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

[476] Preston, I moved my brigade by the right flank and re-formed on the crest of a ridge about half a mile north of Hunt's house. As soon as the line was formed, I deployed the First regiment Florida cavalry (dismounted), Colonel Maxwell, as skirmishers, three hundred yards in advance, and covering the entire front of the brigade. This regiment soon became engaged with the enemy's infantry in a corn field and the woods to the right of the field. It kept up quite a brisk fire for more than two hours, when the right was driven in by a destructive fire of grape and canister from a battery in the field. At this time I was ordered to reinforce General Hood and move in the direction of the firing. The firing was on my right. I moved by the right flank until met by a staff officer, who came to conduct me to the point where General Hood needed support — the position held by General Benning's brigade. At his instance I moved by the front. Soon after I was met by another staff officer, who claimed my support for General Robertson's brigade. I continued my movement by the front until I came near a corn field, in which the enemy had a battery, protected by earthworks, near the Chattanooga road, and supported by a long line of infantry drawn up in the field, and in riflepits and woods on the right and left of the battery. The enemy was advancing when I first discovered him, and had passed about one-third the length of the field. The troops that had won the wooded ridge outside of the field, and on my right, were falling back in some confusion. The advance of the enemy and the falling back of our troops seemed to effect some change in the mind of the officer conducting me. He requested me to halt until he could learn precisely what position I was to take. While thus halted and under the enemy's fire, General Robertson appeared and hurriedly informing me that his line was very much weakened and would be beaten back unless quickly reinforced, indicated the direction in which I should move. I obliqued to the right until I supposed that my right was opposite to his left. This brought the front of my brigade to the corn field fence. All this while I had been under a most destructive fire of the enemy's artillery, and, at this time, he concentrated upon me the fire of his whole force in the corn field and in the timber around it. I had not, as yet, fired a single gun. I reserved my fire until I reached the fence. At the first volley the enemy broke in confusion to the left and rear. Seeing his confusion, I ordered my brigade to charge before he could rally. The Sixth Florida regiment gallantly responded, leaping the fence and dashing forward to the crest of the ridge, forcing the enemy's broken line to seek the nearest cover on the right, left, and rear. This regiment regained the ridge, which I am informed was won and lost more than once during the day, cleared the corn field of all the infantry, drove nearly all the gunners from the battery, and would have certainly captured it but for a lamentable interference with my command.

When the order to charge was given, I was on the right with this regiment. The order was not promptly conveyed to the other regiments of the brigade, and they failing to conform to the movements of the Sixth Florida, it got from one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards in advance. Having gained the crest of the ridge, I discovered, for the first time, that the other regiments of the brigade were not up with the Sixth Florida. I immediately started to bring them up, but had gone but a short distance, when I perceived them crossing the fence and moving forward in good order. I returned to direct the movements of the Sixth Florida. When these regiments had reached the second fence, I discovered that they were being moved by Brigadier-General Robertson across the field by the right flank and in rear of the Sixth. Finding that this regiment would not receive support from the rest of my brigade, and it being exposed to a terrible fire from the front and left (the enemy having in part recovered from his panic), I withdrew it below the crest of the ridge, and unwillingly relinquished the capture of the battery, which a few minutes before I had regarded as almost accomplished. For such was the disposition of my brigade that when the charge was ordered, two regiments and half of another on my left overlapped the enemy's battery and supports, and, when withdrawn from the field, they were moving rapidly to turn his right flank. Night put an end to the conflict.

On the morning of the twentieth, I formed my brigade four hundred yards in the rear of Manigault's brigade, Hindman's division, and was ordered to support him and conform to his movements. About twelve o'clock M., General Manigault moved forward in the direction of the Chattanooga road. I followed. When within four hundred yards of the road, I came up with his artillery, which had halted, and met a good many stragglers from his brigade. I rode forward to the road and found some confusion in the brigade. I informed an officer of General Manigault s staff that I was there to support him and ready to render the support at any moment.

About this time I learned from an officer of General Hindman's staff, that the left of Hindmand's division was threatened and would be turned unless quickly supported (the left of that division having been supported up to that time by Manigault's brigade). I moved my brigade to the Chattanooga road in double-quick time, passing General Manigault's brigade and taking the front. The position of the enemy being indicated to me, I disposed of the troops of my command with a view to offensive movements, and ordered the battery assigned me (Captain Peeples, Ninth Georgia battalion) to take position and open fire upon the enemy. The enemy failing to respond, after several rounds, and it being evident that he had withdrawn from that part of the field, I ordered the firing to cease and proposed to advance, when I received orders from General Buckner to move down the Chattanooga