[39]
[I directed my staff officers at the same time to bring forward all the field guns they could collect from the left towards the right as rapidly as possible, resulting in the concentration of the following batteries, commencing on the right and extending to the left:
First. Captain Trabue's Kentucky.
Second. Captain Burns' Mississippi.
Third. Lieutenant Thrall's section of Captain Hubbard's Arkansas.
Fourth. Captain Sweat's Mississippi.
Fifth. Captain Triggs' and
Sixth. Captain Roberts' Arkansas.
Seventh. Captain Rutledge's.
Eighth. Captain Robinson's (twelve-pounder Napoleon guns) Alabama.
Ninth. Captain Stansford's Mississippi.
Tenth. Captain Bankhead's Tennessee.
Eleventh. Captain Hodgson's Washington artillery, Louisiana, extending in succession to the left towards the position already designated as occupied by Captain Ketchum's (Alabama) battery].
For a brief period the enemy apparently gained ground, and when the conflict was at its height these batteries opened upon his concentrated forces [enfilading Prentice's division on his right flank], producing immediate commotion and soon resulted in the precipitate retreat of the enemy from the contest.
At this moment the Second brigade and the Crescent regiment pressed forward and cut off a considerable portion of the enemy [comprising Prentice's division], who surrendered to the Crescent regiment [of my command, then pressing upon its rear].
Subsequently, while advancing towards the river, I received instruction from General Bragg to carry forward all the troops I could find; and while assembing a considerable force ready for immediate action, I received from Colonel Augustin notice of General Beauregard's orders to withdraw from the further pursuit; and finding soon afterwards that the forces were falling back, I retired with them just as night set in to the open field in rear; and as I received no further orders, I directed General Anderson and Colonel Gibson to hold their troops in readiness, with their arms cleaned and cartridges supplied for service, the next morning.
For the movement of the Third brigade during the day, sweeping the left around towards the enemy's centre, and the position held during the night, reference is made to the report of Colonel Pond, the brigade commander.
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Richmond, VA. 1878.
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