An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
Official websites use .gov A
.gov website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A
lock (
) or https:// means you've safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
Reports of Brigadier General George Doles, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.
HEADQUARTERS DOLES' BRIGADE, July 19, 1863.
MAJOR: This brigade was formed into line of battle about 1 p. m. July 1, in front of Gettysburg. Pa. We occupied the left of Major-General Rodes' division. The enemy's cavalry picket appearing in force on our front and left flank, skirmishers from this command were ordered to dislodge him. After a short engagement, he was driven from his position, when we occupied his position (a hill to our left), about 3.30 p. m.
The enemy moved his force from our front, made a strong demonstration on our left, driving our skirmishers from the hill from which we had driven him. The command was then moved by the left flank, to meet any attack the enemy might attempt on our left and rear. We found the enemy strongly posted, with infantry and artillery, on the hill from which our skirmishers had been driven. The brigade of General Gordon, of Major-General Early's division, having made a conjunction with our left, we moved forward to attack the enemy in his position. Our effort was successful. He was driven from behind a rock fence, with heavy loss in killed and wounded, and a large number of prisoners sent to our rear. We suffered severely from the enemy's batteries and musketry in this attack.
While we were in pursuit of the enemy, a strong force of the enemy appeared on my right flank and rear. We changed our front to meet this force. General Gordon continued the pursuit of the enemy toward the town. We met the force on our right, attacked and routed him, pursuing him across the plain in front of Gettysburg. But few of this force escaped us. We then moved toward the theological college, to the right of Gettysburg, where the brigades of Generals Daniel, Ramseur, Iverson, and Colonel O'Neal were engaged with the enemy.
As we advanced toward the enemy, our position at that time being on his right flank, the enemy withdrew his forces from the college hill to the railroad. We then moved rapidly by the left flank, to cut him off from the town. We did not succeed, as he retired faster than we advanced. We followed through the town as far as the outer edge of town, when I received an order to halt the column, and to form line of battle in the street running east and west through the town.
We remained in line here until about 8 p. m. July 2, when we moved by the right flank, forming line and advancing toward the enemy's position on Cemetery Hill. This column of attack was composed of Generals Ramseur's, Iverson's, and this brigade. We moved forward until the line arrived within 100 yards of the enemy's line. After consulting with Generals Ramseur and Iverson, the line was ordered to fall back to a dirt road some 300 yards to the rear. We remained in this position until 1 a. m. July 4. We were then ordered to fall back to the heights near the theological college. This command was actively engaged in heavy skirmishing during July 2, 3, and 4.
In the action of July 1, Lieutenant-Colonel [D. R. E.] Winn was killed and Lieutenant-Colonel [S. P.] Lumpkin fell, severely wounded (leg since amputated), while gallantly leading their respective regiments in a charge against the enemy.
To Colonel Edward Willis and Major Isaac Hardeman, of the Twelfth Georgia Regiment; Colonel J. T. Mercer, Lieutenant Colonel T. W. Hooper, and Major T. C. Glover, of the Twenty-first Georgia Regiment; Major W. H. Willis, of the Fourth Georgia Regiment, and Major W. H. Peebles, Forty-fourth Georgia Regiment, I attribute the success of this command. The conduct and gallantry of each of these officers on the march and during the engagements around Gettysburg are worthy of emulation. The company officers and men all did their duty nobly.
To Captain [S. G.] Pryor, Twelfth Georgia; Captain [Joseph B.] Reese, Forty-fourth Georgia; Lieutenant {Jeremiah G.] Stephens, Fourth Georgia; Lieutenant [James S.] Wilder, Twenty-first [Georgia], who were in command of the sharpshooters of the brigade, too much praise cannot be awarded.
To Captain F. T. Snead, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant E. A. Hawkins, aide-de-camp, and C. T. Furlow, of my staff, I am under obligations for valuable sevices rendered.
I have the honor to report and return one flag captured by the Twelfth Georgia. We lost no colors. The brigade went into action with 131 officers and 1,238 enlisted men; total, 1, 369.
List of Casualties.
4th Georgia
Killed: 2 officers, 7 men
Wounded: 3 officers, 26 men
Missing: 7 men
Total: 45
12th Georgia
Killed: 4 men
Wounded: 2 officers, 33 men
Missing: 10 men
Total: 49
21st Georgia
Killed: 1 man
Wounded: 11 men
Missing: 5 men
Total: 17
44th Georgia
Killed: 10 men
Wounded: 6 officers, 43 men
Missing: 9 men
Total: 68
Respectfully submitted.
GEO. DOLES,
Brigadier-General.
Major H. A. WHITING,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
HEADQUARTERS DOLES' BRIGADE,
July 19, 1863.
MAJOR: As an appendix to my official report of the battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1 to 4, I respectfully submit the following:
While my command was advancing against the enemy on the evening of July 1, my line was subjected to and did receive a severe fire from one of our own batteries, from which fire I lost several men killed and wounded. This was from a two-gun battery (brass pieces) stationed on the side of the hill where General Rodes' headquarters were at the opening of the engagement.
Again, on July 3, while my command was lying in line of battle, I sent a request back for our batteries stationed on the hill near the pike leading from Gettysburg to Fairfield to shell some houses in my front, for the purposed of dislodging the enemy's sharpshooters. The battery opened fire, its fire taking effect on my men. We waved our flag, and sent them word that they were firing on us. They did not cease firing. I lost several men wounded by the fire of this battery.
I make this statement for the purpose of putting on record my protest against such indifference and negligence on the part of those in command of these two batteries. I have made every effort to find out the batteries, and have failed so far.
