Today in History:

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

Page 808 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.

enemy's forces 3 miles, by order of General Van Cleve I returned to camp. The enemy did not return that night. In this reconnaissance I lost 2 men of the Nineteenth Ohio, killed, and 1 lieutenant of the Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteers, wounded.

On the 14th, marched with the division to Chattanooga Creek, and on the 15th back to Crawfish Spring, where we remained doing heavy picket duty until the 18th, when, by orders from the general commanding the division, I marched my brigade to take position on the left of General Wood at Lee and Gordon's Mills. With slight modifications of position, we remained on the left of the First Division, Brigadier-General Wood commanding, until 1 p.m. of the 19th, when I received orders from General Van Cleve to march at double-quick to the support of General Palmer, who was heavily engaged with the enemy.

Under direction of Generals Crittenden and Van Cleve, I formed by brigade in two lines on the right of General Palmer's division, with the Nineteenth Ohio Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel H. G. Stratton commanding, on the right, and the Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteers, Colonel Fred. Knefler commanding, on the left, in the front line, and the Ninth Kentucky Volunteers, Colonel George H. Cram commanding, on the left, and Seventeenth Kentucky Volunteers, Colonel Alexander M. Stout commanding, on the right in the second line. Advancing about 200 yards, we met and engaged the enemy, driving him steadily for some distance. My front line charged upon and took possession of two rebel batteries, but a heavy flanking movement and fire of the enemy upon our right compelled it to fall back a short distance, when two regiments of the Second Brigade, Colonel Dick commanding, formed on our right, and detachments of the different regiments of my brigade, chiefly of the Seventy-ninth Indiana, brought off the battery of four guns, which was taken to the rear and saved. The capture of this battery was timely, as it had fired a few rounds of shell and was, when taken, double-shotted with canister. The enemy continued to extend his lines past our right, and the falling back of the Second Brigade again exposed my right to a galling and destructive fire, under which I caused a change of front to the rear, on the left, in which position my men were exposed to the fire not only of the enemy, but of a battery of our own [reported to be the Nineteenth Indiana Battery, Captain Harris] upon my lines, which were falling back to take a new position, and killing some of my men, broke the lines into disorder. [Upon being informed that he was firing upon our own men, the commanding officer reported that he was ordered to do so.] A large portion of my command rallied in rear of this and the battery of Captain George R. Swallow, Seventh Indiana, which were posted in a cleared field to the right of the road, but was soon again outflanked by the enemy, and retired to the crest of a hill in rear of that position and about 600 yards from the road, where, by order of the general commanding the division, we bivouacked for the night.

About 7 o'clock on the morning of the 20th, I was ordered to move my brigade to position on the left of the First Division, a little retired from our bivouac of the night previous, in reserve. Rations were here drawn, and ammunition distributed.

About 9 o'clock by orders from General Van Cleve, I formed battalions in double column, and advanced in a direction forward and to the left nearly a half mile, where I was ordered to deploy in support of batteries posted in a commanding position on a hill, and soon again by his order formed double column to advance and engage the


Page 808 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.