Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[419] Fourth Georgia, occupying the right of the brigade, eager to avenge their beloved Colonel, the brave Captain Cooper and other true officers of the regiment, with a loud cheer, led by their brave Major, charged through the woods before them, driving the enemy and capturing some forty prisoners. The remainder of the brigade followed up handsomely the advance upon the left. Upon reaching the Chattanooga road, the force of the enemy that engaged and fired upon the flanks of General Liddell's division had retired from view; and, not being aware of any support upon my right, I at once halted the command, threw out skirmishers to my front and upon my right flank, and sent information of my position to Major-General Walker. The brigades of General Ector and Colonel Wilson advancing, took up position to the left of the first brigade without encountering any serious opposition. Not receiving any further orders, and night being nearly upon us, we bivouacked upon the field of victory. General Liddell, whose command was promptly re-formed, came up and took position on my right. The firing ceased; loud cheers went up to heaven, and the grandest, most important battle of the war was fought and won.

I would respectfully refer the Major-General commanding to the reports of Brigadier-General Ector and Colonel Wilson for particulars in relation to their respective commands, and acknowledge my indebtedness to them for judicious and efficient support. To Major B. B. Smith, Inspector, Captain M. P. King, Assistant Adjutant-General, Lieutenant L. M. Butler, and J. C. Habersham, Aid-de-Camp, of my staff, I am under great obligations for valuable assistance in reforming commands, extending orders under heavy fires and other efficient service. Major J. S Green, Brigade Quartermaster, Captain J. A. Bowil, acting Brigade Commissary, and Lieutenant J. M. Hunt, acting Brigade Ordnance Officer, were at their post and in efficient discharge of their respective duties. I would recommend to the favorable notice of the General commanding, the distinguished gallantry of Colonel C. H. Stevens, Twenty-fourth South Carolina volunteers, who, besides being severely wounded, had two horses killed under him.

I have the honor to enclose a report of the officers and men from my own brigade, represented by their commanding officers, as having conducted themselves meritoriously upon the field of battle.

I cannot close my report without expressing my satisfaction at the conduct and efficiency of the officers, and my admiration for the brave and soldierly bearing of the men of the division which I had the honor to command in the battle of Chickamauga. Their rolls of killed and wounded testify to the place which they occupied in the picture.

I am, Captain, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Captain: I have the honor to submit the following report of the battle of Chickamauga, in what concerns my own command:

On Friday, the eighteenth September, about ten o'clock P. M., when the head of Major-General Walker's column reached a point about a half mile from Alexander's Bridge, I was ordered by Brigadier-General Liddell, commanding division, to form line of battle, with the left of my brigade resting on the road leading to the bridge, and to move forward, guiding left, and keeping the road to my left. The line was formed almost at right angles to the road, the right slightly retired, and skirmishers, covering my entire front, were thrown forward about two hundred yards.

These dispositions made, I moved forward through a dense thicket, and, after advancing about a quarter of a mile, the enemy's skirmishers were encountered in front of my left and centre, the two regiments on the right, Twenty-fourth Mississippi regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel McKelvane) and Twenty-seventh Mississippi regiment (Colonel Campbell), meeting no opposition, except in front of the two companies on the left of the Twenty-seventh regiment. The road on which my left rested in the beginning of the movement turns to the right at a point two or three hundred yards from the bridge, forming a right angle. At this point the Thirty-fourth Mississippi regiment, Major Pegram commanding, and Thirtieth Mississippi regiment, Colonel Scales commanding, in advancing passed across the road into an open field, and the Twenty-ninth Mississippi regiment, Colonel Brantley, the centre regiment of my command, being immediately opposite the bridge, was stubbornly resisted for about fifteen minutes; and, in the meantime, the regiments to the left of this, driving the skirmishers of the enemy before them, swung round under the enemy's artillery fire, through an open field, until the line they formed was nearly at right angles to that formed by the other three regiments, conforming in the main to the general direction of the creek. When the bridge was gained by the Twenty-ninth Mississippi regiment, it was done under a heavy fire from the enemy posted on the opposite bank of the creek, which along my line was narrow, but deep, with steep banks and impassable. The bridge had been torn up by the enemy; but this fact, owing to the density of the undergrowth, could not be ascertained until the bank of the creek was occupied. The Thirty-fourth and Thirtieth Mississippi regiments, after swinging to the right as above mentioned in the field, had been halted by their commanders and the men ordered to lie down, the enemy having disappeared in their front. I then directed the skirmishers of these regiments, which I had previously