his coolness in action and his endeavors to save the guns; to the latter also I am much indebted for his services during the time he was on the field, but being struck by a piece of shell was disabled and forced to leave the field early in the action. The non-commissioned officers and privates deserve much praise, all acting alike with coolness and bravery. The gunners, I am proud to say, wasted no ammunition. My loss was: Lieutenant De Ruccy severely and Corpl. L. L. Lewis, of Fourth Company, mortally wounded, 6 horses, and 2 guns. The section fired 225 rounds of spherical case and shell. The caissons being sent to the rear to refill the chests thus escaped capture.

Trusting that the above report may prove satisfactory and sufficiently explicit, I subscribe myself, yours, very respectfully,

JOE NORCOM,

Lieutenant, Commanding Fourth Company, Battalion Washington Artillery.

[Captain B. F. ESHELMAN.]

[25.]

JUNE 3-AUGUST 1, 1863.- The Gettysburg Campaign.

Report of Brigadier General Thomas H. Neill, U. S. Army, commanding Light Division, Army of the Potomac.*

HDQRS. LIGHT DIVISION, ARMY OF THE POROMAC,
Near Funkstown, Md., July 13, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report that, in accordance with instructions received from Major-General meade, commanding the Army of the Potomac, to follow up the rear guard of the enemy and send information of his movements, the following was the result of my operations:

On the morning of the 7th of July I marched my command, consisting of Colonel McIntosh's brigade of cavalry, with two pieces mounted artillery attached thereto, Captain Martin's regular battery rifled pieces (10-pounder Parrott), and my own, Third Brigade, Second Division, Sixth Corps Infantry, through the gap in the mountains leading from Fairfield to Waynesborough, Pa., into which gap I had driven the rear guard of the enemy the night before with my brigade, the advance of the Sixth Corps. We moved rapidly through this pass, and upon advancing into the valley beyond, I left my infantry behind and pushed forward at a trot to Waynesborough. Found the rear guard of the enemy had left for Hagerstown pike, and about two miles out found the enemy had burned the bridge over the Antietam at that point. This prevented me from crossing my artillert. I pushed my cavalry forward to a point about four miles from Hagerstown and found the enemy strongly posted at all the fords and bridges on the Antietam and covering Ewell's corps, which was in position along the north of Hagerstown. I sent Colonel McIntosh, with his brigade of cavalry and four pieces artillery, to feel the enemy and draw his fire along the various crossings of the Antietam. This he did in a very gallant and professional manner. Upon arriving at Zeigler's Mills, about three miles from Hagerstown, he found the enemy strongly posted with the three arms. He allowed the enemy to fire forty or fifty rounds from his artillery, then placed his troops in position, opened with his own artillery, dismounted his skirmishers, and drove the

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* See also VOL. XXVII, Part I, pp. 678-680.

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