XVII.

nessee to his support. This regiment, numbering 300 effective men, advanced at a double-quick about 800 yards to the ridge on which General Buckner's line was then forming, taking position to his right. The enemy, after occupying the rifle pits near which the Second Kentucky had been driven back, had thrown forward a line of skirmishers in considerable force, which on my extreme right had crossed the abatis in front, had advanced near one-third the distance from the valley in rear of the rifle pits to the crest of the ridge on which we were formed, threatening to flank General Buckner. The Forty-ninth immediately delivered its fire into the enemy's line and in a few minutes drove it in confusion to the opposite ridge near the rifle pits, from which, for one hour and fifteen minutes, a heavy fire of musketry and canister was directed against us.

Five companies of the Fiftieth Tennessee, Colonel Sugg commanding, after the engagement had continued a short time, were ordered from the fort, taking position on my right, and by their gallant conduct assisted in defeating the apparent purpose of the enemy to flank our lines. Lieutenant Starkowitch* contributed to the result by a few well-aimed shells from the 9-inch howitzers in the fort.

My officers and men behaved with coolness and courage. The loss of the Forty-ninth was 4 killed and 17 wounded; of the Fiftieth, 1 killed and 3 wounded. Among the wounded was Lieutenant-Colonel Robb, of the Forty-ninth, who survived the action only a few hours. In his death our country lost one of its noblest men, our army one of its most valuable officers.

I make this report directly to you, for the reason that Colonel Head has quit the service, and the brigade to which I was attached was not assigned to any division of the army.

Permit me to call attention to an error into which General Buckner has fallen in his report of the engagement of the evening of the 15th, in stating that my regiment (the Forty-ninth) reached the field "towards the close of the action." The regiment came under fire in lees than twenty minutes after the action in that quarter, when by order of General Buckner it returned to the fort. It repulsed the advancing lines of the enemy threatening to turn General Buckner's right.

I inclose Captain Culbertson's report and accompanying paper.

I am, your obedient servant,

J. E. BAILEY,

Colonel Forty-ninth Tennessee Regiment,

late Commanding Fort and Batteries at Fort Donelson.

General S. COOPER, Adjt. and Insp. General, Richmond, Va.

Numbers 74. Report of Captain Jacob Culbertson, C. S. Army, commanding batteries.

JACKSON, TENN., October 3, 1862.

COLONEL: The command of the river batteries at Fort Donelson having devolved upon me upon the death of Captain Joseph Dixon, it becomes my duty to report to you the operations in said batteries during the siege. The four guns on the right of our 32-pounder battery were manned by Company A, Fiftieth Tennessee Volunteers; the four

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*Probably Stankieuriz.

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