small. Our troops have been withdrawn from his front and placed within the trenches. We had to take guns from the line. Captain Wingfield, as you directed, was brought over to supply their places. General Hill thinks it will be necessary to keep them here in consequence of the greater extent of line necessary now to cover Petersburg.

Yours, respectfully,

R. L. WALKER,

Colonel, &c.

HEADQUARTERS HAGOOD'S BRIGADE,
Petersburg, Va., August 22, 1864.

Colonel BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I am directed in a communication from department headquarters, just received, to forward a list of the casualties in my command sustained yesterday, and also to report all the circumstances attending the recapture of the flag of one of my regiments.*

* * * * * * *

When the line had reached the enemy's works, some 200 men having got into a re-entering angle, where they were exposed to a severe cross-fire, became confused, and a mounted officer of the enemy galloping out of a sally-port seized the colors of the Twenty-seventh [South Carolina] Regiment and called upon them to surrender. Several officers and men began to surrender, but had not been carried in. Observing this I made my way to them from the part of the line upon which I was, calling to the men to shoot him. They either did not hear me or were bewildered by the surrender of part of their number and failed to do so. When I got up to him I demanded the colors from him, and that ge should go back into his works, telling him that he was free to do so. He commenced arguing with me upon our desperate position, and I cut him short, demanding a categorical reply. He said "No," and I shot him from his horse. Giving the colors to my orderly and mounting his horse I succeeded in withdrawing the men with as little loss as could have been expected from the terrible fire to which we were exposed in retiring. Probably half the men unhurt were brought off from this point. I beg leaves specially to mention the good conduct of my orderly, Private J. D. Stoney, of the Twenty-seventh [South Carolina] Regiment, in this matter. He has always displayed gallantry, and would do credit to a commission.

Very respectfully,

JOHNSON HAGOOD,

Brigadier-General.

[First indorsement.]

NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., August 23, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded, through General R. E. Lee, to His Excellency President Jefferson Davis, for his information.

Such an act of gallantry as herein described and of devotion to one's flag reflects the highest credit on the officer who performed it, and should be held up to the army as worthy of imitation under similar circumstance. Brigadier-General Hagood is a brave and meritorious officer, who has distinguished himself already at Battery Wagner and Drewry's Bluff,

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*For portion of report, here omitted, relating to casualties sustained, see Part I, p. 936.

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