Today in History:

482 Series I Volume XXVII-II Serial 44 - Gettysburg Campaign Part II

Page 482 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

Total loss:7 officers and 29 men killed, 22 officers and 178 men, wounded, and 4 officers and 91 men missing. The missing, I fear, were either killed or wounded. *The artillery captured on the heights of Cemetery Hill I was compelled to abandon. The prisoners sent to the rear, being under charge of no guard escaped in the darkness; 75 were brought back by my men in retreating from the hill. The colors taken I have now in my possession. In all the operations in the neighborhood of Gettysburg, I am happy to state that both officers and men, while animated with a spirit of daring that disdained to concede any obstacle to their progress unsurmountable, were yet amenable to all the orders of their leaders, and accepted readily any position assigned them. While rendering this tribute to the merit all of my command, I would call attention particularly to the efficiency of Cols. L. A. Stafford, Ninth Louisiana Regiment, and D. B. Penn, Seventh Louisiana Regiment. In the engagements of July 1 and 2, each of these officers distinguished himself by an exhibition of gallant bearing in leading his respective regiment into action, and of soldierly skill in its management and control. My thanks are due to the several members of my staff, each of whom in his respective department was attentive to the discharge of his duties; Captain Seymour, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant Freeland, aide-de-camp.

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

HARRY T. HAYS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major JOHN W. DANIEL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Early's Division.


No. 473. Report of Col Archibald C. Godwin, Fifty-seventh North Carolina Infantry, commanding Hoke's brigade.


HEADQUARTERS HOKE'S BRIGADE, July 30, 1863.

Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the action of Hoke's brigade in the late campaign from Fredericksburg into Maryland and Pennsylvania, and back into Virginia:From the commencement of the campaign to the night of July 2, the brigade was commanded by Colonel I. E. Avery, Sixth Regiment North Carolina troops, General Hoke not having recovered from the effects of a severe wound received at the battle of Chancellorsvile. Colonel Avery left no memoranda of the operations of his command, and this fact must serve to account for the meager and imperfect details of this report. Leaving camp near Hamilton's Crossing on June 4, the brigade reached Culpeper Court -House on the 8th; encamped near Gaines' Cross-Roads on the 11th, and, by a forced march on the 12th, passed through Chester Gap to Front Royal, and forded both branches of the Shenandoah. On June 13, the division having reached the vicinity of Winchester,

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*See also p. 340.

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Page 482 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.