From 22d Ga Regiment
                 Camp 22d Ga Regiment near
                     Orange C. H., Va.
                     August ?, 1863
   Dear Courier:-- As we have no 
officer with us and no one competent to
write a communication, I will give you
a few facts concerning our company,
hoping you will correct and publish it
for the information of the friends of
the Fireside Defenders.
   Several of those who were wounded
at Gettysburg, have returned to the
company.  The following are their
names:  Sergt. Thomas, Corp'l Buckholter
Privates Morris, Fuller, Archer;
Sergt. Dykes, Privates Sharp and Campton
were left at Gettysburg and were
captured.  Lieut. Johnson, Privates 
W. L. Sharp, J. M. Compton, Campbell,
Pope and Whitlock, are in the hospital
at Richmond, Stauton and other places.
   Lieut. Hall, Corp'l Drummonds and 
privates Gibson, Hipps, King, W. J. 
Vincent, S. H. Vincent and W. P. 
Whitlock, who is missing, have not 
been heard from yet.
   We arrived at Front Royal on the 
evening of the 22d July, and on the
23rd, were ordered to Manassas Gap,
four miles east from Front Royal, to
guard the Gap, and was to be relieved
by a brigade from Ewell's corp that
evening.  We were told that there was
no infantry there,  that the enemy only 
had cavalry pickets at the Gap., but to
our suprise, about 12 o'clock, M.,  the
enemy appeared in force, and about 2,
P. M., commenced advancing and a
severe engagement ensued, which lasted
until half past six P. M., when our
ammunition being exhausted, we were 
compelled to fall back about three-
fourths of a mile.
   It has since been ascertained that
the enemy were three corps strong and
we only had our small brigade and no
artillery.  Just at this time, Rhodes'
division came up to our relief,  with
three pieces of artillery,  and opened
upon them,  which soon chilled  their
courage and caused them to seek
shelter behind the hills.  Our brigade lost
about two hundred and fifty, killed,
wounded and missing.
   Corp'l D. S. Teat was killed on the
field, and Lieut. A. G. M. Cumbee, 
missing, supposed to have been captured
out of our company.
   Men have never fought better.  Seeing
that we were out numbered at least
twenty to one,  we never gave back an 
inch until we were flanked, right, and
left and in front, and charged by two
full lines of infantry.  Our line was only
a line of skirmishers, as we were 
deployed from six to eight paces apart---
Our brigade did not number over
1,000.
   The enemy's loss is unknown, but it
must have been very heavy,  as we could
see them carrying them to the rear all
the time,  and hear them constantly
calling for the ambulance corps.  About
dark we started and marched nearly all
night, and never reached Culpepper
until the 27th, where we again rejoined 
our division.  There we camped and
remained until the 1st inst.  Early on
the morning of the 1st inst., cannonading
could be heard in the direction of
Brandy Station, and by 12 o'clock M.,
they were in one and a half miles of
us. We were ordered to the scene of
action, and again were in line of battle
advancing, but never came in gun shot
of the enemy, as they retreated two
fast.  We ran them back across the
river and then returned to Culpepper.
It was only dismounted cavalry, and
they had been driving our cavalry
back, as ours were too weak in number
to hold them.  We left Culpepper on
the 3d, and arrived here on the 5th,
and went into camps.  I have no idea
how long we will remain here.  Most
of the boys who are here, are well and
ready to face the foe whenever called
for.
                     A Fireside Defender.