Numbers 364. REPORTS OF Major WILLIAM B. DARLINGTON, EIGHTEENTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.

STAFFORD COURT-HOUSE, VA.,

AUGUST 9, 1863.

SIR: I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING REPORT OF THE BATTLES IN WHICH THIS REGIMENT HAS BEEN ENGAGED SINCE JUNE 29: ON JUNE 30, WHILE PASSING THROUGH THE TOWN OF HANOVER, PA., IT WAS ATTACKED BY A BRIGADE OF REBEL CAVALRY UNDER GENERAL STUART. SEVERAL SQUADRONS HAD FORMED, WHEN SOME AMBULANCES, WHICH WERE IN THE REAR, WERE DRIVEN BY THE FRIGHTENED DRIVERS THROUGH OUR RANKS, CREATING SO MUCH CONFUSION THAT WE WERE COMPELLED TO RETREAT THROUGH THE TOWN, WHEN WE REFORMED. WE WERE NOT AFTERWARD ENGAGED DURING THE DAY. THIS IS THE ONLY ENGAGEMENT IN WHICH THE REGIMENT HAS BEEN BROKEN. Lieutenant T. P. SHILDS, WITH SOME 25 MEN, RECEIVED THE ENEMY'S CHARGE ON OUR FLANK BRAVELY, BUT WAS OVERPOWERED AND CAPTURED. CASUALTIES, 4 KILLED, 27 WOUNDED, 50 MISSING; TOTAL, 81. ON THE EVENING OF JULY 2, IN THE SKIRMISH AT HUNTERSTOWN, PA., THE REGIMENT WAS AGAIN UNDER FIRE. IT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE SUPPORT OF THE BATTERY. WE LOST ONLY 1 MAN WOUNDED. ON JULY 3, WERE MOVED TO THE LOFT OF THE LINE OF THE UNION ARMY AT GETTYSBURG. THE REGIMENT WAS EMPLOYED IN SKIRMISHING DURING MOST OF THE DAY. AT ABOUT 5 P. M., IT WAS RECALLED, FORMED, AND ORDERED TO CHARGE, WHICH IT DID WITH ENERGY, AND REMAINED UNDER FIRE UNTIL RECALLED. CASUALTIES, 1 KILLED, 5 WOUNDED, 16 MISSING; TOTAL, 22. ON THE NIGHT OF JULY 4, IN CONNECTION WITH THE REST OF THE DIVISION, IT CAPTURED THE TRAIN OF GENERAL EWELL'S (CONFEDERATE) CORPS. CASUALTIES, 1 MAN MISSING ON JULY 5, AT SMITHSBURG, THE REGIMENT WAS DEPLOYED AS SKIRMISHERS, AND REMAINED IN POSITION TILL RECALLED. CASUALTIES, 3 MEN MISSING. ON JULY 6, WAS IN THE ENGAGEMENT AT HAGERSTOWN. THE FIRST AND THIRD BATTALIONS CHARGED TROUGH THE TOWN; DROVE THREE TIMES THEIR NUMBER BACK. THEY RETIRED IN GOOD ORDER. IN THIS CHARGE THEY CAPTURED SEVERAL PRISONERS, AMONG THEM A REBEL COLONEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHEN THE DIVISION RETIRED, THE REGIMENT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE SUPPORT OF A BATTERY, AND, THOUGH HARD PRESSED, HELD ITS POSITION, AND BROUGHT OFF ALL THE GUNS. CASUALTIES, 8 KILLED, 18 WOUNDED, 65 MISSING; TOTAL 91. ON JULY 8, WHEN STUART ATTACKED THE FIRST AND THIRD CAVALRY DIVISIONS, OUR REGIMENT WAS DEPLOYED AS SKIRMISHERS, AND SUBSEQUENTLY SUPPORTED A BATTERY. WE SUFFERED NO LOSS. ON JULY 12, WE AGAIN ENTERED HAGERSTOWN, AND ON IT AND THE FOLLOWING DAY SKIRMISHED AT LONG RANGE NO CASUALTIES. AT THE BATTLE OF JULY 14, AT FALLING WATERS, BUT NOT ENGAGED. ON JULY 24, THE REGIMENT PRESENT AT AMISSVILLE, BUT NOT UNDER FIRE.

I AM, VERY RESPECTFULLY, YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT,

W. B. DARLINGTON,

MAJOR, COMMANDING EIGHTEENTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.

Captain L. SIEBERT,

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL.