XVII.

The greatest loss we sustained was near where the two pieces of artillery were captured, nearly half of Captain Slaughter's company (A), Eighth Kentucky, being cut down in the advance on the position of the enemy. Colonel Gregg's regiment met with severe losses while near the top of the hill; in some places it seemed as if a whole rank fell at a time. Lieutenant-Colonel Clough and Lieutenant Nowlin, of this regiment, fell dead near together. The First Mississippi also suffered severely, but I could not approximate the loss in killed and wounded of the brigade; I can only say that after coming out of the action the First Mississippi, Eighth Kentucky, and Seventh Texas seemed to have lost half their numbers, while the Third Mississippi was the only one that suffered a thrilling loss; the loss in this regiment being not more than 12 or 15 killed and wounded.

Our men continued in action until the taking of a battery by the cavalry or throughout the day's fighting, after which our brigade was foamed into line of battle towards the right or in advance of the point where the action ended, and, after remaining in this position for perhaps three-quarters of an hour, was marched back to the entrenchments.

R. B. RYAN,

Aide to Colonel Davidson, Commanding Brigade.

Major General BUSHROD R. JOHNSON.

Numbers 66. Report of Colonel John M. Simonton, First Mississippi Infantry, commanding brigade.

JACKSON, MISS., September 24, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit a report of the action and casualties of the brigade I commanded at the battle of Fort Donelson, on February 15.

I have been prevented from doing so sooner from the discourtesy of the Federal authorities, eight to allow me to make it to a superior officer in captivity with me (but in a different prison) or in any other way; and I now make this report to you direct, because I do not know the whereabouts of the proper division commanders, and from a desire to do justice to the gallant officers and men under my command upon the bloody field; also that the Government may know who not only met the invading foe, but shed their blood in defense fo the most holy cause for which freemen ever fought, and that the families, in after times, may reap the benefits of their noble deeds and costly sacrifices.

On Saturday, February 15, about 1 a. m., I received a verbal order from Brigadier-General Pillow to take command of the brigade commanded up to that time by Colonel Davidson, of the Third [Twenty-third] Mississippi (and properly the brigade of Brigadier-General Clark, of Mississippi), composed of the following regiments, viz: Third Mississippi, Colonel Davidson, Lieutenant-Colonel Wells commanding; First Mississippi, Colonel Simonton, Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton commanding; Seventh Texas, Colonel Gregg commanding; Eighth Kentucky, Colonel Burnett, Lieutenant-Colonel Lyon commanding; and the Forty-second Tennessee, Colonel Quarles commanding. The last-named regiment, however, was detached previous to going into the action, and from which I have received no report.