Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-23
RICHMOND WHIG.
BRIG. GEN. HARRIS REPORT.
HEADQUARTERS, Is THE FIEtD,
2D DIVISION, q,
Near Lexington, Sep. 2Sd, 1861 }


To Mi. Gen. s. PnCr
C.mG'g Missouri State Guard.
Sir:
In compliance with instructions beg leave 10 submit
the following report Of the part taken by the forces
der my command In tire capture OF the Federtl forces
occupying the City OF lexington on the ls'h, lsth and
20.h iUstGnts
Leaving 200 men to act camp guard, at O'Clock
A. NJ Of the Is IA inst my command in IuIsulnce to
your order took up the liue Of march for Lxnston-
The whole command acting as infantry moved by fink
the battery OF artillery bringing up the rear. bad
proceeded abou. mile ca route when M advance
ouched upon the rear OF Gen. Pa'sonJ Division, and
aeon after received your order to ske the road to the
efl and support the movements Of that Division An Or
der to bring my artillery to the advance cauSd delay OF
some 10 or 90 mnute tbs infantry bad 70 give way
Tor it's passage slong tie ROAD. Ny c)maad arrived Il
precisely 10 o'clock, A. NJ, and / ordered Captain
Kueisley who wss iu. command OF the battery 10 take
position at elevated point Of intersection Of two
strt e. and TO open hs FIRE and initiate the movements
OF the battery Gen. Parsons Div ision which alTea
iy in action l detached Capaia Davis Company
armed with Minnie rhes) to act an intermediate GOV:
ring party for the battery, whilst my whole command
protected by the houses held In readiness TO support
he battery if required Capt Kne.lsy served bis bat
terry very satisfactorily, only supendng Bis fire from the
exhaus.aon Of his men, induced by tue excessive heat
and for want Of sufficient ammunton. the III CT Of The
ire upon Le enemy very evident and desrt i've.
At one or tEc positions occupied by my command the
,nemy annoyed US slightly with beth round sho. and
grape, but slight change IN position sufieed afford
.dequaie protection against his missiles,
At IL Ia o'clock received the order from yourself
in person TO my command along the bank OF the
liver TO the support OF General McBdes command aud
ieueral Slaeks Division under command OF Col Ryes.
Al the time you gave me instructions TO capture
he brick house outside of the enemys line OF defence,
known as tue Anderson House Hospital, provided
hat if upon nv arrival there, of opinion thai
IL uithnut M halferV nj
artillery you suggested to remain in It's then eflciye
position, saying that you would look to It's security
Immediately upon the receipt OF the foregoing !n'
sructioD, Imoysd nv commanda!ong 10 the line OF the
iver causing the different battGions to debouche the
icht and ascend the elevations which protected our
movement from the fire of the enemy, directed the
nen TO crawl 70 the crests OF the hills aud annoy tho
,nemy a. he should expose hin3lf above his beast
works. Lieut. Col Braces battalion held TO occupy
he main road for several hours as a reserve T1e ac-
i've skirishing OF my men from the crests OF the hills
visiby had annoying effect upon the enemy, and he
esponded throughout the day and night with great
p;rit aud industry Upon my reaching the point known
,s the hospital, ! dsmOunted and ascFndsd the hill on
pot Upon NY arrival, l found Col Reeves commend
upDorted by portion of Lieut. Col Hu's and kli jor
4 ltou (CsllaWa,) command OF my Division From d
inspection of the position occupied by the Hos
Jtd became satisfied that it inyaluable 10
point of annoyauce and masque for my approach TO
no enemy. at the same time received your commuDi-
ation the result Of your reconnoisanoc throug5
,our glass; therefore Immediately ordered An assault.
ipou the position, In which promptly ard gallanil7
ccocded by Colonel Reeves and hi, command, together
sith Lieut. Col Hull and jo- Milton ard their con
nands of my own Division
The hospital was promptly carried and occupied by
roops but during the evening the my retook il aud
sere again driven out by our with sJhe loss Lsav
ng sufficient foree tie Hrsptll 70 held il descended
hc hill aT moved along the lef wing of my command
which under Col Green had united with Gen McBrdes
Command and had CALAMITY driven tho enemy bsck
advanced posiLion aud was occupying advsn
lgeous point in common with General McBdde's CON.
nsnd in q trench taken from the enemy near n mine
shich he had sprung upon connoitcring tho DO iion
lf the egcmy dir cied COL Green TO dep!oy his iue to
sio le which he promptly did and directed that his IL
ismen should continue to skrnsh with the enemy whilst
ia sho'. gur-nCn (bsug cut of range should protect
themseyes beneath the cresi oi the hill and b5 in reid
ness II an assault from the enemys lnes siOuld hs at
tempted. then directed It, Cols. Bace and Hull to
move with thtir commands to the support Of
ireeu's position and to ext,nd the fink 20
The left on Colonel Green's front tx enieJ. This
vas tho position OF my command on the night of
he lS.h inst The men manthining brisk skirmish.
ng with decided effect upon the enemy, climbing the
rugged and prccpous heights during the excessive heat
OF the day. caused the 10 sul greatly for water
but nothing appeared to daunt their resolution endu.
rance and va'or They had neither blankets nor food,
but they remained scsdstly al their p6ss during the
uigl ana EliA0Iy uualL assaults CT
he enemy in strong force during the ngh In repcl-
ling these assaults have the p',asure TO rlc1gnzs the
gallant co-nperauons OF Gen. M.Bride ana his command
and the timely assistance OF the bat.ereJ of Genls
.lalas and Parsons Al IL o'clock P. N. the
.yeuinc of the 18th inst when a sally was antcpa ed
from the enemy through the Hcspitcl position designed
o make diversion favorable tue lAning of ancipA-
ed federal reinforcements and to burn steamers cap
urei BY US ddring the day. VOC kind enough al
ord me the valuable reinforcement from Gen. SEEMS
49, I'D - -
nd the battery OF Capt Kelly.
The infantry posted to strengthen the Hospital posi
ion and the artillery disposed as command the
vharf and the river. Col. Congseve Jackson politely
1sned me the use Of battalion commanded By Col
Rsvp- which posted cevsr the artillery During tho
nigh visited frequently the various poe ions Of my com
.G lna iound U1ih men and officers fully resolved and
apsbls Of maintaining themselves uati morning On the
igth inst moved Col McDonalds command to tho OK.
rene left thus perecting my connection With Gen RAINS
light fink. l directed 6esultory fire to be kept up
arirg the day by my shSrplhooters along my entire
ront and directed the line OF some rude field forti "a.
ions The commands Of Col Green and Lieut. Co.'s
Hull and Braces poorly provided with entrenching i'm
dement's perfected their defence with Astonishing per-
None contributed more to the jealous and
nient prosecution of the wsrS than Lieut. Col Porter
}, Col Green's Regiment, who although seyerely wound.
ID in the head by ball, continued 10 afford the mos.
untirng example to the men, by his zeal aud self sacr
cling services.
Where timber could be had as a shelter these Geld
works could be CONSTRUCTED only at the expense of great
physical sxerton bat where the enemy had removed
he means necessary for construction to extend lines OF
i,fcnce involved great hazard OF life BY reconnois-
OF the Hospital position baclmc satisf ID that
the constr icion of flank defences would afford great
yincreased facilities for the annoyance OF the euenny
whilst il would materially lessen the exposure Of our
men but such had been the great exhaustion Of our
that fear dther power Of endurance would be over
asked should impose this new task upon theui Capt.
Robinson, commanding the Galway infantry however,
offered TO attempt the task then directed Cap ain
George A. Turner, Of my stsf to request OF you 1872
bales Of heup, which you promptly accorded Captain
ruruer was insed with the general supeiintendence
Of transporting II to the points designated To the ex
raordinary ZEAL activity ani pcrsevering industry of
Captain Turner, u feel under tho greatest obligations
hs services invaluable to me durng the entire en-
Sayement directed the bales TO be wet 10 the river
20 protect them against the casualties Of fire Of our
troops and OF the enemy But it was soon found that
The wetng 80 materially increased the weigh to pre-.