Numbers 482. Reports of Brigadier General George H. Steuart, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.

HEADQUARTERS STEUART'S BRIGADE, June 19, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the recent operations around Winchester: On the morning of the 13th instant, I marched up the Front Royal road toward Winchester, with the Tenth Virginia and First and Third North Carolina Regiments, the Twenty-third Virginia having been detached to guard the division train, and the Thirty-seventh Virginia to support the reserve artillery. The brigade was not engaged during the day, being posted to the right of the road as a support to the Stonewall Brigade. Early on the morning of the 14th instant, that brigade moved nearer the town, throwing out skirmishers, and I also moved forward, and in the afternoon farther to the right, next to the Berrywille turnpike. At dark, I was directed by the major-general commanding to move down the road toward Berryville, and, after marching several miles [a guide afterward coming up to show the way], the brigade took a circuitous left-hand road, passing by Jordan Springs, and was halted just before daybreak on the 15th instant at the small bridge where the road crosses the Winchester and Potomac Railroad, about 4 miles from Winchester and a few hundred yards from the Martinsburg turnpike. Wagons were heard moving along the pike, and, after a few minutes' halt, the major-general commanding, who had gone forward to reconnoiter, gave orders to move into the woods to the right of the road between the railroad and turnpike; and just as the head of the column was crossing the bridge, it was fired into, causing momentary confusion. Notwithstanding the difficulty of crossing, in the dark, fences to the right and left of the road, line of battle was soon formed along the railroad cut, the Tenth Virginia to the right of the bridge, and the First and Third North Carolina to the left, where there were no woods. Skirmishers were thrown forward, and a brisk fire commenced. The enemy advanced in line of battle, cheering and driving in our skirmishers, but were soon themselves in turn driven back. Receiving information that an attempt was being made to turn our left flank, I threw out two companies of the Third North Carolina to protect it. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews, commanding the artillery battalion attached to this division, had previously placed a piece of the Maryland artillery on the bridge, and the other pieces of that battery and a section from each of the batteries of Captains Raine and Carpenter on the rising ground in rear of my left, rendering most valuable support. A column of the enemy was now observed passing round to our left and rear, and I directed the Third North Carolina to repel the attack; but finding that two regiments of Nicholls' brigade were coming up, that regiment was returned to its original position. Colonel [E. T. H.] Warren, of the Tenth Virginia, sent word from the right that the enemy were pressing him very hard, his supply of cartridges rapidly diminishing, and I sent the First and subsequently a portion of the Third North Carolina to his support. Just before this, the major-general commanding, with the aforementioned regiments of Nicholls' brigade, attacked and pursued most vigorously that portion of the enemy who were passing to our left and rear. After awhile, I was informed that the ammuni-