Numbers 261.

Report of Colonel Horace Rice, Twenty-ninth Tennessee Infantry.

HDQRS. TWENTY-NINTH TENNESSEE REGIMENT,
September 29, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by this regiment in the battle of Chickamauga:

The position of the regiment was on the extreme left of the brigade, My instructions from General Smith, through Captain Harris, were, in the absence of other orders, to keep aligned on the Eleventh Tennessee Regiment. Those instructions were carried out. You are already acquainted with the movements of the brigade up to the time it engaged the enemy. Our line not being formed parallel with that of the enemy,. the right came under fire some time before the left. My regiment was, consequently, the last to get into the engagement, the brigade having made a swing on the right regiment. Having double-quicked some distance over rough ground, studded in some places with thick, short undergrowth, the line of the regiment was considerably broken and some confusion prevailed at the time we halted. A volley from the enemy at that moment added still more to the confusion; but the prompt and energetic efforts of the officers soon restored comparative order and the regiment at once commenced firing. The brigade on our left not moving up at the time we did, my left was for some time exposed to an enfilanding fire [from the enemy's sharpshooters, I suppose
. t was in the three left companies the loss was heaviest, the extreme left company having lost 16 men. The regiment remained in this position until several company officers reported to me their men were running short of ammunition. This fact was at once communicated to General Smith, and very soon after I received an order to fall back with the Eleventh Tennessee to a fence 70 or 80 yards to the rear. I ordered the men to lie down behind the fence, and distribute what ammunition was left equally among themselves, and reserve it to be used in case the enemy advanced. After remaining in this position some time another brigade passed us and moved to the front, and very soon we moved back with the rest of the brigade to the road where we originally formed.

Several officers and men distinguished themselves for their gallantry during the action, but I shall not attempt to enumerate them here. All the officers under me behaved well, and the men, with few exceptions, could not have behaved better under the circumstances.

I will take the liberty of mentioning her the gallantry of Ed. H. Clayton, of General Smith's staff. He came to the regiment just as it first got under fire and at the time the confusion (alluded to above) prevailed, and by his cool daring and persevering efforts gave me material assistance in restoring order, for which I tender him my thanks.

While lying in line near the road Saturday evening, 1 man in the regiment was severely wounded (leg broken) by a shell.

The regiment did not fire any during the fight Saturday night. Part of Deshler's brigade covered my front. Saw no enemy except a few stragglers, who were picked up and turned over to the provost guard.