Today in History:

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

Page 383 Chapter XLII. THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN.

smooth-bore or rifled I cannot state positively. I had two of the guns run to the rear about 150 yards by my cannoneers; could take them no farther. I know of no other guns captured.

I am, captain, your obedient servant,

R. W. ANDERSON,

Lieutenant, Commanding Battery.

Captain PUT. DARDEN,

Acting Chief of Artillery.


No. 377.

Report of Brigadier General William B. Bate, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.


HDQRS. BATE'S BRIGADE, STEWART'S DIVISION,
In Front of Chattanooga, October 9, 1863.

MAJOR:I have the honor to submit the following report of the participation had by my brigade in the late three days' battle of the Chickamauga, comprising the 18th, 19th,and 20th ultimo:

Having been ordered to advance, take possession, and hold Thedford's Ford, but not to bring on a general engagement unless indispensable to the accomplishment of these objects, I moved my command at once at a double-quick and occupied a wooded eminence commanding it, and placed my battery (the Eufaula Light Artillery) on a cleared hill to the front and left, which overlooked the enemy and within a few hundred yards of his position. The attack, in which the Fourth Georgia Battalion Sharpshooters (Major Caswell) and my artillery alone were engaged, was brisk and spirited.

In the meantime, however, the entire brigade was subject to a severe shelling from the enemy just above Alexander's Bridge and across the Chickamauga, by which 1 man was killed and 5 or 6 wounded. After a few well-directed shots from my battery, which Captain Oliver placed promptly in position, the enemy gave way. This was the opening fight of the battle of the Chickamauga.

We bivouacked near the camp of the enemy commanding the two fords-Thedford's and the Bend Ford-where I crossed my command next morning at an early hour, and formed line of battle in rear of Brigadier-Generals Brown's and Clayton's brigades, the whole under command of Major-General Stewart. We moved in this order, bearing to the right through a corn-field and woodland, nearly 2 miles, at which point we were halted for some hours. Here my artillery was put forward to develop the enemy's position, which it did, drawing shell and round shot upon our lines, wounding 3 or 4 of my men. We were moved hence by the right flank near to a point where heavy volleys of musketry were heard, and thence by the left flank in line of battle some 300 or 400 yards, and halted in the same relative position we had occupied during the earlier part of the day, mine being the rear line of battle.

At 3 p.m. Brigadier-General Clayton's and Brown's brigades successively engaged the enemy. In about thirty minutes I was ordered by Major-General Stewart to advance, General Clayton having withdrawn and Brown also passed to the rear. My line of battle was organized by placing Caswell's battalion of sharpshooters (Fourth Georgia) on the right, and in succession from that wing were the Twentieth Tennessee, Colonel T. B. Smith; Thirty-seventh Georgia,


Page 383 Chapter XLII. THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN.