[79] infantry, I directed him to the support of Colonel Burbridge's position, on the left. Thus supported, Colonel Burbridge advanced, driving the enemy before him. This movement was supported on the left by the simultaneous advance of Colonels Rives' and Gates' regiments, which speedily occupied the heights lately crowned by the enemy's batteries. Here we found a broken caisson and a quantity of ammunition, and several dead and wounded horses, showing the destructive effects of our batteries on the enemy's position. After a considerable interval, the batteries of the enemy renewed the action by a heavy fire directed against our lines from the road in front of the Elkhorn tavern. A brisk reply from Guibor's battery, which I had placed in position on the road to the left of Rives' infantry, very speedily checked the bold assault of our adversaries, who gradually slackened their fire and answered only by an occasional round from their guns Meantime our ambulances were summoned to the field. After our wounded had been removed, the wounded of the enemy, who thickly strewed the ground were removed to our hospitals in the rear. Colonel Burbridge's command, having been much weakened by their prominent position during the action of the day, now called for reinforcements. General Frost, whose brigade had been ordered up to my support at my request, advanced his command to Colonel Burbridge's support, taking position to the left of Lindsay's battalion, on a slope of the ridge to his rear, with the ravine intervening. About this time I received instructions from General Van Dorn to the effect that General Price was about to make an assault on the extreme left of the enemy's line [his right formerly]. With this information was coupled an order for me to advance my whole line so soon as the heavy firing on our left should give the signal of the attack under General Price. Colonel Burbridge's regiment having been pressed forward somewhat in advance of Colonel Rives' regiment, I ordered Burbridge to fall back, and forming my command into line, awaited the expected signal. It was very late in the day when the sharp rattle of small-arms, in the direction of the extreme left, announced the moment for action. My men advanced in one unbroken line. We met the foe. For a few seconds
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Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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