On the morning of the 9th, having crossed South River, and following the brigade about 1 1/2 miles down the road leading to Swift Run Gap, I received orders to place two Parrott pieces on the left of the road, from which position they opened on the enemy's batteries. The balance of my guns, being of short range, were kept under cover. After firing about two hours, shifting position occasionally to the left, I received an order to take one of my Parrott guns to a point indicated some distance down the road and within short range of the enemy's batteries. From this point, under a hot fire from four of their guns, a rapid fire was kept up, partly on their batteries and partly on their infantry, with canister, until the ammunition was exhausted, when I ordered the piece to retire a short distance up the road. Hastening across to the left, where my other guns had been ordered up, engaging the artillery and infantry of the enemy, I found that they had retired to the position first occupied in the morning. The officer in charge of them, Lieutenant Graham, inform me that after our infantry began to fall back he ordered the guns to be limbered to the rear and retire. Having lost has horse in the engagement, and being some distance behind the guns, he sent three different messengers on to have the guns halted in the orchard. These orders were not received by the lieutenant in charge. After the battery had commenced falling back, the fourth piece, a brass 6-pounder, in charge of Lieutenant Davis, was ordered by Brigadier-General Winder to halt and fire on the advancing infantry of the enemy. While unlimbering, Lieutenant Davis was severely and several cannoneers slightly wounded by the infantry of the enemy; two of the horses also were shot, one of them falling across the pole. But few men being left with the gun, the enemy within 100 yards, and finding it impossible to extricate the wounded horse, it was abandoned. The piece was taken from the field by the enemy, though the limber was afterward secured. A careful search was made for the gun, but nothing heard from it. Three of my pieces were again moved forward and assisted in the final dislodgment and rout of the enemy, joining in the pursuit for about 2 miles, when I received orders to halt.

The conduct of all the men and officers engaged was unexception- able.

Strength of company, rank and file, 71.*

Very respectfully, &c.,

WM. T. POAGUE,

Captain of Battery.

Captain JOHN F. O'BRIEN,

A. A. G., First Brigade, Valley District.

Numbers 77. Report of Lieutenant Colonel R. H. Cunningham, Twenty-first Virginia Infantry, Second Brigade, of operations May 23-25.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FIRST VIRGINIA REGIMENT,
Waynesborough, Va., June 6, 1862.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders I have the honor to submit, for the information of the colonel commanding the Second Brigade, Valley

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*List of casualties, all occurring on the 9th, shows 1 officer and 3 men wounded and 1 man missing.

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