and that the brigade there was retiring. The Twenty-first Georgia was wheeled to the right, advanced across a wheat-field, and opened fire upon them. Having attracted their fire, and finding their force too strong for the exposed position we then occupied, we fell back some 40 yards to a lane, where we awaited their approach. By lying down, we hid ourselves from them till they had approached within a few yards, when we commenced firing, and advanced. The Twelfth Georgia having gotten on the extreme right, the brigade advanced in line till it got near town, when it moved by the left flank, and entered the place. After we had passed nearly through the western part of the town, we were ordered back, and the Twenty-first Georgia was ordered to hold the street leading from the court-house to the eastward. Here we remained during the night and the next day (2d), till after dark, when we were ordered to advance in line on the west side of town. The Twenty-first Georgia, being on the left and in town, was compelled for some time to move by the flank, but formed on the left in line as soon as it had passed the houses. We had not advanced more than half a mile before we came upon the enemy's pickets, who fired upon us, when we retired a short distance, and lay down. Soon the brigade was ordered to retire to the cover of a fence some quarter of a mile to the rear, where we remained during the night and the following day. On the morning of July 4, we moved our through the western part of town, and took position on the hill at the theological college, where we arrived at daylight. The sharpshooters of the regiment, under Lieutenant [James S.] Wilder, were almost constantly in advance of the brigade, and did most excellent service, killing a good many of the enemy and capturing a great many prisoners. If the services rendered by a regiment be estimated alone by the loss it sustained, then the Twenty-first Georgia can be said to have done but little, as it lost only 1 man mortally, and 11 others more or less severely wounded. But attention is called to the fact that at one volley it killed over a hundred of the enemy, and at one time protected the retreat of the brigade on our fight, and prevented our own brigade from being completely flanked.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. T. MERCER,

Colonel Twenty-first Georgia Regiment.

Captain F. T. SNEAD, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 517. Report of Major W. H. Peebles, Forty-fourth Georgia Infantry.

BIVOUAC NEAR DARKESVILLE, W. VA., July 19, 1863.

SIR: This regiment went into the engagement on the 1st instant at Gettysburg with 348 men and 35 officers. We met the enemy on the east side of the Baltimore turnpike, about 1 mile north of the town. We charged the line in our front, and immediately put it to