result is to be attributed in a great degree to the remarkable coolness of regimental and company officers, who never seemed for a moment to lose their presence of mind, never allowed their men unnecessarily to expose themselves, and profited by every advantage of ground and position to shield them from danger. In conclusion, I take great pride in saying that the bearing of all the troops, both officers and men, with but few exceptions, was highly creditable to themselves and to the army. Among those who enjoyed the opportunity coveted by all of attracting special notice, in addition to the name of Colonel Johnson, I would mention those of Captain Shumaker, who was wounded at his battery, and to whom I have already had repeated occasion to refer; of Capt. William H. Rice, of whom Captain Shumaker speaks in the following emphatic language: "He had been working his piece beautifully for two hours, and too much praise cannot be given him for the deliberate manner with which he loaded and fired his piece, loading and firing by detail for an hour in the midst of a storm of shot and shell from the enemy," until he was stricken to the earth severely wounded; of Captain Deshler, who directed a rapid fire with marked effect, and of Sergeant Graves, who fell mortally wounded in the cool and gallant discharge of his duty. Peculiarly distinguished among the advance guard, where all were distinguished, must be recorded the names of Lieutenant Gibson, of the Third Arkansas Regiment, the officer in immediate command; of Private Slayton, of the Thirty-first Virginia Regiment, who was severely wounded, and of Private J. W. Brown, of Company F, First Georgia Regiment, who, upon hearing the order to fall back, exclaimed, "I will give them one more shot before I leave," and while ramming down his twenty-ninth cartridge fell dead at his post. Nor can I omit mention in this connection of Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, who, in the absence of engineer staff officers, designed and was in active prosecution of the works to which we are so much indebted for the defense of our position, and who has shown himself at all times prompt to render cheerful and efficient service. It is hardly necessary to add that Colonel Taliaferro, whose marked coolness and energy could not fail to inspire his men, and Colonel Rust, in command of the left wing, from which the enemy was first repelled, discharged their responsible duty successfully and well. Finally, my own thanks are specially due to my aides, Maj. F. S. Bloom and Lieut. W. D. Humphries, C. S. Army, for the gallant and efficient manner in which they responded to the peculiar and exposing calls made upon them. It is but justice to add that Cadet Henry Jackson, C. S. Army, drew notice to himself by his gallantry under fire. I have the honor to inclose herewith a list of casualties. Col. C. L. STEVENSON, Adjutant General, N. W. A. [Inclosures.] List of casualties at the battle of Greenbrier River, October 3, 1861. Command. CAMP BARTOW, GREENBRIER RIVER, October 26, 1861. SIR: Your kind favor of the 12th instant [following] came duly to hand. How much needed by this branch of the army, by soldiers as well as by officers, some expression of approval was can only be known by one personally familiar with the campaign in this part of Virginia, unequaled in its peculiar hardships, in the asperities of country and climate which have been encountered, in sickness and suffering, in disappointed hopes and untoward events, fate seeming at times to have decreed a terrible antithesis-the misery and obscurity here, the sympathy and the glory elsewhere. As you must be aware, this command is mainly composed of the wrecks of General Garnett's army, and the annals of warfare might be searched in vain to find a more pitiable picture of suffering, destitution, and demoralization than they presented at the close of their memorable retreat. It has required the untiring efforts of the most energetic officers and all the encouragement which could be brought to bear upon them to restore the troops to anything like the efficiency of which they were originally capable. In the battle to which you have been pleased to refer in complimentary terms the disparity of numbers between our force and that of the enemy was greater than has been assumed. I did not think it advisable to expose our real condition of weakness. The strongest of our regiments (Colonel Fulkerson's) had been previously withdrawn to protect Colonel Gilham's flank. The reports of the morning preceding the 3d did not show more than 1,800 men for duty, and the pickets and guards which our position requires us to keep up in all directions had taken many of these from the line. Considerably more than trebling us in numbers, doubling us in artillery of superior character, and confident of success, the enemy was repulsed simply by the happy disposition of our forces, the boldness of our movements, and the cool determination of officers and men. What would have been the results of our defeat who can fully estimate? And yet, because it was comparatively bloodless, for the achievement of the victory who will ever give us full credit? You will discern in what I have now said some reason for the detail character of my report and for the mention by me of so many names. It was necessary as well as proper, and if it be deemed of any importance to foster the spirit of this division of the Army some appreciation of meritorious service must be exhibited. I would remark, in the same connection, that I delayed acknowledg ing the receipt of your letter because I contemplated a course of action in reference to certain newspaper publications which I knew would fail to meet your approval. Such publications may be disregarded by the statesman or the soldier of established reputation, but they can do much to wound the officers and men of a young corps like the one I command, who have endured the sufferings without being adjudged the laurels of veterans. Fully sensible, however, of the impropriety of complicating public position with personal feuds, I delayed writing you for the purpose of asking permission to retire from the Army so soon as the winter should withdraw this branch of it from the field. Circumstances of which it is unnecessary to speak have intervened to thwart my intention for the present. Begging to return my thanks to the President and to yourself for your kind expressions toward my command and toward me, I have the honor to remain, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War. H. R. JACKSON. WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., SIR: I have received through the Adjutant-General your report of the action of 3d instant at Greenbrier River. I congratulate both yourself and the officers and men under your command for your brilliant conduct on this occasion and your successful defense of the important position held by you against a force so superior. The President joins me in the expression of the satisfaction we both feel in finding our confidence in you and your command so fully justified. In this connection I beg to say that the President submitted to my perusal your private letter to him in relation to a newspaper report relating to the affair at Cheat Mountain. He has answered your letter, as he informs me. It gives me pleasure to assure you that there is not a syllable in General Lee's report that reflects in the remotest manner any discredit on you, and I hope you will not feel offended at my expressing surprise that you should attach any importance or feel any sensitiveness in relation to sensation articles or reports in the newspapers. I have the pleasure of seeing my own action and opinions almost daily misconceived or misrepresented on "the most reliable information" with perfect equanimity, and you may well trust to your own well-earned reputation as a perfect shield against all anonymous attacks. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. HENRY R. JACKSON, J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War. Headquarters, Greenbrier River. No. 6. Report of Col. William B. Taliaferro, Twenty-third Virginia Infantry. HDQRS. FIFTH BRIGADE, ARMY OF NORTHWEST, Camp at Greenbrier River, October 4, 1861. GENERAL: I have the honor, in obedience to your orders, to make a report of the operations of the troops under my immediate command in the action between your forces and the enemy on yesterday. According to your instructions my command, consisting of the Twentythird and Forty-fourth Virginia Regiments and a battalion of the Twentyfifth Virginia Regiment, supported by Shumaker's and Rice's light batteries, occupied the center of your line of defense. As soon as it became manifest that the enemy were approaching in force I ordered the infantry to occupy the lines of trenches defending the front approach and the artillery to be placed in position to command the turnpike and meadow on the left and front of our position. After a gallant resistance by our picket guard, re-enforced by a detachment headed by Colonel Johnson, who maintained an extraordinary struggle with an overwhelming force of the enemy, their troops in great numbers were seen to debouch from the turnpike and from across the river flat, whilst a heavy column was seen to occupy the hills on the right of the road. Very soon after this their batteries were established in the meadow and on the road, and opened upon our position, and poured without intermission a storm of shot and shell for four hours and a quarter upon it. Our batteries replied with remarkable spirit and determination, and with telling effect, as soon as the enemy approached within range of our pieces. The infantry of the enemy fell back just without range and made an effort to turn our left flank, but could soon be seen recrossing the river and concentrating upon the left of their lines. Leaving a supporting force with their artillery, they formed on the slope of the hills overlook ing the road, and evidently made all these dispositions and preparations either for attacking our center by seeking the shelter of the wooded hills until they could approach our front at the nearest point of range, when they would cross the river and attack our front, or otherwise continuing along the right bank to attempt to turn our right flank. Advanc ing to a point opposite the center of my position their column halted, being menaced by the troops of your right wing, and marched down the hill-side to the meadow, for the purpose of attempting the assault upon our works. Here they opened preparatory to an assault a fire upon us with their long-range muskets, but our artillery being directed upon them with terrible effect at this moment they were thrown into confusion, and notwithstanding the efforts of their officers, whose words of command and entreaties could be distinctly heard, could not be reformed, and after some time being spent in the effort to bring them to the charge fell back to the hills, and under such cover as they afforded from our artillery, which played upon them during the whole time, regained the turnpike, and withdrew their batteries and retired. The loss to the enemy must have been very great, as their force, as far as I could estimate, exceeded 5,000, which, whenever it ventured within range, received a storm of missiles from our batteries. The loss sustained by my command was very small. I cannot speak in too great praise of the conduct of the officers and men of my command. All evinced under the heavy fire to which they were subjected extraordinary coolness and gallantry. The artillery, which was unprotected by epaulements, behaved with unflinching bravery. Captain Rice, commanding one of the batteries, distinguished by his intrepidity, had his leg carried away by a round shot while nobly encouraging his men to their duty, and the conduct of Private Brookes, of his battery, deserves especial notice. Captain Shumaker and Lieutenant Wooding distinguished themselves by their skill and gallantry, and Sergeant Jones, who commanded the piece on the right of my line, deserves the highest praise. Colonel Scott, commanding Forty-fourth; Lieut. Col. A. G. Taliaferro, commanding Twentythird, and Captain Higginbotham, commanding Twenty-fifth Regiment, exhibited great coolness, determination, and anxiety to be engaged in action, which was shared by their officers and men. I take occasion to notice the admirable conduct of Surgeon Daily, of the Twenty-third Regiment, who amid the heaviest fire administered relief to the wounded, and the good conduct of Lieutenant Pendleton, acting assistant adjutant-general. Captain Anderson's battery, part of my brigade, was assigned to duty with the command on the left, when Captain Shumaker's was temporarily transferred to my command. The report of the operations of the former will be made by the officer who commanded on the left, while the casualties in Captain Shumaker's command will be communicated by the officer commanding the brigade to which he is attached. I append a list of the killed and wounded of my brigade, amounting to 2 killed and 6 wounded.* I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel Twenty-third Regiment, Commanding Brigade. General HENRY R. JACKSON, Commanding Monterey Line. *Not found, but see p. 229. |