Greensborough Patriot

February 5, 1863

Page 4

Gen. Cook’s Brigade

Camp near Fredericksburg, Va.

December 19^th, 1862

Sir: I think it nothing but just and proper that regular reports from brigade commanders of North Carolina troops should be made to you, in order that justice may be meted out to those regiments and brigades who are entrusted with the honor and reputation of the good old State, and have so successfully borne her flag in the thickest of the fight, on two occasions, to take command of this brigade in the heat of pitched battles, (Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg) owing to the disabling of the commanders of the brigade early in the action, I feel that the responsibility devolves upon me.

This brigade, commanded by Gen. John R. Cook, as gallant an officer as ever lived, consists at present of the 46^th, 15^th, 27^th and 48^th regiments of N. Carolina troops.

On the morning of the 11^th inst., the brigade was ordered to the front, and all, under his command, took position on Willis’ Hill, directly opposite Fredericksburg, and well on the left of our lines. We remained in line of battle until about 12 o’clock of Saturday, the 13^th, when we were ordered forward, at which time the battle was raging furiously. Willis Hill overlooks the valley of the Rappahannock, in which Fredericksburg is situated, being about a fourth of a mile distant. On the crest, four batteries had been erected. At the foot of the hill, Gen. Cobb, with his brigade, under cover of a long stone fence, was hotly engaged with the enemy, who were making a desperate attempt to storm the position. The Georgians fought valiantly and against terrible odds. The enemy had succeeded in forcing their way up to within forty yards of the fence, when Cook’s brigade reached the crest of the hill, and in face of a deadly fire of artillery and small arms, drove them back with great loss. Our men were falling fast, for we were within two hundred and fifty yards of twenty-five or thirty thousand of the enemy; but no men ever fought better or with more enthusiasm. Not a man is ____. The 46^th and 27^th were ordered down the hill to support Gen. Cobb behind the stone fence, where they remained all day, and suffered but little after arriving there.

The 48^th, under Lieut. Walkup, and the 15^th, under Lieut. Col. McRae, remained on the hill and suffered severely. North Carolina can boast of no braver men than the commanders of those two regiments on that day. Six different times afterwards did the enemy, with his heavy columns, attempt to drive us from our position, but at each attempt was he thrown back with immense loss, leaving the field literally black with their dead and wounded. During the afternoon we were reinforced by the 25^th N. C. , Lieut. Bryson commanding, and one other regiment of Gen. Ransom’s brigade further on our left, and gallantly did they do their duty. Shortly after, Gen. Kershaw, with a South Carolina brigade, came to our assistance. The troop I have enumerated composed all of our forces engaged on the left that day, as far as I am aware of. I am satisfied we did not have five thousand and we have since ascertained that we had both Genl’s. Hooker and Summer to contend with. The enemy left at least one thousand dead on the field in our front, and the wounded must have been three or four times as many; we were killing and wounding as many men as we had to fight them with. I am sorry to say that the loss of the brigade was quite heavy, viz: four hundred and eighty seven out of about thirteen hundred. Our General was so severely wounded early in the action, but am glad to state that he is rapidly convalescing. At nine o’clock that night the brigade was relieved, and ordered to the rear to replenish their ammunition, they having fired sixty rounds, and to hold themselves in readiness for the renewal of the fight the next day.

Where ALL did their duty so well, it is impossible to single out any one man for praise above another.

I have the honor to be

Very respectfully

Your ob’die’t serv’t

E. D. HALL, Col.

Com’d’g Cook’s Brigade

To His Excellency, Gov. Z. B. VANCE

[Transcribed by Sharon Strout]