Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Chapter XXII: Operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Alabama, and Southwest Virginia. March 4-June 10, 1862.
Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Ed.

The Second Tennessee Regiment, C. S. Army, having reorganized at Corinth, Miss., on the 3d instant, and reported to General A. S. Johnston for duty, was ordered to join General Hardee's command, then advancing upon the enemy. [585]

The regiment left Corinth on the evening of the 4th, and on the morning of the 5th, at 10 o'clock, after a severe night march, assumed position in General Hardee's line of battle upon the left oT your brigade, 400 yards in the rear, with instructions to observe that relative position (either in motion or stationary) to the left wing of General Hardee's line, so as to protect it against any movement of the enemy in that direction. We remained at the post assigned until the general advance early Sunday morning, when we moved in conformity to the order of the day previous.

On approaching the hill near the encampment of the enemy, where the left wing, which I was ordered to protect, was engaged, I found the skirmishers which had previously been thrown out in front and on our left, under Lieut. William Reed, of Company B, of my regiment (the brigade skirmishers had, by some occurrence, been withdrawn), driven in, and receiving orders through Lieutenant-Colonel Peebles to advance, I did so, when the firing became general both in front and to the left of us, to which we replied persistently until the enemy was driven back from his position. The charge of my regiment at this point was most gallantly done, but resulted in a serious loss of my men.

Under the enemy's cross-fire here we lost Maj. W. R. Doak and Capts. Joseph P. Tyree, of Company I, and Humphrey Bate, of Company K.

We also had the following officers of the line wounded and killed: Capt. W. H. Wilkinson, of Company G, severely wounded in the hip; James Denniston, of Company D, in the foot; and Lieut. N. D. Collins, commanding Company E, in the wrist. First Lieut. E. R. Cryer, of Company H, Second Lieut. George C. Fugitt, of Company D, and Second Lieut. J. A. Akers, of Company E, were killed. Other officers of the line were wounded less seriously (as will be seen by the adjutant's report) and near 100 men killed and wounded.

Being thus cut up, I reformed the regiment about 40 yards in rear of our line of battle and reorganized (some companies being without officers) in the best and most rapid manner.

Here let me state that Second Lieut. A. B. Schell took charge of Captain Tyree's company (I), of which he was an officer, and Second Lieut. Harvey Chenault did the same in Captain Bate's company (K), of which he was also an officer, and Sergeant Clark took command of Company E (no commissioned officer being present after the wounding of Lieut. N. D. Collins and the fall of Lieutenant Akers), all of whom managed their commands well, showing much coolness and courage.

Having received no further orders, I moved the regiment to the right and then to the front, with the view of taking a battery which was then playing upon us. Having made a hasty reconnaissance in person of our front and left, I moved the regiment briskly (and they did it in fine style) to the charge, when I received a severe wound in the left leg.

In the hurry I had neglected to communicate to Lieutenant-Colonel Goodall the result of my reconnaissance and purpose of movement, he being at the time on the right of the regiment and I on its left. When wounded, Colonel Goodall immediately took command of the regiment and very properly halted and held it in position until he could communicate with our commanders.

I cannot say too much for the gallantry of the officers and men of my command, especially of Major Doak and Captains Tyree and Bate, who fell early in the action.

Colonel Goodall was cool, courageous, and efficient on the field, and proved his services to be most invaluable.

In consequence of the recent reorganization of my regiment and absence [586] of a large number of re-enlisted men, besides the sick unable for duty, there were only 365 men of my command taken on the field on Sunday morning.

Respectfully,