moved to the front and formed on the right of General Ripley's brigade. which was then engaged. After a few rounds had been discharged, I crdered an advance, and at the same time sent word to the regiments on my left to advance simultaneously. The order was responded to with spirit by my men, and, with a shout, they moved through the corn-field in front, 200 yards wide, and formed on the line of fence. The enemy was near and in full view. In a moment or two his ranks began to break before our fire, and the line soon disappeared under the crest of the hill upon which it had been established. It was soon replaced by another, and the fire opened with renewed vigor. In the mean time Garland's brigade, which had been ordered to my right, had given way, and the enemy was advancing, unchecked. The regiments upon my left having also failed to advance, we were exposed to a fire from all sides and nearly surrounded. I sent in haste to the rear for re-enforcements, and communicated to General Hill the exposed condition of my men. With steady supports upon the right we could yet maintain our position. The support was not at hand and could not reach us in time. The enemy closed in upon the right so near that our ranks were scarcely distinguishable. At the same time his line in front advanced. My men stood firm until every field officer but one had fallen, and then made the best of their way out. In this sharp and unequal conflict I lost many of my best officers and one-half of the men in the ranks. If the brigades upon the right and left had advanced, we should have driven the enemy from the field. He had at one time broken in our front, but we had not strength to push the advantage. Colonel [L. B.] Smith, of the Twenty-seventh Georgia; Colonel [W. P.] Barclay, of the Twenty-third Georgia, and Lieutenant-Colonel [J. M.] Newton, commanding the Sixth Georgia, fell at the head of their regiments. Their loss is irreparable. Upon every battle-field they had distinguished themselves for coolness and gallantry. Colonel [B. D.] Fry, of the Thirteenth Alabama, and Captain [N. J.] Garrison, commanding Twenty-eighth Georgia, were severely wounded. Subsequent to the action of the forenoon, portions of my brigade encountered the enemy in two desultory engagements, in which they stood before superior numbers and gave a check to their advance. In one of these a small party was placed under the command of LieutenantColonel W. H.] Betts, and directed to deploy as skirmishers along the crest of a hill upon which the enemy was advancing. They did so with good effect, keeping back a large force by their annoying fire and the apprehension, excited by their boldness, that they were supported by a line in rear. During the engagements of this day I had the misfortune to lose my acting assistant adjutant general (Lieut. R. P. Jordan). He fell while gallantly dashing toward the enemy's line. I have not known a more active, efficient, and fearless officer. Lieutenant Grattan, my aide-decamp, was conspicuously bold in the midst of danger and untiring in the discharge of his duties. I regret that I cannot here mention the names of all, dead and living, who are entitled to a tribute at my hands. Respectfully, your obedient servant, Major RATCHford, Assistant Adjutant-General. A. H. COLQUITT, Colonel, Commanding Brigade. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 93. No. 305. Confederate Roll of Honor. ADJT. AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, I. The following acts of Congress, having been approved by the President, are published for the information of the Army: No. 27.-AN ACT to authorize the grant of medals and badges of distinction as a reward for courage and good conduct on the field of battle. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to bestow medals, with proper devices, upon such officers of the armies of the Confederate States as shall be conspicuous for courage and good conduct on the field of battle; and also to confer a badge of distinction upon one private or non-commissioned officer of each company after every signal victory it shall have assisted to achieve. The non-commissioned officers and privates of the company who may be present on the first dress-parade thereafter may choose, by a majority of their votes, the soldier best entitled to receive such distinction, whose name shall be communicated to the President by commanding officers of the company; and if the award fall upon a deceased soldier, the badge thus awarded him shall be delivered to his widow; or, if there be no widow, to any relation the President may adjudge entitled to receive it. Approved October 13, 1862. By order: S. COOPER, GENERAL ORDERS, Adjutant and Inspector General. ADJT. AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 131. Richmond, Va., October 3, 1863. Difficulties in procuring the medals and badges of distinction having delayed their presentation by the President, as authorized by the act of Congress approved October 13, 1862, to the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the armies of the Confederate States conspicuous for courage and good conduct on the field of battle, to avoid postponing the grateful recognition of their valor until it can be made in the enduring form provided by that act, it is ordered I. That the names of all those who have been, or may hereafter be, reported as worthy of this distinction, be inscribed on a roll of honor, to be preserved in the office of the Adjutant and Inspector General for reference in all future time, for those who have deserved well of their country, as having best displayed their courage and devotion on the field of battle. II. That the roll of honor, so far as now made up, be appended to this order, and read at the head of every regiment in the service of the Confederate States at the first dress-parade after its receipt, and be published in at least one newspaper in each State. III. The attention of the officers in charge is directed to General Orders, No. 93, section No. 27, of the series of 1862, Adjutant and In spector General's Office, for the mode of selecting the non-commissioned officers and privates entitled to this distinction, and its execution is enjoined. By order: S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. GENERAL ORDERS, ADJT. AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, I. The following roll of honor is published in accordance with Para. graph I, General Orders, No. 131, 1863. It will be read to every regi ment in the service at the first dress-parade after its receipt. I. The following roll of honor is published in accordance with Paragraph I, General Orders, No. 131, 1863. It will be read to every regi ment in the service at the first dress-parade after its receipt. SEPTEMBER 6-16, 1862.-Campaign in the Kanawha Valley, W. Va. EVENTS. Sept. 6, 1862.-Loring's command moves from The Narrows. 10, 1862.-Action at Fayetteville. 11, 1862.-Skirmishes at Cotton Hill, Gauley (or Miller's) Ferry, Armstrong's Creek, and near Cannelton. 12, 1862.-Skirmish at Hurricane Bridge. 13, 1862.-Action at Charleston. 16, 1862.-Union forces reach the Ohio River. REPORTS. No. 1.—Col. J. A. J. Lightburn, Fourth West Virginia Infantry, commanding District of the Kanawha. No. 2.-Col. Edward Siber, Thirty-seventh Ohio Infantry, commanding First Brigade. No. 3.-Col. Samuel A. Gilbert, Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry, commanding Second Brigade. No. 4.-Maj. Gen. William W. Loring, C. S. Army, commanding Department of No. 5.-Col. C. E. Thorburn, C. S. Army, Chief of Ordnance. No. 7.-Capt. R. L. Poor, C. S. Army, Chief Engineer. No. 8.-Surg. John A. Hunter, C. S. Army, Medical Director. No. 9.-Brig. Gen. John S. Williams, C. S. Army, commanding Second Brigade. No. 11.-Maj. Alexander M. Davis, Forty-fifth Virginia Infantry, commanding No. 12.-Col. G. C. Wharton, Fifty-first Virginia Infantry, commanding Third Brigade. No. 13.-Col. John McCausland, Thirty-sixth Virginia Infantry, commanding Fourth Brigade. No. 1. Reports of Col. J. A. J. Lightburn, Fourth West Virginia Infantry, commanding District of the Kanawha. GAULEY, VA., September 11, 1862—3 a. m. Fayette attacked to-day at noon by a superior force of the enemy. Fighting continued all the afternoon, our troops holding the post at sundown. Jenkins, with heavy cavalry force, on my right flank, in the I am compelled to fall back, probably to Point Pleasant, Ohio J. A. J. LIGHTBURN, Colonel, Commanding. rear. River. HDQRS. IN THE FIELD, NEAR CHARLESTON, VA., I have again engaged the enemy. Will hold this point if I can. Point Pleasant and Gallipolis should be looked after, as I shall, if compelled, have to fall back by Ripley road toward Ravenswood. No road down the Kanawha on east side. Major-General HALLECK. J. A. J. LIGHTBURN, Colonel, Commanding District. POINT PLEASANT, VA., September 19, 1862. I am here with my command. Was compelled to fall back from Fayette, but not until after a day's hard fighting, with skirmishing all the way to Charleston, where I made a stand, but was compelled, by a superior force, to fall back from there, which I did in good order, bringing my transportation but losing my stores. I find Point Pleasant untenable without some works, which I shall proceed to erect as speedily as I can. My report will be forwarded by mail. J. A. J. LIGHTBURN, Colonel. General H. W. HALLECK. POINT PLEASANT, VA., September 19, 1862. In falling back to this point, the Kanawha Salt Works have fallen into the enemy's hands. They were in good condition; could not be successfully destroyed, and have a large amount of salt on hand. Would it not be best to reoccupy the valley that far, as soon as possible? J. A. J. LIGHTBURN, Colonel, Commanding. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE KANAWHA, Point Pleasant, W. Va., September 24, 1862. DEAR SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of what has transpired since I assumed command of the District of the Kanawha: Pursuant to General J. D. Cox's order, of August 17, 1862, I assumed the command of the district. The troops composing the command were the Thirty-seventh, Thirty-fourth, Forty-fourth, and Forty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the Fourth, Eighth, and Ninth Virginia Volunteer Infantry, and the Second Virginia Cavalry, together with eight mountain howitzers, three rifled and three smooth-bore field-pieces of artillery, manned by a detail from infantry regiments. The forces were stationed as follows: The Thirty-fourth and Thirty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with four mountain howitzers and two smooth-bore field-pieces, under command of Col. E. Siber, Thirty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at Raleigh Court-House, with two companies of infantry, as a guard for trains, at Fayette Court-House; the Forty-fourth and Forty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with two companies Virginia cavalry, at Camp Ewing, a distance of 10 miles from Gauley Bridge, on the Lewisburg road, under command of Col. S. A. Gilbert, Forty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; two companies of the Ninth Virginia Infantry, and two com |
