3 MAY 12, 1863. Battle
of Raymond, Miss.
Report of Col. Hiram B. Granbury,
Seventh Texas Infantry.
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CAMP NEAR CALHOUN STATION,
MISS., May 15, 1863.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
My loss in killed is known to be so many as 22; in wounded, 66,
and missing, 70.
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.
My regiment went into action with an aggregate of 306. Total loss
in killed, wounded, and missing, 158.
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.
I send herewith a memorandum in detail of the casualties as
far as known.
I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
H. B. GRANBURY,
Colonel Seventh Regiment Texas Infantry.
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