George Martin
No. 11.--Report of Col. Horatio G. Sickel, Third Pennsylvania Reserves, commanding Third Brigade.
Third Brigade.
Col. HORATIO G. SICKEL.
3d Pennsylvania Reserves, Capt. Robert Johnson.
4th Pennsylvania Reserves, Lieut. Col. Thomas F. B. Tapper.
llth West Virginia, Col. Daniel Frost.
15th West Virginia, Lieut. Col. Thomas Morris.
May 9, column put in motion at 5 a.m., Colonel White's command in the advance, the Third Brigade second in line. Upon reaching the base of Cloyd's Mountain, the Third Pennsylvania Reserves and Eleventh Virginia Volunteers were temporarily detached from the brigade and directed to cross the mountain left of the Dublin road, supporting Colonel White's brigade, which had advanced in that direction. The Fifteenth Virginia and Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves advanced steadily up the mountain on the Dublin road until near the summit, when the advance was met by a shower of musketry from the enemy, who had two companies of infantry posted on an eminence commanding the road. I immediately dispatched Captain Egan, of the Fifteenth Regiment Virginia, with his company to the right, up a small gorge, to gain their rear, while myself with the Fifteenth Virginia climbed a steep bluff to our right, and gained the road on the left of their position. The enemy, perceiving the movement, beat a hasty retreat down the south slope of the mountain and gained their works, situated behind a deep stream passing through the clearing at the base of the mountain. By this movement we intercepted a courier riding a very fine horse, whom we made prisoner, and severely wounded 2 others. Our loss was 1 man severely wounded. Having thus gained the summit, I deployed two companies to the right and left of the road and began our descent southward, after driving in their skirmishers, and proceeded forward to within about 600 paces of the clearing and base of the mountain. We were here met by a fearful fire of shell and spherical case-shot from the enemy's batteries. The column was immediately halted and the troops placed under cover of woods. We were here joined by the commanding general, the Third Pennsylvania Reserves and Eleventh Virginia Regiment, who had accompanied Colonel White's command up the north slope of the mountain. Some time was occupied in reconnoitering the enemy's position and awaiting the arrival of Colonel White's command on the extreme left. At 11 a.m. the brigade was placed in order of battle as follows: First, Lieutenant-Colonel Morris, with six companies of the Fifteenth Regiment Virginia Infantry on the extreme right, covering a gorge in the mountain and commanding the only approach to our right and rear; Major Wells, with four companies of the same regiment, on right of the Dublin road, in line, facing south; the Eleventh Virginia Regiment, Col. D. Frost, commanding, on the Dublin road, facing south, with the Third and Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves on his left, directly opposite the enemy's works. About 12 m. the brigade was ordered to advance upon the enemy's works, which was done in a most satisfactory manner under the most galling artillery and musketry fire I have ever witnessed. Notwithstanding, our line moved steadily on, engaging the enemy in his works, completely routing him, capturing many prisoners, 2 pieces of artillery and a large number of small-arms, together with a considerable amount of ammunition, camp and garrison equipage, &c.
For further details I would respectfully refer you to the accompanying reports of the regimental commanders, which will be found very complete and instructive.
In this engagement a number of valuable officers were killed and wounded. Among the number killed is Col. R. H, Woolworth, of the Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves, a brave and accomplished officer, in whose death the country has sustained a serious loss. Among those seriously wounded, are Capt. J. Lenhart, jr., of the Third Pennsylvania Reserves, at the time commanding the regiment, and Lieut. J. H. McLaughlin, adjutant of the Eleventh Virginia Volunteers, acting aide-de-camp on my staff.
The annexed table(*) of casualties exhibits fully the number of killed, wounded, and missing, and nature of their wounds.
The brigade was again put in motion and ordered to pursue the retiring enemy, who was hastily retreating on the Dublin road southward. The pursuit was kept up with some skirmishing through Dublin and one mile beyond the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, when it was ascertained that the enemy had left our front, and the brigade was ordered into camp one-half mile north of the village. A large amount of commissary, quartermaster, and ordnance stores here fell into our hands [OR Ser. 1, V. 37, Pt. 1, pp. 24-25]