This position we held until about 11 o’clock at night, when we were ordered to take the Sharpsburg road and to stop at Keedysville, which we did. We had rested about an hour, when I was ordered to proceed to Sharpsburg with all the force under my command–Colquitt’s brigade and mine–to drive out a Federal cavalry force reported to be there.
On the way Colonel [R. H.] Chilton, chief of General Lee’s staff, met me with contrary orders, which required me to send only a part of my force. The Fifth and Sixth Alabama were sent. In a few minutes, however, we received orders from General Longstreet to go ahead, and did so; found no cavalry.
In this engagement my loss was as follows:
Killed 61
Wounded 157
Missing 204
Total 422
