Head Quarters 4^th Brig. 1^st Divⁿ

Department of Susquehanna

Carlisle Pa July 3^d 1863

 

Sam^l Carey

A.A.A.Gen^l

            1^st Divⁿ

                                   

Sir

                                                I have the honor to report that in obedience to the orders from Brig. Gen^l Smith, to march on the 1^st of July inst. for Carlisle, I moved my Command—composed of the Grey Reserves, Blue Reserves, parts of the 28^th & 30^th Regts P.V.M. and Capt. Landis independent battery—at 7 o'clock A.M. of that day.

 

            Four Companies of the 28^th which had been absent on duty at Dauphin's Bridge, at the time the Regiment was assigned to my Command, and was not relieved in time to report to me, I was obliged to leave.

 

            Four Companies of the 30^th, which were then on picket duty I left, with instructions to follow us immediately after they should have been called in. I halted the troops at intervals of two and three miles for rest, and the march was thus conducted in good order, and with but very little straggling.

 

            At Stony Ridge, about five miles from Carlisle, I halted the Brigade for an hour's rest but before the expiration of the time I received, by Courier, a dispatch from Gen^l Ewen at Carlisle, to the effect that it was reported that a large body of rebels having been driven back by some of Gen^l Meade's forces were retreating towards Carlisle.

 

            Gen^l Ewen urged me to hasten on with my Command to reinforce him. I immediately started / Capt. Landis in advance, with his battery, and in a few minutes the whole Brigade was in motion.

 

            The battery being urged forward at the greatest possible speed, was soon in, motion and the rest of the Brigade entered the town in less than an hour after, the men marching without rest on the receipt of Gen^l Ewen's dispatch.

 

            Having posted the Brigade on the right and left of Hanover Street in the town square, it stacked arms, and broke ranks to receive the refreshments which were being distributed among them by the Citizens of Carlisle. A large force of rebel Cavalry at this moment appeared at the east end of the town on the Harrisburg road; my Command instantly fell into line, and I posted detachments along the streets, and upon the square to protect the battery, and guns against a charge of Cavalry. I cleared the streets of Citizens, and ordered the batteries in position to cover the advance of the enemy. The enemy opened with artillery. Gen^l Smith having then arrived assumed Command, and I carried out his dispositions of the troops, and posted the pickets in the outskirts of the town. The behaviour of my Command was excellent. Most of them were under fire for the first time, and they all evinced a remarkable degree of steadiness and coolness in the emergency. I cannot individualize regiments or Commands where all acted equally well in the positions they were placed in, but must be allowed to make an exception in the case of Capt Landis' Battery—the officers and men of which maintained their position unchanged under the severe shelling by the enemy, to which they were exposed. On the following day—the 2^nd I moved to / Carlisle Barracks, which I at present occupy with my Command.

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