"They Didn't Scare Worth a Cent"
7th Texas -- Raymond, MS
May 17-19, 2019
Confederate Accounts
After Action Report of Brig. Gen. John Gregg, CSA
Brig. Gen. John Gregg, C. S. Army, commanding Confederate forces.
AT CAMP IN MADISON COUNTY, MISS.,
May 20, 1863.
MAJOR: While in camp 2 miles east of Jackson, Miss., at 3 a.m. on the 11th instant, I received a dispatch from the lieutenant-general commanding, directing me to move my brigade promptly to Raymond, and I was directed to use Wirt Adams' cavalry, at Raymond, for advanced pickets.
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By 5 o'clock the entire brigade was on the march, and at 4 p.m. we were at camp near Raymond. Upon my arrival I found the people in great consternation, being under the impression that the enemy were advancing from Port Gibson. I found none of Colonel Adams' cavalry except a single sergeant and 4 men. There was a small State company, under the command of Captain Hall, who were, as I was informed, scouting in the direction of Port Gibson. I immediately sent forward Sergeant Miles and 4 men to put themselves in communication with Captain Hall, and bring me what information of the enemy's movements could be obtained. I also placed strong infantry pickets on the road leading out southwardly and to the west.
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In the mean time I had dispatched Colonel Adams to move his command to Raymond, unless otherwise ordered by Lieutenant-General Pemberton, his command being at Edwards Depot. During the night Captain [W. R.] Luckett, with a squadron of 50 men, reported to me, and informed me that, having been ordered by Colonel Adams to picket the road leading from Raymond to Port Gibson and communicate with me, he had attempted to pass directly from Edwards Depot to the road below, without passing through Raymond, but had met the enemy at Dillon's, 9 miles distant from Raymond, and, being unable to pass, had returned. Fearing that it might be the purpose of the enemy to travel some one of the roads leading northeasterly into the road from Raymond to Jackson, and thus intercept my line of retreat, I ordered Captain [W. S.] Yerger, who had now come up and assumed command of the squadron, to picket all these roads, and give me early information of the enemy's movements in that direction.
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Early next morning I was informed by couriers from Captain Hall that the enemy were advancing rapidly by the road from Utica. Owing to the smallness of the mounted force (Captain Hall having but 40 men, and these mostly youths from the neighborhood), I was unable to ascertain anything concerning the strength of the enemy. A dispatch from the lieutenant-general commanding intimated that the purpose of the enemy was supposed to be an advance upon Edwards Depot, and I inferred from it that it was possible that the force in front of me was a brigade on a marauding excursion. I was strengthened in this opinion by my scouts, who reported that the force they had seen was about 2,500 or 3,000. It was absolutely necessary for me to await their coming, or to fall back without knowing whether the force of the enemy was superior or inferior to my own.
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The enemy moved up rapidly, and commenced an artillery fire upon my picket post at 10 o'clock.
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In the mean time I had moved the Seventh Texas Regiment (Colonel [H. B.] Granbury) to support the picket at the junction of the Port Gibson and Utica roads, and had moved the Fiftieth Tennessee Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel [T. W.] Beaumont) out on the Lower Gallatin road, and ordered out the Tenth and Thirtieth Tennessee Regiments, consolidated (Col. R. W. MacGavock), to support it. I also ordered up the Third Tennessee Regiment (Col. C. H. Walker), a half mile out, and placed it in position between the roads. A single field, dotted with spots of timber, separated the Lower Gallatin and Utica roads, and the main force of the enemy was on the latter road. Finding that I would necessarily be driven into town by his artillery unless I moved up nearer, and believing from the evidence I had that his force was a single brigade, I made my dispositions to capture it. I moved the Fiftieth, Tenth, and Thirtieth Tennessee across a portion of the field into the timber, to fall upon the enemy in rear of his battery, with instructions that they were to approach the enemy as near as possible and wait an attack by our right. I placed Captain [H. M.] Bledsoe, with his three pieces of artillery, on the road leading to Utica and Port Gibson, near their junction, directing him to select the most commanding position. Near the artillery I posted the First Tennessee Battalion. I then ordered up the Third Tennessee into the open field to the right of the Tenth and Thirtieth Tennessee, and the Seventh Texas I moved by the left flank behind some timber to the right of the Third Tennessee. I then sent back an order to the Forty-first Tennessee (Colonel [R.] Farquharson) to move his regiment to the position just before occupied by the Third Tennessee. I then ordered forward both the Seventh Texas and Third Tennessee into the timber behind which the enemy's battery was posted, the enemy's skirmishers having already been firing upon them from that wood. Skirmishers being advanced, they moved forward in gallant style, and hardly lost a man until they entered the timber. The enemy was drawn up in two lines, but both lines were scattered immediately and fell back in a few minutes, but the enemy continued to re-enforce with fresh troops. The firing of musketry was rapid and continuous for more than two hours, and in that time I learned from Colonel Beaumont that no attack was made by the Fiftieth because of the immense force which extended back in the wood as far as he could see, and because the enemy were advancing a large force on his left flank.
