Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[449] seventy-five yards further, and to within fifty yards of the enemy's battery and line of defences, when the right, wholly unsupported and receiving a terrible cross fire of musketry and artillery upon its flanks, broke and retired in disorder to our temporary defences. I found all efforts to rally the Eighteenth and Forty-fifth Tennessee, short of the defences, in vain and, indeed, impracticable, under the storm of grape and canister which prevailed upon every part of the field over which these two regiments passed. The centre and left continued steadily to advance until they crossed the Chattanooga road two or three hundred yards, and passed the battery in our front, but on the right flank of the Thirty-second Tennessee regiment. But being unsupported on the right, in consequence of the retreat of the Eighteenth and Forty-fifth Tennessee regiments, it became necessary to retire the remainder of the line, because to have advanced further would have exposed it to the hazard of being cut off, while to have remained stationary, without shelter and under fire from a protected foe, would have sacrificed the men without obtaining any compensating advantage. I therefore ordered it to retire, which it accomplished in comparatively good order, to the original line. While re-forming my line, I received a slight wound, which disabled me from duty for the remainder of the day, and I refer to the report of Colonel Cook, upon whom the command devolved, for the conduct of the brigade in the evening.

It would give me pleasure to mention the distinguished valor exhibited by many officers and men throughout the action; but the limits of this report will not permit it, and, by implication, injustice might be done to others not named. With but few individual exceptions, the whole command did credit to the noble State which sent it into the field, and added new lustre to the cause for which it fought.

To the regimental commanders, and to Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, of the Forty-fifth, and Major McGuire, of the Thirty-second, who respectively commanded the skirmishers, I cheerfully accord the highest meed of praise for bravery and skill. In the death of Colonel Lillard, the country lost one of her best men and bravest soldiers, and his command an officer whose place cannot be supplied. I feel deeply the loss of Colonel Palmer's services in the field, for with him on the right, the gallant Cook in the centre, and the brave Lillard on the left, I felt the utmost confidence in the unvarying steadiness of my line.

I beg leave to refer you to the accompanying reports of my regimental commanders (marked A, B, C, D and E) for detailed accounts of the part borne by those several commands.

I cannot close without expressing my obligations to the members of my staff, Captain H. J. Cherry, A. A. G., Captain Gid. H. Low, A. A., Inspector-General, and Lieutenant James T. Brown, A. D. C., for the services rendered by them during the entire engagement. More gallant men could not be found. They discharged their several duties with a degree of fidelity and intrepidity which mere language cannot reward. Major B. P. Roy, A. Q. M. General, Major B. F. Carter, A. C. S., Dr. James F. Grant, brigade surgeon, and Lieutenant Mark S. Cockrille, ordnance officer, performed their several duties with an efficiency and zeal deserving the highest praise. I am also indebted to George B. McCallum and M. A. Carter, acting staff officers, for valuable and efficient assistance on the field throughout the battle.

I have the honor to be, Major,

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

Major: In obedience to orders, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by this brigade in the action of the twentieth of September:

The brigade arrived on the battle-field, at Alexander's Bridge, at two o'clock A. M., on the twentieth, from Western Virginia. About ten o'clock General Kershaw ordered me into line of battle on his left. Heavy firing was heard in our front, when we advanced in line parallel to the Lafayette road. Crossing the road, we found the enemy on a hill at the edge of an old field. General Kershaw at once engaged him and drove him from his position. At this time General Bushrod Johnson rode up to me and requested me to move my brigade to General Kershaw's right, as the enemy were massing in that direction and threatening a flank movement. I immediately moved to General Kershaw's right, met the enemy in force, drove in his skirmishers and found him intrenched on a hill with artillery. After engaging him and reconoitring his position, I found it impossible to drive him from it.

I immediately informed General Longstreet of the enemy's position and strength, and received orders from him to hold my position without advancing, while he sent a division to attack him on the right and left. The attack on my left was first made with doubtful success; the attack on my right was successful, driving the enemy from his position in great confusion. It was now dark, and no further pursuit was made.

I refer you to the accompanying lists of casualties. The brigade captured during the day over four hundred prisoners, five stands of colors, and twelve hundred small arms.

On the twenty-second, learning that a party of the enemy was on the mountain, near the gap at Rossville, I detached thirty men from the Eighteenth regiment, and the command of Captain Ratcliff, Company A, and Lieutenant Ottenburg, of Company K, to skirmish for them. They succeeded in capturing nine officers and one hundred and twenty men, making a total of prisoners captured by the brigade, thirty-seven