The battles of 1881.
official reports.
official report of the engagement on Greenbrier River, October 3, 1861, H. R. Jackson, Brig Genal commanding.
Camp Bartow, Greenbrier River, October 7th, 1861.
Col. C. L. S Adjutant N. W. A.,
Colonel In my note of the 3d inst. I gave you a brief account of the attack made that day upon our position by the enemy.
Advancing along the turnpike with a heavy column composed of infantry, artillery, and cavalry, numbering, at a sale estimate, from six to seven thousand men, he drove in our advanced pickets at an early hour in the morning. about 7 o'clock he encountered the main body of the advanced guard rein forced to about one hundred strong and posted on the right side of the turnpike one mile from out lines by Col. Edward Johnson, of the 12th Georgia regiment, who took command in person.
You will find this position designated upon the accompanying map by the capitis letter ‘ "E"’ It is but justice to this superior officer, and to the gallant band whose movements he directed, to say that it would not have been possible for so small a force to have been more skillfully handled, or to have exhibited more obstinate courage in the face of numbers so overwhelming. They held the column of the enemy in check for nearly an hour, pouring into the head of it a galling fire, not with drawing until six pieces of artillery had opened briskly upon them, and full battalions of infantry were on flanking them on the right, and then retiring in such order, and taking such advantage of the ground, as to reach our camp with but a trifling loss. To this brilliant skirmish, in which Col. Johnson had his horse killed under him, is doubtless to be ascribed, in a measure, the exhilarated spirit manifested by our troops during the remainder of the day. Before taking leave of it, and referring to former dispatches, I would beg once again to direct to Colonel Edward Johnson the special attention of the Commanding General, not simply for this peculiarly brilliant service, but for his gallant and efficient conduct throughout the entire engagement.
So soon as it had become apparent that the enemy contemplated a systematic attack upon our camp, I disposed of my entire force to meet it. To convey a correct idea, not simply of that disposition, but of the subsequent action, I must pray reference to the accompanying map, for which I am indebted to Lieutenant Colonel Barton, of the 3d Arkansas regiment.
As I have already reported to you, our position is not by nature a commanding one. The causes of its weakness are the necessity of defending extended lines on our front (not less than a mile) and on our flanks, and the fact that there are points in our rear which, in the possession of an enemy, might give us great trouble. The works essential to our safety were in progress of construction at the time of the attack, but were only partially completed, nothing whatever having been done to strengthen our right flauk or our rear I am happy to say that during the last three days, through the indefatigable efforts of Lieut. Colonel Barton, in immediate charge of the works, backed by the cheerful labor of the men, we are already in condition to defy an approach from any quarter. Not doubting that the attack upon us had been, to some extent, invited by our commencing to fortify ourselves against it, and fearing that the enemy might have been fully advised of our weak points, until he had actually begun his retreat, my mind could not dispossess itself of the idea that he had sent another column over the mountains to turn our right flank. To prepare for this danger, I held the 1st Georgia regiment, so far as that could be done, in reserve for what I apprehended would be a desperate struggle. I also sent expresses to Colonel Baldwin, whom I had previously ordered to the top of the Alleghany Ridge, directing him to move the 52d Virginia regiment as rapidly down as possible, and to fall upon the rear of the enemy should he undertake to fall upon ours. That gallant regiment responded, as I have learned, most heartily to the call, and when halted upon the road by the tidings that the day had already been won, despite of its not-to-be-doubted patriotism, could not entirely conceal its chagrin.
