HEADQUARTERS, FIFTH VIRGINIA INFANTRY,
Camp Near Martinsburg,
July 2, 1861.
SIR: In obedience to your order I marched with nine companies of my regiment from Camp Stephens early this morning, on the road to Williamsport. Two companies were placed in advance, namely Captain [Samuel H.] Letcher’s and Captain [James Hurley] Waters’, to act as skirmishers. After marching between two and three miles, you were informed that the enemy were seen in the woods to the right of the road on the Porterfield Farm, a short distance in my front, in what force was not ascertained. I immediately asked if I should advance upon them. You replied “No” but “detach a company to make explorations of the woods on the right.” I accordingly ordered Captain Waters’ Company to cross the field for the purpose of reconnoitering. This company had scarcely more than entered the field when a brisk fire was opened between it and a body of the enemy’s skirmishers concealed in the rye and grass. I immediately ordered Captain Letcher’s Company, and Captain [James W.] Newton’s (then under command of Lieutenant [Lycurgis] Grills) to advance and deploy to its support, and Captains [St. Francis C.] Roberts, [Oswald Flint] Grinnan and [John] Avis, to deploy as nearly as possible on a line within the fields on the left of the road. The remaining companies, namely, Captain [Robert L.] Doyle’s, Captain [Hazael Joseph] Williams’, and Captain [George T.] Antrim’s, I pushed rapidly forward to the farm buildings on the right and left, and commanding the road.
The different companies deployed on both sides of the road, being in near proximity to the enemy, were soon engaged in active conflict, as were also those thrown forward about the house and in the farm yard. I then advanced my skirmishers in the field regularly until our whole front was cleared, and we became engaged with the enemy lines, showing a front of about two regiments (a Wisconsin, I understand and a Pennsylvania).
The fire upon us then became very heavy. The artillery of the enemy—which at first was mainly employed in throwing shells over us into the woods to the right and to the left and in our rear, as if feeling for the main body of which we were taken to be the advance—also began to turn their fire upon us.
My men, however, stood well to their ranks and by the severity of their fire held the enemy for some time in check, and when they attempted to advance, caused them to waver considerably—particularly on the right of their line. Anticipating the necessity of finally yielding to such superior force, I sent back Major [William Smith Hanger] Baylor to request some artillery to be sent up before abandoning the farm buildings, which were the key to my position. I held on, however, until flank movements from distinct columns were commenced along the edge of the woods, somewhat remote on both sides of me, and had so far advanced as to endanger my retreat.
I then commenced falling back, ordering the companies to retire through the fields and make a stand at every favorable point. This we continued to do, until we reached a piece of open woods.
At this point, a piece of Captain [William N.] Pendleton’s Battery came up, and opened fire down the road. The first two discharges I took to be explosions of the enemy’s shells, which they seemed to be throwing with remarkable accuracy upon my new line. On watching, however, for the next explosion, I discovered what I took to be dust was smoke going out towards the enemy. I then shouted “Boys, it is our artillery—rally upon it.” But before we could get up to it, the piece had retired, and we were forced to retreat.
During the conflict I assigned to Lieutenant-Colonel [William Henry] Harman the special duty of superintending the operations about the farmhouse and farmyard, and to Major Baylor the direction of the three companies deployed as skirmishers in the fields on the right of the road.
I carried but 380 rank and file of my regiment into the fight, of whom eleven are reported by their Captains to be wounded, and nine missing, some of whom are believed to have been left dead on the field. The enemy’s loss from actual observation is known to have been considerable.
My men fought in loose files, and were required to take advantage of every shelter which circumstances afforded them.
With high respect, your obedient servant,
KENTON HARPER,
Colonel, Fifth Virginia Infantry.
Colonel T. J. JACKSON,
Commanding.
Sources
Hewett, Janet B., Noah Andre Trudeau, and Bryce A, Suderow, eds., Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Pt. I, Vol. 1. Wilmington: Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1994.
Spirit of '61 