No. 56.
Report of Col. Leroy A. Stafford, Ninth Louisiana Infantry, commanding Second Louisiana Brigade.
Headquarters Second Louisiana Brigade,
August 14, 1862.
I very respectfully submit the following report of the action and position of this brigade, under my command, at the battle of Cedar Creek on the 9th instant:
With my command I reached, by double-quicking, the battle-field just in time to hear the last gun fired and to witness the struggles of the retreat. Immediately after forming line of battle the brigade was thrown forward as the advance guard, and for a quarter of a a mile through a dense woods heavy skirmishing was kept up between the skirmishers of the enemy and those of my own deployment. In an open field after passing the skirt of woods I found the enemy in large force, much superior to my own, and in line of battle. By orders of General Jackson with my brigade I formed a line of battle along a fence separating the field from the woods, and at right angles with the main road by which I was advancing. I was severely shelled at various times during the night, while the firing of the skirmishers was periodical from a little after dark until near 11 o’clock next morning. The entire brigade remained in line of battle until ordered back at or near 10 a.m. 10th instant.
The following companies were deployed as skirmishers and behaved with that coolness and gallantry that entitles the officers and men to the highest praise, viz: Company A, Captain Grigsby; Company B, Captain Cummings, and Company D, Captain Hodges, of the Ninth Louisiana Regiment.
The casualties of the brigade were 20 wounded and 4 killed.
Deeply do I regret to state that the following-named officers ( and a few privates who could not be detected ) absented themselves without leave during that period of the engagement in which my command participated, viz: Lieut. B. F. Jackson and Captain Singeltary, of the Ninth Louisiana Regiment.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
L. A. STAFFORD,
Colonel, Commanding Second Louisiana Brigade.
Maj. Gen. A. P. Hill.