Today in History:

456 Series I Volume XXX-I Serial 50 - Chickamauga Part I

Page 456 Chapter XIII. KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA.

General Turchin, in front of Catlett's Gap. Company E, Captain Van Buskirk, was sent forward. He had a sharp skirmish, losing 1 man killed, 1 wounded, and 1 taken prisoner.

On the 18th I remained in camp at Pond Spring.

On the 19th left camp at daylight and overtook General Reynolds' division about 8 a. m. near Crawfish Spring, and was ordered to take position in rear of and support of Colonel Wilder. At about noon was ordered to headquarters of General Reynolds. At about 1 p. m. was ordered by General Reynolds to hitch all my horses in the woods, which I did, and moved up to and on the right of a battery planted by General Reynolds in reserve to King's brigade. Had just got into position when I was ordered by General Reynolds to the support of Colonel King's brigade, and immediately moved forward by the flank, a captain being sent to show me the way. He went to the road with me and told me to "keep down the road," when he left me. We were then moving by the right flank down the road in front of our first position, with timber and underbrush on the left of the road. King's brigade had already been pressed back, and the fire of the enemy was directly on my left flank from the timber; in front of me the enemy were pressing over the road. I ordered the head of my column to the right along a fence facing the timbered hollow, into which the enemy were pressing. When two companies had filed to the right some mounted officer rode up and ordered my regiment to " get out of the road," which the regiment did by a right flank, and under fire the regiment fell back over the open ground to its old position on the hill. Here we reformed our line, not without some difficulty, as the center of the regiment was crowded by the previous movements and some confusion was occasioned by the coming in of some of King's brigade, leading to the fear that we were firing on our own men. Order was soon restored, and my regiment lying down coolly received the fire of the enemy and returned it, gallantly maintaining our ground, until I perceived that the other regiment supporting the battery had given way, and men falling back from other regiments were taking our horses hitched in the rear, and that both batteries had limbered up and were leaving, while the enemy pressing up the wooded ravine to my right had completely flanked my regiment, subjecting it to an enfilading fire, when I ordered my regiment to fall back and mount their horses. The engagement lasted only a few minutes, and my loss was about 25 in killed and wounded, the names having been already furnished. To maneuver by the flank and to the rear under fire is ever attended with danger, and i am greatly indebted to all my officers for their heroic assistance in reforming our line. All did their duty manfully. Lieutenant McCamman, Company G, and Lieutenant Cox, Company A, were wounded while rallying their men.

After we were mounted I soon met a lieutenant on the staff of General Reynolds, and was informed that the general had not been seen recently, and supposing him killed or wounded, for I saw him in the thickest of the fight helping to rally the left of my regiment, I reported to Colonel Wilder, and was ordered by him into position on the left of his brigade. I immediately took the position assigned, and during the night built a slight breastwork of logs and rails.

At daylight on the 20th was ordered by Colonel Wilder to the right of his brigade. On the withdrawal of his brigade, was ordered to deploy my regiment mounted, and hold the ground he had held until pressed back, when I was to form on the right of Wilder's bri-


Page 456 Chapter XIII. KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA.