No. 230. Reports of Brigadier General Thomas H. Neill, U. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade.

IN THE FIELD NEAR FREDERICKSBURG,
May 7, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the general commanding the division . . .

. . . the morning of the 3rd (Sunday), at about 10 a. m., I was ordered to form three regiments as the advance of a column of assault against the heights on Marye's Hill, back of Fredericksburg. I led the Thirty-third New York, Twenty-first New Jersey, and Seventh maine Volunteers, preceded by the Seventy-seventh New York, who were acting as skirmishers, under a heavy fire of shot and shell. Before reaching the batteries on the hill, against which we were directed, I found they had already been taken by our troops on our right, and I directed the attack against the batteries on the hills to our left, along the Richmond road. We took in succession four distinct detached earthworks, of strong profile. We captured 3 pieces of artillery-2 long brass guns and 1 short brass howitzer-and 1 stand of colors, belonging to the Eighteenth Mississippi Regiment, after which we marched to assist in repelling an attack of the enemy along the Chancellorsville road. . . .

With great respect,
THOS. H. NEILL,
Brigadier-General
OR V25, Pt. 1, pp. 609/10

………..

HEADQUARTERS BRIGADE, Fredericksburg, Va., May 23, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that the Eighteenth [Mississippi] Regiment lost its colors in the recent engagement near this place, contending with at least twenty to one of the enemy. No other colors were lost by this brigade. We took none from the enemy.

Very respectfully,
WILLIAM BARKSDALE,
Brigadier-General.
OR V25, Pt. 1, p. 841