Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 11.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

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[188] the engagement, taking deliberate aim before every discharge of his piece, all the time being exposed to the fire of the enemy, who were but one hundred yards off, but still he stood to his piece until the order, ‘cease firing,’ was given.

Captain Rowan left Lieutenant Ritter in command, with orders to remodel the works during the night, while he himself went to look after some horses for the battery, to take the place of those which had been killed. Nine horses had been lost during the day. Lieutenant Ritter's saddle horse was shot and instantly killed early in the engagement. Lieutenant Ritter worked all night and by daylight the next morning the works were completed

Early on the morning of the 15th, Corput's battery was advanced to a position three hundred yards in front of the main line, and to the right of the Dalton road, with the object of enfilading the enemy's line. Before their entrenchments were completed, the Federals moved up through the woods a heavy column of infrantry, and charged the battery, running the cannoneers from their guns at the point of the bayonet, and planting their flag on the works. They were driven out in turn by the Confederate infantry posted in the rear, and the guns remained untouched, covered by the fire of both armies until night, when they fell into the enemy's lands.

In making the charge just described, the right of the enemy's column passed within three hundred yards of Rowan's battery, giving the latter the opportunity to open a terrific fire upon them. Many were killed and wounded, as they knew from the number of litters they saw leaving the field.

The firing continued throughout the day, at intervals. Lieutenant Ritter was wounded by a minnie ball, in the right arm, above the elbow, but the wound was of slight importance, as the ball passed through the fleshy part of the arm and lodged in the sleeve. He dressed the wound himself, and did not leave the field.

At night the army fell back. It was about 9 P. M. when the guns and limbers were run off the hill by hand to a ravine near by, and there limbered up. In withdrawing the pieces, the Lieutenant ordered his men to drive in stakes at each embrasure, to create the impression that he was fortifying. While thus engaged, they heard a voice call out to them through the darkness from the enemy in front: ‘It's about time now that Johnny Reb were getting away.’ And so he did, marching across Oostenaula river to Adairsville, which was reached on the 16th.