Today in History:

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

Page 456 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.

Volunteers, which were falling to the rear, were placed in position by Captain W. T. Blakemore, my aide-de-camp, who was on duty in that part of the field and discovered this movement of the enemy, and by his instruction charged the column which had so suddenly appeared in our rear and drove it back. Colonel Walker now placed these regiments diagonally across the road, the right advanced, facing the enemy, in which position I ordered him to remain for a time. I have no doubt that we here encountered a portion of McCook's corps, of the Federal Army, moving to support their left. Our scouts, thrown out in front of our skirmishers, and my brigade-inspector. Lieutenant Black, after a personal reconnaissance, had previously reported the enemy moving artillery and infantry in that direction. With the heavy force of the enemy still in vicinity of Lee and Gordon's Mills, this advance of my division, unsupported by any movement on my left, was pushed quite as far as was judicious.

Finding my line now (about sunset) quite irregular in its formation, I proceeded immediately to reform it in the wood about 600 yards east of the road from Chattanooga to Lee and Gordon's Mills, where, by order of Major-General Hood, temporary breastworks of timber were put up along the line, behind which my command rested during the night, with skirmishers thrown out to the road.

During this brief engagement the loss of the division was quite heavy. The Third Tennessee Regiment reports 12 men killed and 45 wounded before it was ordered to advance. The Seventh Texas Regiment had several killed and wounded at the same time. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas W. Beaumont-well and honorably known in civil as well as military life-Captain Williams, and 2 other company officers, of the Fiftieth Tennessee Regiment, were killed, 7 officers wounded, and 1 missing, while it lost heavily in men. The Forty-fourth Tennessee Regiment had Lieutenant Colonel John L. McEwen, jr.,commanding, a gallant and able officer, who has rendered faithful and efficient service in our army, and 5 company officers wounded, 1 (Captain Samuel Jackson) mortally. It lost about 50 men wounded and 6 killed, 1 of whom (Sergt. T. A. Johnson) was particularly distinguished for gallantry. The command of this regiments now devolved upon Major G. M. Crawford. The Seventeenth Tennessee Regiment had 1 officer killed and 2 officers and 20 men wounded. Colonel H. B. Granbury, of the Seventh Texas; Major S. H. Colms, of the First Tennessee Battalion, and Major Lowe, of the Twenty-third Tennessee Regiment, were severely wounded. The Twenty-third Tennessee lost in all 1 officer and 5 men killed, 5 officers wounded, and 58 men wounded and captured. The losses of the other regiments are not reported in this connection.

Captain Jackson, of the Forty-fourth Tennessee Regiment, has since died of his wounds. Known to me long and familiarly in youth and manhood as Captain Samuel Jackson has been, I feel unable to do justice to his many virtues, his pure and admirable character, or his merits as an officer and a soldier.

Sunday, September 20, my line was formed by 7 a.m., with McNair's brigade on the right, Johnson's brigade in center, and two regiments (the Fiftieth Tennessee Regiment and the First Tennessee Battalion, consolidated, under Major C. W. Robertson,and the Seventh Texas, under Major Vanzandt) on the left. The rest of Gregg's brigade, commanded by Colonel Sugg, formed a second line. Culpeper's battery was placed position on the right of McNair's bri-


Page 456 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.