May 8, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
FROM THE RAPPAHANNOCK –
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE LATE BATTLES.
RICHMOND, May 7. – The correspondent of the Richmond Whig gives some further details of the battles of Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg.
HOOKER accomplished the capture of Marye’s Heights by a ruse. On Saturday evening he moved several heavy columns of troops towards the right of his line. During the night, however, he recalled them, and threw them rapidly across the river on pontoons.
The battle began at daylight. BARKSDALE’S brigade of Mississippians, by desperate fighting, held the enemy in check for some time. The fight opened with volleys of musketry, but the combatants soon closed with the bayonet, many of our men encountering the enemy with clubbed muskets. Finally, the Mississippians were compelled to fall back before overwhelming numbers, but not until the ground had been piled with the slain Yankees. Our loss was about one hundred. All of the 10th Mississippi, excepting two companies, were captured. Colonel GRIFFIN and Adjutant STUART were killed, and Major CAMPBELL was wounded. All but seven of Company A, Washington Artillery, were made prisoners, including Captain SQUIRES. The Yankees showed ‘no quarters’ to the rebels. The guns of the Washington Artillery were not retaken.
Most of our casualties in the battles around Chancellorsville, consisted of slight wounds in the hand or arm. Few, comparatively, were killed.
The loss of the enemy was equal to that which he sustained in any previous battle of the war. The field was literally strewn with his dead.
The prisoners captured were mostly two years and […..] nine months’ men, whose term of service would soon expire. They say they were put in front by HOOKER at every point. The main body of the enemy, being driven to the river, remain hemmed in by our army, afraid to advance and yet fearing to attempt to re-cross.
GUINEA STATION, May 5. – The 12th regiment South Carolina Volunteers have not been engaged in the fight. It was detached to guard prisoners. Corporal ELLIS, Company E, of Lancaster District, was wounded in a skirmish severely.
JOHN L. MILLER.
RICHMOND, May 5. – Lieut. PROCTOR lost his leg; Lieutenant COTHRAN, wounded in hand; MCLAUGALIN, MORTALLY; Lieut. DUBOSE, 1st regiment, killed; Maj. MILLER, slightly wounded; Lieut. ROBINSON, 4th regiment, seriously.
R.W. BARNWELL.
The following South Carolina casualties are announced:
Killed – Col. James M. Perrin, Captain C. Boyd, Capt. T.C. Perrin, Lieut. Pinckney Seabrook.
Wounded – Arthur Wardlaw, seriously; General Edwards, Gen. McGowan, Colonel J.L. Miller, slightly; Capt. Cuthbert, severely; Captain A.C. Haskell, painfully in foot.