Today in History:

743 Series I Volume XXXVIII-III Serial 74 - The Atlanta Campaign Part III

Page 743 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.

to surrender almost en masse. The commanding officer of the Fifth and Thirteenth Arkansas Regiments seeing this, and being closely engaged with a line of battle in his front, ordered a retreat, and thus saved his regiment, some 300 yards in rear of the works, this regiment was rallied and formed. The balance of the brigade by this time having been formed, for the most part to the right, was marched by the left flank and formed on this regiment.

General Govan having been captured, and Colonel Smith, of the Sixth Arkansas Regiment, the next senior officer, either captured or killed, I took command of the brigade and charged the works, my left striking them on the right of Granbury's brigade. Owing to the disorganized state of the brigade and the enemy's superiority in numbers, we failed to reach the works, except on the left, and fell back a short distance, where we remained in position to protect Granbury's right till Vaughan's brigade came to our support. We joined this brigade in its charge, went into the works, and there remained until after dark, when the men were drawn off and the brigade reformed on the railroad rear of Granbury's left.

It affords me much pleasure to mention the gallant and efficient conduct of Lieutenant Colonel E. A. Howell, of the Fifth Arkansas Regiment; Lieutenant W. S. Sawrie, adjutant of the Second Arkansas Regiment; Lieutenant J. G. Warfield, assistant inspector-general; Lieutenant F. H. Govan, aide-de-camp; Captain W. B. West, Thirteenth Arkansas; Captain W. H. Scales, First Arkansas; Captain V. M. McGehee, Second Arkansas, wounded in the first charge, and Lieutenant F. M. Cogbill, Fifth Arkansas, who fell mortally wounded just as he reached the works, in their almost unprecedented efforts to rally and encourage the men and to lead them in the charge.

The brigade sustained a loss during the day of 6 officers and 20 men killed, 7 officers and 61 men wounded, 43 officers and 575 men missing. My impression is that a good proportion of those reported missing were either killed or wounded. Our loss in the first attempt to regain the works was quite severe.

I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. V. GREEN,

Colonel, Commanding.

[Captain IRVING A. BUCK, Assistant Adjutant-General.]


Numbers 615.

Report of Brigadier General Hiram B. Granbury, C. S. Army, commanding brigade, of operations August 31 and September 1.


HEADQUARTERS GRANBURY'S BRIGADE,
In the Field, September 5, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: The following report of the operations of my brigade in the engagements of the 31st of August and 1st instant is respectfully submitted:

My position on the 31st of August was on the extreme left of the line, which at 2 p. m. reached and was formed along the Jonesborough and Fayetteville road, about half a mile west of the former place. About 3.30 p. m. the line advanced, the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Texas Regiments, constituting the left of my brigade, being the battalion of direction. A few moments previous to the advance, a battalion of engineer troops, major Presstman commanding, and


Page 743 Chapter L. REPORTS, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.