D. H. Hill, Jr., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 4, North Carolina
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[148] in it two companies of Cherokee Indians. On this march, one of these Indian companies became engaged in a sharp little battle with the Federals, and Lieutenant Astoo-gah-sto-ga, who is described by Major Stringfield of that regiment ‘as a splendid specimen of Indian manhood,’ led a charge and was killed. ‘The Indians,’ says Major Stringfield,

were furious at his death, and before they could be restrained, scalped several of the Federal wounded and dead, for which ample apology was made at the time. Regimental History.

In General Bragg's battles at Murfreesboro and Stone's river, North Carolina had engaged these regiments: Twenty-ninth, Thirty-ninth and Sixtieth Col. R. B. Vance, after the death of Gen. J. E. Rains, commanded the Second brigade of Stevenson's division. At Murfreesboro, on the 31st of December, the Twenty-ninth was under fire for over five hours, captured one piece of artillery, and engaged in a gallant charge upon a brigade posted in a cedar thicket. General McCown, the division commander, said of its colonel: ‘Colonel Vance bore himself gallantly.’ The Thirty-ninth was temporarily serving in Gen. Patton Anderson's brigade. General Anderson thus mentions it in his report: ‘The adjutant of the Thirty-ninth North Carolina, Lieut. I. S. Hyams, reported to me on the battlefield that his regiment had become detached . . . and was at that time out of ammunition and under command of Capt. A. W. Bell, the field officers having been killed or wounded. I supplied the needed ammunition, and formed the regiment on the right of the Twenty-seventh Mississippi. It participated creditably in all our subsequent movements until it was detached.’

The Sixtieth regiment, Colonel McDowell, was in both these battles. At Murfreesboro, it was at the opening of the battle under a heavy fire of artillery, but advanced without hesitation until thrown into some confusion by the houses and fences; but most of the companies were at