rise and take the battery. They rose at the word, and quickly advanced up the hill and beyond the crest and some of them almost up to the guns. While, however, we had been resting at the foot of the hill the enemy had not been idle. They had got several pieces into position on our right flank at a short distance from us, and with these they also opened upon us, thus subjecting us to fire both in front and flank. This was not all. Heavy infantry supports, though not to be seen when the charge was ordered at the thicket, had now become visible in close proximity to the battery in our front. No supports to us were anywhere in sight. Under these circumstances I thought it would be madness to let the regiment go on; that if they took the battery they would not be able to hold it, and therefore would after taking it either have to retreat or all be captured or exterminated. I preferred to fall back at once, although some of the men were almost up to the guns. I accordingly gave the order to fall back, and then the regiment in tolerable order fell back about 200 yards under a terrific fire from both of the batteries and from the infantry supports, when it came to the dry bed of the branch already mentioned. There I halted it and ordered the men to lie down in the bed of the branch, and thus get as much protection from enemy's fire as possible, and at the same time be in a position from which they could return that fire with some effect. This they did.

While the regiment was charging through the pine thicket, and when it had got about half way through it, I discovered close to our left, near the edge of the thicket by the branch, two or three of the enemy's pieces of artillery completely abandoned. When or why these were abandoned I do not know; but it is certain that, abandoned at whatever time and for whatever cause they might be, they were not captured guns as long as the large pine thicket close by them was full of the enemy's infantry to guard and protect them. These guns, therefore, I respectfully submit, the Twentieth Georgia is entitled to the credit of taking.

After disposing of the regiment as aforesaid in the bed of the branch I thought it was time for me to leave it and seek the other regiments of the brigade and give them my services. I accordingly left the Twentieth and was with it no more during the battle. It will be seen, however, from the report of Major Waddell, who commanded the regiment, that it continued to fight to the last and not without effect.

I cannot close this notice of the part taken by the Twentieth in the battle without asking leave to bestow the tribute of my warmest admiration upon the conduct of both officers and men. It was really brilliant, and the name of every officer and of every man deserves to be known, but I have room only for the officers. They are Major J. D. Waddell, commanding regiment; Captain E. M. Seago, second in command; Lieutenant W. N. Hutchins, acting adjutant; A, Captain A. B. Ross and Lieutenant W. W. Breazeal; B, Captain [H. C.] Mitchell and Lieutenant J. M. Granberry (wounded); C, Captain W. F. Denny (wounded), Lieuts. Robert Jordan and J. F. Spear (killed); D, Captain S. W. Blance (wounded), Lieuts. J. L. Carter (wounded), and J. T. Hammack (wounded); K, Lieuts. George F. Adam and L. W. Davis; E, Captain R. D. Little and Lieutenant J. A. Maddox; F, Lieuts. G. S. Thomas, W. L. Abbott, and J. B. Richards; G, Lieutenant T. S. Fontaine (wounded); H, Lieutenant C. H. Culbreath (killed); I, Captain C. B. Mims and Lieutenant J. T. Scott (wounded).

The loss of the regiment was heavy. The killed were 22, the wounded 107, and the missing 6, exclusive of officers. The number carried into action was, exclusive of officers, only 335, and of these nearly one-third were bare-footed, without a piece of leather to their feet.

After leaving the Twentieth I went to seek the other three regiment. On passing from the pine thicket into the large field in which they commenced