[458] in number) in regard to the capture of which it is understood that rival claims have been advanced, were not only captured by this brigade, but duly taken possession of at the time by a detail made for the purpose, under charge of Lieutenant Fletcher Beaumont, Adjutant of the Fiftieth Tennessee regiment.
Statement of Adjutant Beaumont in regard to the capture of nine pieces of artillery from the enemy on the battle-field of Chickamauga.
Sir: Having been requested to furnish a written statement of the facts regarding the capture from the enemy on the battle-field of Chickamauga, September twentieth, 1863, by General Gregg's brigade, of nine pieces of artillery, which I am enabled to do by reason of having been your Aid-de-Camp on that day, and, as such, having sent the pieces to the rear for safety in the event of an attempt to retake them, I beg leave to submit the following, which will be indorsed by members of the Forty-first Tennessee regiment of this brigade, who were witnesses to the statement herein set forth:
Preparatory to advancing upon the enemy, our division, consisting of Generals Johnson's, McNair's, and Gregg's brigades, the whole commanded by Brigadier-General Johnson, was formed by placing Johnson's brigade on the left, McNair's on the right, with two regiments and a battalion from our brigade on the extreme left — the remainder of the latter following as a support about one hundred yards in rear of the front line.
In this order the division moved off. Having gone some distance, McNair's brigade, immediately in our front, halted, the enemy maintaining a brisk fire on the whole line, when, by consent of its commander, our brigade passed over it and gained the front line.
Soon after we emerged into an open field, on the opposite side of which, to our right and on an eminence commanding the field, was posted the enemy's artillery.
Seeing a rich prize within its grasp, our brigade marched forward until it had gained the flank; then wheeling to the right, went up and possessed it, several of the pieces having been silenced and abandoned before the brigade had commenced to wheel.
On reaching the guns we had so nobly, won, as your Aid, I proceeded to take possession and have them removed to the rear for safety against re-capture.
For this purpose I made a detail of the men nearest to me, and, when I could find them, such wounded as were able to ride horseback, and Federal prisoners, with a guard.
Every gun and its accompaniments which fell into our hands were saved.
I would also mention that instead of eight (8) guns, as you estimate in your official report, there were nine (9) to my knowledge, having seen that number myself after the fighting had subsided in the evening of that day. Too eager to get them safely to the rear, I did not stop to ascertain the exact number, supposing that I would have an opportunity to settle that point afterwards, as I directed them to be taken to the hill our brigade was posted on before the advance began.
I am, sir, respectfully yours,
Fletcher Beaumont, Adjutant Fiftieth Tennessee regiment.
We fully concur in the above statement.
W. G. Vanclave, Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
C. S. Haughton, Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
B. W. Smith, Fourth Sergeant, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
A. P. N. Bells, Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
A. J. Park, Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
Levi Osburn, Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
Willy Osburn, Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
H. M. Fowler, Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
The above names are members of Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment, and authorized me to sign their names.
W. M. Cooper, First Lieutenant Company H, Forty-first Tennessee regiment.
Report of Col. D. Coleman, commanding brigade.
headquarters McNair's brigade, camp near Ringgold, Georgia, September 24, 1863.
Captain Blakemore, A. A. A. General:
Captain: In obedience to Brigadier-General Johnson's order of yesterday, I have the honor to report the part taken by this brigade in the late battles:
Shortly before daylight on the eighteenth instant, this brigade (Brigadier-General E. Mc-Nair's), in company with that of Brigadier-General B. R. Johnson, who commanded the whole force, left Catoosa Station, on the Chickamauga River, and marched, by way of Ringgold, by the Lafayette road to the intersection of the Graysville and Reed's Bridge roads. Here, cannonading and sharp skirmishing being heard on the left, line of battle was formed, with Johnson's brigade on the right, and the force swept steadily in this order, with skirmishers in front, across the country to the left, the enemy giving away with scarcely any resistance, to the Reed's Bridge road, near the bridge.
Thence marched, hearing heavy musketry firing in front, to within one and a half miles of Lee's Mill, on the Chattanooga and Lee's Mill road, where it encamped in line for the night some time after dark.
On the nineteenth, just about eight A. M., the battle having begun on the right, the brigade was placed in position in the rear of Gregg's brigade, with the artillery, Captain Culpeper's three pieces, and the Thirty-ninth North Carolina regiment, Colonel Coleman, and Twenty-fifth Arkansas, Lieutenant-Colonel Hupstelder. Colonel Coleman, commanding both regiments, being Captain Blakemore, A. A. A. General:
