No. 45.
Report of Maj. Joshua Stover, Tenth Virginia Infantry.
Camp Frescatti, Va.,
August 13, 1862.
In accordance with orders from Headquarters Third Brigade I have the honor to submit the following report of the services rendered by the Tenth Regiment Virginia Volunteers, in the Third Brigade, Army Valley [District], in the battle of Cedar Run on August 9 :
About 5 p.m. Thursday, 7th instant, this regiment, with the balance of the brigade, and in rear of the brigade, marched in the direction of Orange Court-House. After marching about 7 miles, the regiment, with the balance of the brigade, bivouacked near Orange Court-House.
On Friday morning at early dawn we took up the line of march in the direction of Culpeper Court-House, marching in front of the Twenty-third Virginia Regiment, which was then in the rear. After marching about 5 miles and about 1 mile north of the Rapidan River we were ordered to halt and cook two days’ rations, which consumed the balance of the day. The regiment bivouacked at the same place for the night.
About 2 o’clock in the night we were aroused, our pickets being attacked by the enemy’s cavalry, and marched promptly with the balance of the brigade to resist the attack, but the enemy retired before we arrived on the field. We remained on the field until early dawn, when we were marched back to camp.
At 8 o’clock on Saturday morning, the 9th instant, we took up the line of march, the Thirty-seventh Virginia Regiment and Forty-eighth Alabama Regiment in front and the Twenty-third Virginia and Forty-seventh Alabama Regiments in the rear. The regiment kept well closed up, and after marching about 7 miles under an excessive hot sun we arrived about 4 o’clock in sight of the enemy, drawn up in line of battle. The brigade was then drawn up in line of battle under a galling fire of shot and shell from the enemy’s guns, by which we suffered considerably. This regiment (being detached by order of Brigadier-General Taliaferro, through Major Taliaferro, to prolong the line of battle on the left) was promptly thrown on the extreme left, on the left of the main road leading to Culpeper Court-House, with the Forty-seventh Alabama Regiment, the Thirty-Seventh and Twenty-third Virginia and Forty-eighth Alabama Regiments being on the right of the road near a wheat field, where we immediately engaged the enemy under a heavy fire of infantry. After being engaged some time the regiment upon my right gave back, and I , seeing that we were about to be flanked by the enemy on our right, was compelled to retire a short distance. We again rallied, attacking the enemy the second time, holding our position until, the First Brigade coming up on our left, a charge was made through the wheat field, driving the enemy from the field, in which charge a number of prisoners were taken. The brigade was again formed in line of battle in the wheat field and marched in an easterly direction some distance though a corn field in pursuit of the enemy.
Night coming on, we were ordered to halt and await further orders. Subsequently we were ordered to retire to a ravine in the corn field, where we remained during the night, the engagement being at an end.
For a list of casualties I refer you to the accompanying report of the surgeon.*
I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
JOSHUA STOVER,
Major, Comdg. Tenth Regiment Virginia Volunteers.
Captain Coleman,
Assistant-Adjutant-General.
*Embodied in No. 27.