Report of Colonel Wesley C. Hodges, Seventeenth Georgia Infantry.
CULPEPER COURT-HOUSE, VA, July 27, 1863.
SIR: Arriving with my command near the battle-field of Wednesday, July 1 at 12 p. m., the men, after a fatiguing march through the mountain pass, by way of Cashtown, were permitted to rest upon their arms until 3 p. m., at which time the march was resumed. After one other temporary halt, my regiment, in its place in Benning's brigade, was pushed forward to our right to assume position in lines assigned it. Notwithstanding the excessive heat of the day, and the circuitous route to reach said position, officers and men bore up cheerfully under the annoyances. This being preliminary to the fight of July 2, and the second of the series of engagements near Gettysburg, in which my regiment actively participated, I my be excused for a detailed statement of the events occurring rapidly in our front.
The Second and Seventeenth Regiments formed the right wing of Benning's brigade, and, after being formed in line facing the enemy, under a murderous fire of artillery, ably served, and volleys of musketry, dashed forward gallantly and with impetuosity, until a four-gun battery of the enemy, from which we had received no little annoyance, was passed by the left of my regiment, and many of the officers and men, both of said battery and its support, composed in part of a detachment of the Fourth Maine Infantry, were captured and sent to the rear by the men of my command.
It is not intended in this statement to set up any exclusive claim to the capture of the battery, which having had its support stripped from it in the manner indicated, remained at the command of the brigade until removed under cover of night. The position of my regiment in relation to this battery proves its instrumentality in the valuable capture. The impetuosity of the charge of the Second Regiment and my own, and the nature of the ground, threw us beyond the first crest, from which we had driven the enemy, into a deep gorge separating the seized crest from the stronger one, upon which the enemy now displayed a heavy force; and, but partially sheltered by scattering rocks, under a plunging fire from above it, my command bravely held its position, and seven times broke columns of the enemy which were forming for a vigorous onset for dislodge us.
If affords me the utmost pleasure in testifying to the general good conduct and gallantry of the officers and men of the command. Never did men behave with more heroism. It is difficult to individualize. It is my opinion that not a man of the regiment could have been driven from this position, which was quietly held during the night.
It should be remarked that the position taken and held by the Second and Seventeenth until the morning succeeding the fight was so considerably in advance of our lines, that under headquarters orders these commands were retired from it, for the purpose of completing our lines.
I have had the honor previously of submitting a list of casualties.
Very respectfully, yours, &c.,
W. C. HODGES,
Colonel Commanding Seventeenth Georgia Volunteers.
Lieutenant H. H. PERY,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
