Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 6.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[320] to a terrific fire of musketry from the intrenchments in front, and also to a fire from the enemy's batteries on the right and left flanks. These batteries were so situated as to perfectly command this point.

After effecting the crossing, the head of the column filed right, the left coming forward into line, the right resting on and inside (the side next the enemy) of a strong abattis which had been formed by the enemy for his own protection.

Here I was informed by the General commanding the brigade, that contrary to his orders the regiment was not supported by others, and that <*> should hold the position I then had, until he could ascertain if support was coming, provided I could do so, leaving me to judge of that matter for myself; I held the position for about thirty minutes, under a fire which cannot be described. At the end of this time, seeing that I had no support, and that none was coming; that my regiment was the only one on the field; that my officers and men were suffering dreadfully from a fire that could not be returned effectively, I gave the order to fall back, which was accomplished in good order, though with great loss. The regiment went into the action with four hundred and eighty men and officers, of whom one hundred and twelve were killed and wounded.

Among the killed was Lieut. E. C. Miller, of company G, who had command of the thirty men on the twenty-eighth. No braver officer has fallen in his country's cause.

It would be invidious to speak of individual acts of bravery, as all did well. Every officer and man did his whole duty, and regretted that he could do no more.

Under any circumstances the loss of so many brave men is a matter to be deeply deplored, but in this instance it is doubly painful, as no advantage commensurate with the loss was obtained.

The officers and men of the regiment join me in tendering the General commanding the brigade our heartfelt thanks, both for the part he took in the charge — going as he did at the head of the column — and for the manner in which he spoke of the action of the regiment on the field.

Hereto attached, you will find a list of the killed and wounded.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

gentlemen: Doubtless you and your readers have seen the unjust and false account published in the Chicago Times of the sixteenth instant, of the “Chickasaw Bayou and Bluffs” affair of December twenty-seventh, twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth. As I was a participant in the affair, I have concluded to give a plain statement of the facts. It is true I will not be able to use the flowery language of “W. E. W.,” of the Chicago Times, but I can and will tell the truth, something which he is not willing or able to do. Colonel De Courcy's brigade is composed of the following regiments, namely, Sixteenth Ohio, Lieut.-Col. P. Kershner; Twenty-second Kentucky, Lieut-Col. G. W. Monroe; Forty-second Ohio, Lieut-Col. Don A. Pardee; Fifty-fourth Indiana, Colonel Mansfield. The brigade disembarked on the twenty-sixth, on the south bank of the Yazoo River, and made a reconnoissance through a belt of woods to Mrs. Lake's plantation, to discover a practicable road to Chickasaw Bluffs; exchanged a few shots with the rebel pickets, neither side doing any damage. On the twenty-seventh a general advance was ordered. Generals A. J. Smith on the right, Morgan L. Smith next, G. W. Morgan the centre, Steele the left. In crossing the large open fields known as Mrs. Lake's plantation, the enemy opened fire on us from a dense woods on the other side of the bayou, parallel to our left. Colonel De Courcy changed front toward the woods with the Twenty-second Kentucky, Fifty-fourth Indiana, and part of the Forty-second Ohio, opened fire with these regiments, and Foster's twenty-pound battery. After an engagement of two hours the enemy was driven from the woods, and as night had set in, the brigade bivouacked on the ground. The Forty-second regiment worked all night throwing up a work for the protection of the battery. The casualties in this affair were two killed and twelve wounded. Among the wounded was Sergt. John peterson, company G, Twenty-second Kentucky, whose parents reside in Ironton O. On the morning of the twenty-eighth operations were resumed early. The enemy had taken position in our front and right, the infantry were ordered forward, and, with Lampkins's Michigan battery, opened fire, which was kept up briskly the whole morning, the enemy contesting stubbornly every inch of ground. About two o'clock the Forty-second and Fifty-fourth regiments, supported by the Sixteenth and Twenty-second regiments, were ordered to charge through the woods. Bayonets were fixed and these regiments starting with a cheer, the enemy gave way and retired hastily to his first line of rifle-pits. The brigade followed and was formed in line of battle on the edge of the woods in front of the enemy's first line of works, and an incessant fire of infantry and artillery was kept up until dark. The brigade biouvacked on the ground and threw up a long rifle-pit during the night. The loss in our brigade in killed and wounded was over one hundred. That is what W. E. W. calls a slight skirmish. I think if he had been in front instead of the rear, he would have found it warm enough to call it a pretty well contested fight. General Steele, finding natural obstacles in his front, was ordered to fall back, leaving the enemy's right clear, and thus enabling him to mass his troops on the centre, the point which we attacked next day.

Twenty-ninth.--The plan of attack for this morning was as follows: The hills on the right were to be taken, and when in our possession, the signal for the advance of the centre was to be a general