Today in History:

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

Page 336 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.

forming a part of the Left Wing of the line of battle, was ordered to move forward against the line of the enemy. The movement began about 11.20 a.m. The regiment had advanced about 300 yards, when it came in contact with the enemy's skirmishers, who immediately fell back on the main line. Here we met with heavy volleys of musketry from behind a temporary breastwork of logs about 3 feet high. Without halting to exchange fire with the enemy, the regiment most gallantly charged the works, capturing some 250 prisoners and a piece of artillery, and putting to flight the remainder of the line.

It was here that Captain J. D. Nott and Lieutenant Waller Mordecai, of Company B, fell mortally wounded. No truer patriots ever liver; no better, braver soldiers ever died. Here, too, Sergeant Laery, of Company H, bravely bearing the colors, fell severely wounded. The colors were then seized by Lieutenant Leonard, of Company K, and borne by him until he was wounded and forced to give them up. They then fell into the hands of Lieutenant Renfro, of Company K, who gallantly carried them to the front and planted them almost within the enemy's line. Moving rapidly forward, amid a destructive fire of shot and shell, some 200 yards across an open field, the regiment became engaged with a second line of battle, which obstinately contested every foot of ground over which it passed. Here took place a terrible conflict, which lasted about 20 minutes, and in which we lost many brave spirits, none of whom deserves more honorable mention than Lieutenant A. B. Renfro, who fell pierced through the head with colors in hand. Here too, fell our brave, our true, our esteemed commander, Lieutenant Colonel John Weedon. Having led with distinguished coolness and bravery his command to within 20 paces of the enemy's line, he fell to rise no more. He fell beneath the honored folds of that cherished flag under which he had so gallantly led his brave men.

It was at this point the command of the regiment devolved upon me, Major Hart having been previously wounded and retired from the field. The command firmly held its ground and was driving the enemy slowly but surely before its destructive fire when re-enforcements came to our support. At this time the Twenty-second Alabama rushed forward with a yell and drove the enemy in dismay form his strong position. Here it captured two pieces of cannon and the tattered remnants of a stand of colors. It pressed on and, in conjunction with a portion of General Anderson's brigade, captured several other pieces of cannon. The regiment continued to press forward, the enemy fleeing before it, until ordered to fall back about a quarter of a mile for the purpose of reforming the brigade. This order was promptly obeyed. Having formed, the regiment, with the brigade, moved by the right flank some half or three-quarters of a mile and again formed line of battle, when it was halted to procure ammunition. This being done, moved on a short distance into the woods, where it was halted and remained at rest about an hour.

The regiment moved from this point in a line at right angles with the one occupied in the morning over a range of thickly wooded and very steep hills. Being ordered to move by a right wheel and to assault the enemy's line, it did so, but finding the enemy on a very high hill with a strongly posted battery, it was impossible to penetrate his line. The fire of grape and canister at this point was terrific, and although the command made bold and earnest efforts to rise the hill and storm the battery it was unsuccessful. Here, I regret to state, we lost our colors. Private Braswell, of Company A, who was then


Page 336 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.