Today in History:

259 Series I Volume XXX-II Serial 51 - Chickamauga Part II

Page 259 Chapter XLII. THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN.

ward, with Walthall's brigade on my left. Moving forward, I ascertained that there was no considerable force of the enemy in my front, the firing indicating him to be in the immediate front of General Walthall in force. My left regiment [the Sixth and Seventh Arkansas] gave way and moved about 200 yards to the rear, being, as they informed me, enfiladed and fired into. While in this position one of our own batteries in rear fired over my lines and slightly wounded several of my men. The fire from the battery continuing, I moved a short distance to the rear and by the left flank and formed on Walthall's right, in which position we remained during the night. I was informed by several officers that there was a battery immediately in front of the last position occupied, which the enemy had abandoned, and which I might have had conveyed to the rear if I had ascertained the fact sooner.

On the morning of the 20th, about 9 o'clock, I was ordered to take a position on the extreme right, supporting Major-General Breckinridge's division. About noon I was ordered to advance, making a slight change of direction to the left. While executing this movement I was ordered by one of Lieutenant-General Polk's staff officers to the assistance of Gist's brigade, who was heavily pressed by the enemy. The officer could only give me general direction as to where General Gist's brigade was engaged. Encountering no enemy in my front, I commenced changing direction to the left, so as to meet the enemy, who had opened fire upon me from the edge of the woods immediately on my left flank. This movement, difficult at all times, was executed across an open field in an exposed position, and under a heavy fire of musketry. The brigade pressed gallantly forward and succeeded in driving the enemy from his position in the woods. Continuing this circular movement to the left, the left regiment pressed up to an angle of the enemy's fortifications, while the right continued to press the enemy across an open field until I had reached a position forming an acute angle with our original direction, and almost immediately in rear of a line of the enemy's strongest breastworks. Gist's brigade, which I had not succeeded in finding, had fallen back about the time I had engaged the enemy. I was thus completely isolated from our line. I would here state that Walthall's brigade had previously been sent to another part of the field. The enemy being massed in heavy force behind his breastworks and perceiving the interval between my left and our line, made a vigorous attack upon my left and succeeded, by enfilading and overlapping it, in breaking it, and thus while the right was driving the enemy, it was in danger of being captured. This was only obviated by the greatest efforts on the part of the regimental commanders, who, after they had succeeded in halting their commands, moved by the right flank and by a circuitous route succeeded in rejoining the command. I immediately reformed the line, and was placed in position in the front line on the left of General Walthall's brigade.

About 5 p.m. orders were received to advance. There was a considerable interval between me and Jackson's brigade, next on my left, which fact was represented to General Liddell and by him communicated to General Walker. The movement commenced, I, in obedience to orders, conforming my movements to those of General Walthall, next on my right. I passed on, moving square to the front, two of the regiments passing through an open field, through which I had executed the change of direction to the left in the engagements las mentioned. The skirmishing in my front developed


Page 259 Chapter XLII. THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN.