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ordered to support General Gregg, moved rapidly forward and, getting near Gregg's brigade (then under a terrific fire), charged impetuously, passing over the left of Gregg's brigade, with loud cheers, and drove the enemy in rapid flight through the thick woods, across the Chattanooga road, past the small house, a hundred yards on and in to the corn fields beyond, making a distance altogether of about three-quarters of a mile.
In this last advance Lieutenant-Colonel Hupstelder fell, wounded with five balls.
Though the enemy, to whom we had been opposed in front, were in flight, broken and in confusion, having sustained a heavy loss in killed, the two regiments find their tired and weakened line exposed to a fatal flank fire, especially on the left; unsupported on account of the rapidity of their advance, with an enemy's battery near on the left and a strong enemy's reinforcement approaching, and our ammunition nearly exhausted, the impracticability of longer holding this advanced and exposed position was immediately manifest and the force was ordered back to the woods.
Here they were re-formed and, a fresh line having passed to relieve them, were marched back to nearly their original position to await ammunition, where they were joined by the rest of the brigade, which finally moved forward to the position in line where it was encamped for the night, between Johnson's brigade, on the right, and Hindman's division on the left.
The First, Second, and Fourth Arkansas battalions (consolidated), Major Ross, all under the immediate command of General McNair, were ordered forward soon after the advance of the Thirty-ninth North Carolina and Twenty-fifth Arkansas, and charged on the right of the course taken by the latter regiments and drove the enemy, in successive charges, beyond the Chattanooga road.
Here, on the withdrawal of the Thirty-ninth and Twenty-fifth, being exposed to a heavy flank fire on the left, besides that in front, and the ammunition beginning to fail, they rejoined the other two regiments.
The artillery, Captain Culpeper commanding, supported the advance of the brigade so long as it was safe to fire, and then, the under-growth being too thick to advance, remained in their position the remainder of the day.
On the morning of the twentieth, the brigade was placed in line between Stewart's division on the right, and Hindmand's on the left, with a slight barricade of branches and small dead wood in front.
Here, about half past 9 A. M., the line repulsed an advance of the enemy.
In a few minutes after, the brigade, advancing with the rest of the line, drove the enemy steadily and rapidly back, passing over two sucsive lines of temporary breastworks, a distance of about three quarters of a mile, reaching the corner of the field, at the opposite end of which were two batteries of the enemy's on a hill commanding the whole advance.
General McNair and Colonel Harper, First Arkansas rifles, had just been disabled by wounds, that of the latter officer mortal.
The brigade, already in advance of the line, charged furiously upon the batteries diagonally on the right and captured them, taking ten pieces, eight of which were immediately sent, with their remaining horses, to our rear, and the remaining two, then in the woods, were carried to the rear afterwards, the ground never having been re-occupied by the enemy.
The brigade was now considerably in advance of the line, though this was rapidly approaching; our left was still more exposed by the break made by our diagonal charge; the enemy were firing from the woods in front, while within two hundred yards farther in the woods a large body of the enemy were seen drawn up in good order.
Our forces were reduced by our rapid advance and the ammunition nearly exhausted.
It was necessary at once to abandon our position.
The brigade retired back to the woods, procured ammunition, and took position in line on the left of Robinson's brigade.
Here, receiving an order from Brigadier-General Johnson, the brigade, under Colonel Coleman, upon whom the command had devolved, advanced forward and to the left, about half a mile, to the support of Johnson's brigade, which was supporting Robinson's battery, which was stationed on the brow of a hill to the right of the Lookout Valley road, at which point the force there were resisting with difficulty the determined advance of the enemy in heavy force.
In a few minutes General Johnson ordered our advance, when, passing the line immediately supporting the battery, which line also advanced, we charged over the hill upon the enemy, and, after a protracted and obstinate resistance, a brigade on our right and Manigault's brigade, on the ridge to our left, advancing on parallel lines to us, the enemy were completely driven from the position.
In this conflict we suffered much from a flanking fire, arising from tardy support on our left.
The artillery, Captain Culpeper, having assisted in repulsing the enemy at half-past 9 A. M., was placed in position by General Law, with his battery, and remained there during the day. I take great pleasure and pride in saying that the whole brigade behaved most nobly during all the fighting of both days, being uniformly in advance of all others in every onset.
Its losses and its trophies bear ample testimony to its good conduct.
In another report I propose to particularize individual instances.
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
D. Coleman, Colonel, commanding Brigade.