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Owing to the failure of the Fiftieth, Tenth, and Thirtieth Tennessee to attack, the enemy were enabled to place a force upon the left flank of the Third Tennessee. I immediately ordered up the Forty-first to relieve the left of the Third Tennessee. Colonel Farquharson moved up in good order and took position promptly. By this time the superior force of the enemy had driven back the Seventh Texas and Third Tennessee, after great loss from both these regiments. Their retreat was protected by the Forty-first Tennessee, and the enemy having moved up on the left of our line, and having engaged the Tenth, Thirtieth, and Fiftieth Tennessee, the Forty-first also acted as a support to them.
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In this part of the engagement Col. R. W. MacGavock, of the Tenth Tennessee (commanding the consolidated Tenth and Thirtieth), was killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel [J. J.] Turner, of the Thirtieth, took command.
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Receiving a dispatch at this time from Colonel Adams stating that the enemy had a large supporting force advancing, I ordered all the regiments to withdraw, which was effected in admirable order. Captain Bledsoe, with his artillery (one of the pieces of which burst during the engagement), continued during the whole day to keep back the enemy from advancing either through the open field or by the road, and I have reason to think did great execution among his lines.
During the engagement I ordered up Major [S. H.] Colms with his battalion (First Tennessee) upon the right of our line, to prevent the enemy from throwing forward any part of his force between my own and the town, and he here engaged the enemy also.
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After the retrograde movement was commenced, Colonel [A. P.] Thompson, of the Third Kentucky, with six companies of mounted troops, reported to me, having Just arrived from Jackson. I immediately placed this force in position, together with Captain Bledsoe and his two remaining pieces, and this position they held until the infantry had moved some distance in the direction of Jackson, when they withdrew by my direction.
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I cannot speak in terms of commendation too high of the coolness and judgment manifested by the commanders of the different regiments.
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Col. R. W. MacGavock, of the Tenth Tennessee (commanding Tenth and Thirtieth Tennessee consolidated), was killed while gallantly urging his command to the conflict. Lieutenant-Colonel Beaumont was stricken on the head by a rifle-ball, and for a time disabled while in the midst of the action.
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To all the commanding officers of regiments and battalions my thanks are due for the courage and skill displayed by them in the management of their commands, and I cannot too much applaud the judgment and coolness with which their efforts were seconded by the other field and company officers.
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The losses will be seen by reference to the reports hereto annexed. It will be seen that they were severe, especially in the Seventh Texas and Third Tennessee. The aggregate of killed in the brigade was 73; wounded, 229; missing. 204. Of this number there were killed in the Forty-first Tennessee, 2; wounded, 7. In the First Tennessee battalion, killed, 3; wounded, 9. In the Fiftieth Tennessee, killed, 4; wounded, 8. In the Tenth and Thirtieth Tennessee (consolidated), killed, 15; wounded, 59. In the Seventh Texas, killed, 22; wounded, 66. In the Third Tennessee, killed, 27; wounded, 90.
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It will be seen that the Third Tennessee and Seventh Texas were in the most trying part of the engagement. Prisoners taken b v the enemy and escaped to us report the enemy's loss at 150 killed and 400 wounded. I consider their statements reliable.
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Our aggregate engaged was 2,500. I have ascertained that the enemy had in the field three divisions, but the division commanded by Major-General Logan was the one particularly engaged.
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My command was encamped for the night, together with 1,000 men brought up by Brig. Gen. W. H. T. Walker, 5 miles from the battle-field.
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Very respectfully,
JOHN GREGG,
Brigadier-General, Commanding Brigade
After Action Report of Col. Hiram B. Granbury, 7th Texas Infantry, CSA
CAMP NEAR CALHOUN STATION,
MISS., May 15, 1863.
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CAPTAIN: On Tuesday, the 12th instant, about 9 a.m., I received orders from Brigadier-General [John] Gregg to move my regiment from its position in camp near Raymond, Miss., to a point about 1 mile south of the town, near the fork of the Port Gibson and Utica roads. In half an hour I was in position in a small wood on the left of the road, and about 100 paces from the fork, the enemy's cavalry being then in view in the field southward. I sent Captain [T. B.] Camp, of Company B, with a small detachment of picked men from his company, and Company A (armed with Enfield rifles), to a bridge on the Utica road, some 300 or 400 paces in advance of the position then occupied by the regiment. In a few moments he was engaged with the enemy's cavalry, and he reports 3 unhorsed.
