William Cooper Talley, Company F; Captain T. B. Kaufman, company I; Lieutenant J. R. T. Coates, Company C; Private (now Acting Lieutenant) John C. Harvey, Private (now Acting Lieutenant) Alfred Rupert, and Private Thomas McNamee, who bore the colors. The general department of both officers and men was such as to secure my unqualified approbation and to render personal notices extremely difficult to make with justice to all.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. BIDDLE ROBERTS,

Colonel First Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserve Corps.

[19.]

Report of Captain William C. Talley, First Pennsylvania Reserves, of operations September 16-17.

HDQRS. FIRST Regiment, PENNSYLVANIA RESERVE CORPS,
Camp near Sharpsburg, September 21, 1862.

CAPTAIN: Late on the afternoon of the 16th the regiment moved with the division into a forest near ---, and while crossing a field to take position a heavy fire of musketry was opened upon us by the enemy, lasting until the darkness prevented us from seeing them. We succeeded in driving them from the woods, threw out four companies as skirmishers, who kept up a desultory fire all night. On the morning of the 17th, as soon as day dawned, the fire of the enemy was renewed. The skirmishers, however, held their position until relieved by some troops from Tower's brigade, when the regiment was withdrawn in good order. The list of killed and wounded has already been forwarded, to which reference is respectfully made.* Six prisoners were taken, 1 commissioned officer and 5 men, and sent to the rear. The conduct of both officers and men was highly commendable.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. COOPER TALLEY,

Captain of Company F, Commanding.

[19.]

Report of Lieutenant Colonel John Clark, Third Pennsylvania Reserves, of operations September 14-17.

HDQRS. 3rd Regiment, PENNSYLVANIA RESERVE VOL. CORPS,
October 2, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report the operations of this regiment at the battles of the 14th and 17th of September:

On the 14th, soon after arriving on the field, I was ordered to move off to the right with the regiment and take a position on an eminence to guard against and arrest the approach of the enemy on our right flank and to report from time to time to General Hooker any movement of the enemy that I saw. I marched the regiment to the point designated and remained there until near sundown, when I received orders from General Hooker to return to the point we had left, as the cavalry were able to attend to that part of the field. I returned as ordered, and found that the division had moved farther up the mountain. I

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*See VOL. XIX, Part I, p. 190.

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