No. 18.

Report of Brigadier General Thomas J. Churchill, C. S. Army, commanding Third Division.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, ARMY OF KENTUCKY,
Cynthiana, Ky., September 8, 1862.

I have the honor to report that on the morning of the 30th ultimo, according to instructions, I moved my division, composed of the First and Second Brigades, commanded by Colonels McCray and McNair respectively up the road in the direction of Richmond. When I arrived showing that General Cleburne had met the enemy. It was now about 8 a.m. It was at this time that you arrived on the field and ordered me to hold one of my brigades in reserve while with the other I was to make a flank movement on the enemy's right. In accordance with these instructions I left Colonel McNair with his brigade as a reserve force, and proceeded with Colonel McCray's brigade (composed of Arkansas and Texas troops) to execute the movement on the enemy's flank, and by proceeding cautiously through a corn field and a ravine had almost perfected the move when the enemy, pressed by our forces on our right, commenced to give way, but after falling back some distance they formed in a skirt of timber, when my forces fired and charged upon them. Then for the first time discovering my position they commenced a precipitate retreat, but not before we had killed a great many and taken a large number of prisoners. I was again ordered to move up on the left with the same brigade, while General Cleburne was to move on the right. After proceeding some 2 miles in the direction of Richmond I found the entire force the enemy, numbering 8,000 or 10,000, in a strong position on the left of the road, concealed by a corn field and a skirt of timber. I then sent word to General Cleburne to move up, that I was ready to engage the enemy. I then placed one section of Captain [John T.] Humphreys' battery [Arkansas], under command of Lieutenant ---, on my right, within 200 yards of the enemy, to more effectually rake his lines. Before General Cleburne's division came up the fight had commenced in earnest. The fire of the enemy's artillery and musketry was most terrific, while we replied only with artillery. I then ordered my command to lie down, protected by a fence and ditch, and for full five minutes we did not fire a gun in response to their terrible fire. The enemy were at this time advancing in heavy force, and when they had arrived within less than 50 yards of my lines the order was given to rise, fire, and charge, which order was promptly and gallantly obeyed. The enemy could not withstand the desperate courage of my men, but still for a while they contested every inch of ground as they were driven from it, until finally, finding it impossible to check this gallant charge, they gave way in every direction. The victory was complete. The field was covered with the dead and wounded of the enemy, and some (though comparatively few) of the gallant sons of Arkansas and Texas fell martyrs to the cause of liberty. Here we captured a large number of prisoners, guns, and equipments of all kinds. In this charge one splendid rifle cannon was taken. This was perhaps the most severely-contested fight of the day.

Finding this brigade now worn down by incessant fighting, I ordered up Colonel McNair to follow in pursuit of the fleeing enemy. After pursuing them some 2 miles we found them again drawn up in line near