In the mean time, the enemy had a battery in position about 600 yards in advance of our position, and opened fire on Captain [H. M.] Bledsoe's battery, then being planted in the field, on the right of the road and a little to the rear of my position. Private [D.] Kennedy, of Company H, was wounded in the leg by a shrapnel from the enemy's battery. In the course of three-quarters of an hour I moved my regiment, by the general's order, diagonally through the wood to an open field to the left, forming for attack at a position opposite the bridge, at which Captain Camp's skirmishers were engaged. The Third Tennessee were already in line of battle on my left. I advanced skirmishers (leaving Captain Camp's detachment to protect my right flank), under Captains [W. H.] Smith and [J. H.] Collett, the line following at a distance of 100 paces. The ground was open to the top of the hill in front, and from there across a creek bottom to the enemy's second line on the next hill was wooded.
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I should have remarked that, before advancing, Private J. L. Galloway, of Company A, was severely wounded in the shoulder by a grape or canister shot, the enemy's battery having discovered and opened fire on us while forming.
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As my skirmishers neared the wood on the brow of the hill, the enemy commenced firing from their first line of infantry, posted near the base of the hill. I ordered my regiment to advance in double-quick time. The men obeyed with alacrity, and, when in view of the enemy, rushed forward with a shout. So near were the enemy and so impetuous the charge, that my regiment could have blooded a hundred bayonets had the men been supplied with that weapon. As it was, the enemy fled after firing one volley, leaving a number of prisoners, among them Captain Tubbs, Twenty-third Indiana Infantry, who struck at Major [K. M.] Vanzandt with his sword, and was disarmed by Sergeant [J. M. C.] Duncan, of Company K.
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The enemy made a stand of some ten minutes at the creek, when we took position just beyond the run of the creek, using the bluff as a breastwork. After holding this position an hour and a half (during which time the firing was uninterrupted and terrific), I received word from Lieutenant-Colonel [C. J.] Clack, Third Tennessee, that the enemy were outflanking his regiment on the left. I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel [W. L.] Moody to withdraw the right of the regiment, and I went to see Major Vanzandt, to attend to the left and center. Reaching the left, I thought we could still hold the position, and reflecting that General Gregg had told me that the Tenth, Thirtieth, and Fiftieth Tennessee Regiments were to attack the enemy's right, I dispatched a runner to Lieutenant-Colonel Moody, with an order to hold his position. The messenger was killed before reaching Colonel Moody, and he, following the original order, withdrew about three companies from the right. Upon reaching the open field to the rear, he rallied these, with some stragglers from other regiments, and seeing the Tenth Tennessee going into action on the left, joined them with the remainder of the regiment. I held the position on the bluff of the creek until the men had exhausted their own ammunition and emptied the cartridge-boxes of the dead of the enemy and of our own killed and wounded; besides, the Third Tennessee having previously withdrawn, the enemy had doubled round my left flank, and were pouring a murderous enfilading fire along my already shattered ranks. I then ordered a retreat.
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Captain [W. H.] Smith (Company F), after acting with marked gallantry, fell, pierced with three balls. Captain [J. W.] Brown was wounded in the head and abdomen, but borne from the field and saved. Captain [J. H.] Collett (Company G)was wounded by a grape-shot. Captain [O. P.] Forrest (Company H) fell in the retreat. I do not know the nature of his injury. Lieutenants [J. C.] Kidd (Company A), [J. W.] Taylor (Company D), and [A. H.] White (Company I), were all wounded. Lieutenants [J. D.] Miles (Company G) and [T. S.] Townsend (Company E) were slightly wounded. Lieutenants [W. A.] Collier and [J. N.] Monin (Company K) were at the creek when the retreat was ordered. They are among the missing. All these officers were in the front of the fight, and behaved with the soldier's best courage.
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The cool bravery of Lieutenant-Colonel Moody, on the right, and Major Vanzandt, on the left, sustained the regiment for so long a time in this unequal combat.
The above statement of facts will show that all the officers of the line and the men did their whole duty.
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My loss in killed is known to be so many as 22; in wounded, 66, and missing, 70.
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The woods were very thick, and it is probable that many of the missing are either killed or wounded. My judgment is that there were as many as 30 or 40 of the enemy's killed from the edge of the wood to the creek and in the run of the creek. What their loss was beyond the creek, where we did the greatest execution and fought the longest, is a matter of conjecture.
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My regiment went into action with an aggregate of 306. Total loss in killed, wounded, and missing, 158.
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I omitted to state that Captain [E. T.] Broughton, Company C, was among the last to leave the creek, having animated his men throughout the affair with his presence and bearing. He is among the missing.
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I send herewith a memorandum in detail of the casualties as far as known.
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I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
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H. B. GRANBURY,
Colonel Seventh Regiment Texas Infantry.