Today in History:

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

Page 486 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA. AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.

front. I then moved forward with the rest of the brigade to the foot of the hill, and while our battery was playing upon the enemy, replenished our ammunition from the enemy's ordnance wagons which had fallen into our hands. The enemy having advanced to capture the battery, we were ordered forward to resist them.

It was now about 1 o'clock. Having charged the enemy, I engaged them about fifteen minutes, when, the right having given way and the enemy overlapping on my left. I fell back with the rest of the brigade under the brow of the hill. I then moved by the right flank, throwing my regiment on the right of the battery, it before, being on the left. A brigade was then moved to extend the left of our line and one thrown in our front.

It was now about 2.30 o'clock, when the brigade in our front charged the enemy and we were ordered to their support. Upon our advance the brigade in our front retired to our rear, leaving nothing but the enemy before us. Here commenced the most desperate conflict of the day. For three hours and forty minutes it raged most furiously. With our small band, whose ranks were becoming every moment thinner, we charged the full columns of the enemy and drove them before us, but drove them only to rally again, and in their turn charge us. Four desperate assaults and charged were made upon us, hurling upon us their immense columns, line after line, but as stubbornly were they resisted.

The battle-field here baffled description. The most vivid description of Waterloo would fail to depict. Leonidas with his 300 never withstood such desperate assaults and charges. Both sides left that this was the turning tide of the battle. Hold it, and the victory was ours; lose it, and the tide of battle would change and all our previous advantages be lost. Night was now coming on; our ammunition was failing the men, some of them, having but one round - none of them exceeding three; guns had been and injured, and more becoming foliate and useless.

Foreseeing this danger, myself, with every other field officer of the brigade, begged and besought a brigade which was skulking behind trees in our rear to come forward and give but one volley. Alas! they heeded not the call. We looked in vain for other supports; none were near. The anxiety of the moment was terrible. Solitary and alone we were to fight that fight, and had then nothing upon which to rely but the individual valor and courage of our brave men.

The time had now come for something decisive. When I gave the command "forward, charge," with a terrible yell the men sprung forward-all, alas, that were left of them - the other regiments acting in concert. The enemy were routed from our front and fled in the wildest confusion. Pursuit was useless; they were far beyond our reach. Firing now ceased; my line reformed; I filed to the right, following the Twenty-fifth Tennessee, and your brigade was reformed, forming upon the left of a brigade which came up in our rear before the firing ceased. I then changed direction to the right. The brigade having made a wheel, reformed on a line perpendicular to the one we occupied during the evening engagement, and rested in this position during the night.

I cannot give too much credit to the men and officers of my command. I am happy to report that not one failed in his duty or straggled from the battle-field.

I carried into this day's action 22 officers, and lost 1 killed and 5 wounded; 86 non-commissioned officers and men, and lost in killed


Page 486 KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA. AND N.GA. Chapter XLII.