The two brigades in this camp, weakened by the absence of the several corps on detached service (he 5th having been reduced from this cause and from sickness to scarce one-third of its legitimate number) I posted in the following order: The 1st Georgia regiment upon our extreme right, under command of Major Thomoson, Colonel Ramsey (he field officer of the day) having been cut off from us by the enemy while discharging his duty upon the road; next to it was placed the 12th Georgia regiment--both of these regiments designed for the immediate command of Colonel Johnson. At an early moment I threw out what few mounted men were available under Capt. Sterrett, of the Churchville Cavalry, to different points along the valley upon our right for the purpose of bringing as timely notice of an approach by the enemy, and I also strengthened considerably the picket guard advanced in that direction. The centre I entrusted to the 5th brigade, under command of Col. Taliaferro, composed of the 44th Virginia regiment, Col. Scott; the 23d Virginia regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Taliaferro, and Major Rogers's battalion, commanded, in his absence from sickness, by senior Captain John C. Higginbotham. This brigade was reduced in the course of the action by the detachment of one hundred men under Maj. Jones, of the 44th, to reenforce our left wing. This detachment marched in gallant style, under the enemy's fire, to the position as signed it in line. The troops on this wing which, from the character of the ground were widely disparted, fell under the general command of Colonel Rust, of the 3d Arkansas regiment, and consisted of his own command, the 31st Virginia volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Jackson, and the battalion of Lieutenant Colonel Hansborough, commanded, in his absence on account of sickness, by senior Captain J. A. Robertson. Upon this flank also two field-pieces had already been placed in battery enfilading the Huntersville road, which runs at right angles, if, indeed, those terms can be applied to serpentine mountain roads, from the turnpike. These guns were under the immediate charge of Captain P. B. Anderson, and the zeal, skill, and determination of that officer, leave no doubt that they would have done great execution had the enemy ventured to call them into action.
Captain Shumaker's battery, consisting of four pieces, (six pounders,) one of them rified, and one six-pounder, under Capt. were held intrepidness for the front and right flank. The places occupied by these various corps you will find specified upon the map.
Our forces were all in position ween, at about 8 o'clock, the enemy opened a heavy fire from six (6) pieces of different calibre, placed in a field upon the right band side (to them) of the turnpike road, and bearing upon our front and centre. This number was subsequently increased by two other pieces, placed on the opposite side of the turnpike, one near it and the other upon the rise of the hill, This fire (of round shot, spherical case, shell, end occasionally upon our left wing, of canister,) was continued with extraordinary rabidity, and without intermission, for upwards of four hours, the eight guns constituting the well known field batteries of How and of Loomis. The bill occupied by Col Taliaferro's brigade, invitingly expected to all of these batteries, received the greater share of their attention, and, but for the protection afforded by the ditch and embankment running along the brow, and constructed under the immediate supervision of Col. Taliaferro himself, we should doubtless have had inflicted upon us a very severe loss indeed,
This fire was returned with great energy, and, as the result has proved, with signal effect, by the guns of Captain Shumaker and Captain Rice, and by one piece detached from Captain Anderson's battery and placed upon the hill occupied by Lieut. Col. Jackson. Lieut. Massie, its proper chief, being quite indisposed, although he maintained his position near his piece, it was placed under the command of Captain Deshler, Aide-de-camp to Col Johnson. From the fact that the rified gun of Captain Shumaker soon became useless to us, (for the cause of this great misfortune see his own report, addressed to myself,) at no time could we bring more than five pieces into action to return the fire of the enemy's eight. Yet that fire was returned, and that with so much spirit and energy as to make this ‘"artillery duel"’ indeed peculiarly interesting, by the character of the field and its mountain surroundings, ever memorable by those who beheld it. That the casualties among our cannoneers should have been so few, is a subject of sincere congratulation, and is very much ascribable to the sound judgment of Captain Shumaker, who repeatedly changed the position of his guns when those of the enemy had obtained his range. For a minuter description of the action in this, its most striking phase, I take great pleasure in referring to the report of that consummately cool and skillful officer. From it you will learn why it was that our pieces, at the close of the four hours interchange of fire, were temporarily withdrawn, indu nur friends upon our extreme left, and evidently the enemy, to suppose that they had been silenced.
At about half past 9, a strong column of infantry was seen to move towards our left flank. Having crossed the to called river (in fact, a shallow stream o. about twenty yards in width,) near the point designated on the map by the capital letter ‘"a"’ it undertook to turn our position in that direction. Soon, however, it encountered a portion of the 3d Arkansas regiment, which drove it precipitately back with a destructive fire. The enemy subsequently turned two of his pieces upon this position of our left wing, pouring out shell and cannister in large volumes, but fortunately, on account of the protection afforded by the works, with but little execution.
Simultaneously with this movement towards our left, another column of infantry ascended the wooded hill before our right wing, at the point designated upon the map by the capital letter ‘"B."’ Having become, involved a slight skirmish with one of our picket guards, it was immediately and strongly reinforced. Subsequently to the repulse of the column from ourself flank, it proceeded in the same general direction, ascending the hill a the point designated by the letter ‘"C,"’ and dwelling the force which how began to threaten seriously our front and right to some 4,000 men. They moved along the side of the hill, opening upon our lines a desultory fire of rifle musketry, which was continued until the close of the action. So soon as the designs of this column were fully developed, I ordered the 11th regiment to take position near the stream, where a small detachment of it, under Lieutenant Dawson, had already been posted, with instructions to engage the enemy whenever he should attempt to cross From the fact that this movement was made in full face of largely superior numbers, and with a superior weapon, and protected by cover of the forest, it was made with an alacrity and a regularity which deserve high commendation, as does also the cool determination with which this command, protecting as best it might against the enemy's the, received it, but returned scarce a shot. Not long there after, I ordered Captain Shumaker to open upon the same column, directing his fire to where he supposed the head of it to be Tois he promptly aid with two pieces, and so effectively, had in a short time the an tamable evidences of their rout became apparent. Distinctly could their officers be Heard, with words of mingled command, remonstrance, and entreaty, attempting to rally their battalions into line, and to bring them to the charge; but they could not be induced to re form their broken ranks, for to emerge from the cover of the woods, in the direction of our fire Rapidly and in disorder they returned into the turnpike, and soon thereafter the entire force of the enemy, artillery, infantry, and cavalry retreand in confusion along the road and adjacent heaving behind them, at different points, numbers of their guns, knapsacks, canteens, etc., etc. Among other trophies taken were a stand of United States which are held subject to the order of the commanding General.
This engagement lasted from seven in the morning to half-past 2 o'clock in the afternoon, at which time the enemy, who had come with artillery to bombard and demoralize us, with infantry to storm our camp, with cavalry to rout and destroy us, and with four days cooked rations in his haversack, to prosecute a rapid march either towards Staunton or towards Huntersville, was in precipitate retreat back to his Cheat Mountain fastness. And it is certainly a matter not unworthy of mention, that while his first insolent advances were received with defiant cheers, running from one end to the other of our line, he was permitted to take his departure under the simple reports of our pieces, firing upon him so long as he continued within their range The relative weakness of our force, and the entire absence of cavalry, prevented our pursuing him, and thereby realizing the legitimate trail a of our triumph. His loss in killed and wounded is estimated at from two hundred and fifty to three hundred--among them an officer of superior rank. Our own, I am happy to say, was very inconsiderable, not exceeding fifty in also. This most gratifying result is to be astarboard, in a great degree, to the remarkable coolness of regimental and company officers, who never seemed for a moment to loss 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 hearing 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 Captain 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; landing 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 Capt. Deshler, who directed a rapid fire with marked effect; and of Sarah Graves, who fell mortally wounded in the Cool and gallant discharge of his duty. Peculiarly distinguished among the advanced guard, where all were distinguished, must be recorded the names of Lieut, Gibson, of the Third Arkansas regiment--the officer in immediate command; of private Slayton, of the 31st Virginia regiment, who was severely wounded; and of private J. W. Brown, of Co. 1st 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 Lieut. Col. Bar on, 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 defence 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 full to inspire his men, and Colonel Rust, in command of the left wing, from which the enemy was first recited, discharged their responsible duty successfully and well.
Finally, my own thanks are specially due to my aids, Major F. S. Bloom and Lieut. W. D. Humphries, C. S. A. for the gallant and efficient manner in which they responded to the peculiar and exposing cads made upon them. It is but justice to add that Cadet Henry Jackson, G. S. A., drew notice to himself by his gallantry under fire.
I have the honor to enclose herewith a list of casualties.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Henry R. Jackson,
Brig Gen. Comdg
[Official.] R. H. Chilvon, A. A. Gen't.
