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entire color-guard of the Eighth were killed or wounded and their colors were left on the field.
Owing to the fact that several colors of other brigades fell back with us, the Eighth did not miss their colors until after it was too late to secure them.
In the last charge, and when almost off the field,
Capt. Wm. E. McCaslan (
acting assistant adjutant-general) was killed.
He was a noble and gallant man and rendered me invaluable assistance in the battle.
Since the battles I have had no staff at all except
David Wilson.
The adjutant of the .Eighth has been acting adjutant-general for me. There are now but 22 line officers and 233 enlisted men for duty in the brigade.
Our loss has been 455 aggregate, killed, wounded and missing.
I think a large number of the missing are men who have been captured unhurt, as there were a large number of men exhausted by the rapidity with which the first charge was made who were unable to keep up on the retreat.
We held our position until the night of the 4th, when we withdrew and marched all night in the rain and over the worst roads I have yet seen.
On the 5th we crossed
South mountain and continued our march toward
Hagerstown, where we arrived on the morning of the 7th.
Here we remained until the 10th, when we again moved on, and on the 11th formed line of battle on Salisbury ridge, along
Antietam creek, between
Funkstown and
Williamsport.
Here we awaited the enemy's assault until the night of the 14th, when we withdrew and recrossed the
Potomac river early next morning.
After crossing we rested here until the morning of the 16th, when we moved to this point, where we have been in camp ever since.
Where we will go next I cannot venture to predict.
Rumors are rife of another crossing into
Maryland, but I think it hardly probable.
We are all looking anxiously for your return.
Hoping soon to see you fully restored to health and with us again, I am, General, yours respectfully,
