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

During the entire fight the men and officers of my brigade acted well.

Among the officers who were most distinguished at the battle of Chickamauga, I must mention the name of Colonel B. J. Hill, Thirty-fifth Tennesse regiment. Upon every field in the West, from Shiloh to Chickamauga, this officer has acted with conspicuous courage and coolness. I earnestly recommend his name for promotion.

Colonel Smith, of Third and Fifth Confederate regiment, acted with his usual courage and skill. He has since been promoted. Promotion could not have fallen on one more worthy.

Colonel Robinson, Colonel Colquitt, Colonel Nixon, Lieutenant-Colonel Holes, and Major Pearson all deserve well of their country.

I respectfully refer you to reports of regimental commanders for other names distinguished for gallantry.

I here return my thanks to Captain W. H. King, my Assistant Adjutant-General, and Lieutenant Schell, for efficient services rendered upon the field.

A full list of the casualties in my brigade has already been sent forward.

Respectfully,

The brigade consisted of the Thirty-second and Forty-fifth Mississippi regiments, commanded by Colonel M. P. Lowry; the Thirty-third Alabama, Colonel Samuel Adams; the Forty-fifth Alabama, Colonel Breedlove, and the Sixteenth Alabama, Major McGaughey; also, Major A. T. Hankins' battalion of sharpshooters. Semple's battery is attached to this brigade, but had been, about the time we arrived in the field, directed by orders from the Division Chief of Artillery.

At twelve o'clock, on the nineteenth, the brigade was in line of battle on the Lafayette and Chattanooga road, near where the left of our army was engaged with the enemy. Orders were received to march in rear of Brigadier-General Polk's brigade. After moving in a north-eastwardly direction for four or five miles, we approached the field near the right of our army and formed in line of battle, after crossing the West Chickamauga Creek at a ford, the men wading. This delayed our march in order to close up, which was farther delayed by two batteries taking the road. The brigade was formed in lines as follows: Right — Hankins, Lowry, Breedlove, McGaughey; Adams, left. Brigadier-General Polk was on my right; Brigadier-General Deshler on my left. At this time Major-General Cleburne ordered me to move forward (the guide being upon my brigade), and, if I met with any batteries, not to delay, but charge and take them. I communicated this order to each of my Colonels. Skirmishers were thrown out three hundred yards in advance. Firing of pickets was all this time going on in our front, and I heard it remarked that a line of our troops were in that direction. The order was now given to advance. We soon came to a line of our men lying down, which we passed over. In a few minutes our skirmishers were engaged and the line pressed rapidly to the front, passing through a wooded and slightly undulating country, until we reached the field. The line touched the fence in a slight ravine or hollow, the ground gradually ascending in the field in front. The opening covered nearly the length of my brigade, and was about two or three hundred yards across. The enemy were strongly posted in rear of this field, having constructed breastworks of rails and logs. They opened fire, as we crossed the fence, with great rapidity. The command moved up vigorously against a foe almost wholly protected from our fire, and who delivered volley after volley into our ranks. When we had reached the farther side of the field, many of the enemy still remained behind their defences, and shots were delivered in twenty paces of each other. In crossing this field Colonel Lowry, of the Thirty-second Mississippi regiment, greatly distinguished himself by his continued exertions in urging forward his command. The enemy were routed from their defences and driven into the woods. In advancing, the brigade to my right had changed direction to the left, which threw its left in front of my right, and prevented Colonel Lowry's command and Major Hankins' sharpshooters from firing. I sent my Assistant Adjutant-General, Captain Palmer, to order them to cease firing; but, before he arrived, Colonel Lowry had anticipated the order by giving it himself. The Forty-fifth Alabama regiment, next to the right, was now in advance of Colonel Lowry and halted, ceasing to fire at this time, as did also the Sixteenth Alabama, the enemy having fallen back. The Thirty-third Alabama, being my left in advancing, was pressed upon by. the right of Deshler's brigade, which I strove to prevent. The direction of their line being slightly oblique to mine, and it being dark, some little confusion occurred as to the positions of the different commands, which were soon rectified. Skirmishers were ordered out in front of the brigade, and then doubled. We captured over a hundred prisoners, besides the wounded left on the field. Most of them were taken at the log defences, which they said they had been instructed to hold to the last. In no action has this command ever displayed more eagerness to engage the enemy, or been more