some infantry, among which I learned that Captain W. S. Moore, Fourteenth Tennessee Regiment, with his company, bore a conspicuous part. I inclose herewith Captain Moore's report. Owing to

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* Not found; but see Guild's report, p. 807.

+ Lieutenant Colonel W. R. Carter, Third Virginia Cavalry.

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