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General Whiting said: ‘I take occasion to make my acknowledgments to Brigadier-General Anderson of Tennessee, who, arriving on the field at a critical moment to the support of General Hood, and placing two of his regiments in the fire of the enemy, courteously waived the command, although senior to us all.’
Soon after this affair General Anderson was relieved at his own request, and on the 23d, Col. Robert Hatton of the Seventh Tennessee was made brigadier-general.
Lieut.--Col. John F. Goodner was promoted to the command of of the Seventh, Maj. John K. Howard was made lieutenant-colonel, and Capt. John A. Fite was made major.
At 12:30 o'clock on the morning of May 31st, Whiting's, Hood's and Pettigrew's brigades were placed near the fork of the Nine-mile and New Bridge roads, Hatton's and Hampton's in reserve near Mrs. Christian's farm.
Between 4 and 5 o'clock p. m. Longstreet opened the battle of Seven Pines.
General Whiting was ordered to move his command by theNine-mile road to Longstreet's assistance, and as they came up they were at once hotly engaged.
Gen. G. W. Smith stated that when Hatton came up, his brigade was formed on the edge of the field near the road.
It moved across the field with alacrity, and the precision of its movement in line of battle has been seldom equaled, even on the parade ground.
Instructions were given for putting the brigade in close action.
At the same time it was already under a deadly fire in a dense, entangled wood, struggling through a morass covered with logs and thick bushes.
The men continued to advance without firing a shot until coming up with the front line of troops already engaged, when they, too, commenced firing, advancing upon the left to within 15 or 20 yards of the line of fire of the enemy, which came from the low bank of an old ditch.
The thickness of the woods and undergrowth prevented the officers from seeing their men except in limited numbers,
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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