Today in History:

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

Page 793 Chapter XLII. THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN.

sent an officer to see what was the matter. He brought the word back "all right" and that they intended to hold their ground. We now fought, I suppose, for about an hour longer, but right in the midst of the fighting, finding out that the artillery to our rear was wounding some of the men in the right companies, I moved the regiment by the left flank until they formed with the Second Kentucky. The storm of battle now somewhat ceased. We renewed our ammunition, marched to pass lines to the rear, which was done in good order, the Eighty-fourth Illinois relieving us. We had scarcely fallen back when the enemy redoubled their attack with great fury.

It was now plain that they were moving men to our right. WE immediately changed front toward our right with the left company resting where the right had been. This threw the Twenty-fourth Ohio in our front about 100 yards. We were ordered to lie down. The attack was now made on the Twenty-fourth Ohio, this time still stronger than before, and here allow me to bear testimony to the bravery of that little regiment. I do not think any regiment that day was under a more galling fire than they were; yet they stood as if every man was a hero for the space of half an hour; then they fell back step by step until they were in the rear of our regiment. I then ordered my men to rise up and open fire, which they did with a cheer. The Twenty-fourth Ohio halted in our rear, and now, side by side and shoulder to shoulder, did the Twenty-fourth Ohio and Twenty-third Kentucky stand up and successively repulse the enemy in all his attacks.

The fire now was very hot. It appeared to me as though every third man in the regiment was struck. I was struck on the right breast, the bullet going through the lapels of my overcoat, and struck a large button, glancing off, doing no injury. I kept my eyes watching well the enemy, while the two regiments were there bravely fighting. I noticed the enemy had worked round our right, we having no protection there, and were now pouring a heavy cross-fire into our ranks. One or two of the captains had suggested to me that we had better retire. I thought we would have to, but hesitated about giving the command.

Finally, seeing we were outnumbered, as I thought by the length of their line of battle, at least five to one, I very reluctantly gave the command to retire, which we did, and took a new position about 300 to 400 yards to the rear, and close to Cockerill's battery, belonging to General Hazen's brigade. WE now rested until sundown, marched down into the woods, and bivouacked for the night. I found my loss to be 1 officer killed, 3 officers wounded, and 42 enlisted men wounded and 9 killed.

Next morning, September 20, we threw up some slight breastworks, but about 8 a.m. we had to march out an open field, and then formed in double column on the center, about 350 yards to the rear of General Hazen's brigade. I had not been in this position more than twenty minutes, when I was ordered, through Lieutenant Livezey, aide-de-camp to Colonel Grose, to report with my regiment to General Hazen. On reporting to the general, he ordered me to extend the line of the Sixth Kentucky on their right, which placed me to the rear of the One hundred and twenty-fourth Ohio, about 100 yards, whom we were to support, they being stationed behind some breastworks that General Hazen had had the prudence to erect, I suppose, the night before. The battle now commenced by a terrific


Page 793 Chapter XLII. THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN.