Aaron Vinson
Private
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2025
- Location
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
5 of the 7 Confederate commands after action reports from the Battle of Wauhatchie are in the ORs including Longstreet, but Jenkins and Bennings are not. I've found them and transcibed them but Benning's is pretty bad in some places, especially page 3. I'm confident to say this is maybe 95% accurate but some words im not sure so I wanted to enlist some of yall who certainly have more expierience reading old cursive/bad handwriting. The ## are words im not sure and ones in () are my best guess. Here is the report - https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/data/columbus/ghlb/pdfs/columbus_ghlb_ghlb17-040.pdf - and here is my transcription:
Headquarters Benning's
Brigade - 4th Nov. 1863
Captain -
I have the honor to submit to you the following report of the participation of this brigade in the action of the 28th beyond Lookout Creek.
It was I think about 8 ½ or 9 PM when the brigade reached the railroad having crossed the mountain since dark - then it was halted - and I was informed by the Brig. Gen commanding the Division that Law's brigade had already crossed the creek at the lower bridge, that Robertson's was then crossing there - that these two brigades would be on the right of the line of battle occupying ridges so as to command the road on the other side of the ridges and prevent the force of the enemy encamped on the right from moving up that road to the assistance of the force encamped on the left when that should be attacked - that it would be attacked by Col. Bratton with Jenkins' brigade - that Jenkins' brigade was already across the creek having crossed it at the upper bridge + was advancing towards the enemy's encamped on the left - that my brigade must follow Col. Bratton + occupy the crest of the hill in front of the bridge as long as Col. Bratton had passed the hill. In marching forward - + that, connecting on the right with the two brigades on the right, I should cooperate with them in preventing 2 the enemies force on the right from moving up the road to the aid of that on the left.
In an hour or two I was ordered to advance. I crossed the creek and had to halt again for some time till the troops in my front could get out of my way. At length my brigade ascended the ridge indicated + formed in line of battle on it. I discovered almost immediately that the road was too far off to be commanded from that line - the distance could not have been less than three hundred yards + the intervening ground was a thickly woody mountain side in some places very steep - the wood (unlevly) excluding a view of the road.
I thought the spirit rather than the letter of my instruction was to be obeyed and therefore I advanced the brigade till it came within thirty yards of the road. Then I halted again in line of battle.
Shortly after ascending this position I received an order to march to the left of the railroad - I did so by the flank, there having a wide gap between my brigade + the two on the right. On arriving at the railroad the Brig. General commanding informed me that he wished me to select the best position there for covering Col. Bratton on his return from the attack on the left - whom he had ordered back or was about to order back. I then placed my line 3 in the road which passes to the right out of the road from the bridge and makes a short cut off into the valley road from which I had come. There my line faced sufficiently towards this line to oppose any force moving from that direction and (put on me ##) commanding a part of the valley road. By which it could interrupt and attack from that (ledge.) Then I ordered a breastworks of ## to be created as quickly as possible - a pretty good one was put up in a very short time.
When this was about completed the pickets reported to me that the enemy were near on the right. I then turned the breastworks across the road at right angle + ran it thirty or forty yards into the woods. The men formed behind this (net) angular work.
Soon afterwards Col. Logan with the pickets of the division who having, after nightfall, been relieved on the other side of the mountain had lately come up + been placed under my command was ordered by me from his first position on my left to a position on my right in continuation of the line across the road into the woods. This order he executed promptly.
These dispositions made me await the approach 4 of the enemy.
Little firing had taken place. Our pickets had shot down several cavalrymen attempting to dash up the road from the right to the left where the fight was going on + had taken a few prisoners. The enemy however was still near at hand and a part of them had got into the wood (on) the ridge which I, by the original order, was to occupy. I heard them talking myself + their line was visible to the pickets. There they were threatening to cut us off from the bridge.
About the time Col. Logan had established himself in his new position on my right in the woods, I saw the front of Col. Bratton's troops returning down the road. They proved to be two regiments, the foremost commanded by Major(.)
They were moving in perfect order + without any sign of hurry or (exertment). Knowing that the enemy were in the wood towards the bridge I requested the Major to form his regiment in front of the bridge + ## the hill instead of crossing over. He did so. I afterwards found him in line there.
5 The rest of Col. Bratton's command passed down to the bridge by another way nearer the creek which was out of my sight.
When the whole command had crossed the bridge except the part of it lately forward in line in front of the bridge. I moved my brigade back to the bridge leaving in the breastworks a strong line of skirmishers. Col. Logan (pursued) as (similar) course with his command.
Arrived near the bridge I deployed 15th reg Ga. Vols. as skirmishers in front of the bridge + of the line referred to.
This line then crossed the bridge and I followed it with the three other regiments of my brigade.
My skirmishers were sent for when I commenced moving to the bridge with the three brigades. They all came in safely having repulsed two attacks of the enemy, one a dash of a small cavalry party on the breastwork across the road, the other an attack of infantry skirmishers on the angle of the work.
There Captain I have given you an account of the hand which this brigade had in the night affair of the 28th and I (regret much) having had to use so many words for so little matter.
We had two or three wounded not dangerously + two are missing no doubt taken prisoners, as they went towards the (road) occupied by, as afterwards found out by the enemy. It was important to know where Gen. Robertson's left was. These two young men volunteered to go + ascertain. They were gallant fellows. Their names are John J. Boswell Co. C 17th Ga. + David Zackary Co. H 17th Ga.
Captain
I am very respectfully
Your obedient servant
Henry L. Benning
Brig. Gen.
Headquarters Benning's
Brigade - 4th Nov. 1863
Captain -
I have the honor to submit to you the following report of the participation of this brigade in the action of the 28th beyond Lookout Creek.
It was I think about 8 ½ or 9 PM when the brigade reached the railroad having crossed the mountain since dark - then it was halted - and I was informed by the Brig. Gen commanding the Division that Law's brigade had already crossed the creek at the lower bridge, that Robertson's was then crossing there - that these two brigades would be on the right of the line of battle occupying ridges so as to command the road on the other side of the ridges and prevent the force of the enemy encamped on the right from moving up that road to the assistance of the force encamped on the left when that should be attacked - that it would be attacked by Col. Bratton with Jenkins' brigade - that Jenkins' brigade was already across the creek having crossed it at the upper bridge + was advancing towards the enemy's encamped on the left - that my brigade must follow Col. Bratton + occupy the crest of the hill in front of the bridge as long as Col. Bratton had passed the hill. In marching forward - + that, connecting on the right with the two brigades on the right, I should cooperate with them in preventing 2 the enemies force on the right from moving up the road to the aid of that on the left.
In an hour or two I was ordered to advance. I crossed the creek and had to halt again for some time till the troops in my front could get out of my way. At length my brigade ascended the ridge indicated + formed in line of battle on it. I discovered almost immediately that the road was too far off to be commanded from that line - the distance could not have been less than three hundred yards + the intervening ground was a thickly woody mountain side in some places very steep - the wood (unlevly) excluding a view of the road.
I thought the spirit rather than the letter of my instruction was to be obeyed and therefore I advanced the brigade till it came within thirty yards of the road. Then I halted again in line of battle.
Shortly after ascending this position I received an order to march to the left of the railroad - I did so by the flank, there having a wide gap between my brigade + the two on the right. On arriving at the railroad the Brig. General commanding informed me that he wished me to select the best position there for covering Col. Bratton on his return from the attack on the left - whom he had ordered back or was about to order back. I then placed my line 3 in the road which passes to the right out of the road from the bridge and makes a short cut off into the valley road from which I had come. There my line faced sufficiently towards this line to oppose any force moving from that direction and (put on me ##) commanding a part of the valley road. By which it could interrupt and attack from that (ledge.) Then I ordered a breastworks of ## to be created as quickly as possible - a pretty good one was put up in a very short time.
When this was about completed the pickets reported to me that the enemy were near on the right. I then turned the breastworks across the road at right angle + ran it thirty or forty yards into the woods. The men formed behind this (net) angular work.
Soon afterwards Col. Logan with the pickets of the division who having, after nightfall, been relieved on the other side of the mountain had lately come up + been placed under my command was ordered by me from his first position on my left to a position on my right in continuation of the line across the road into the woods. This order he executed promptly.
These dispositions made me await the approach 4 of the enemy.
Little firing had taken place. Our pickets had shot down several cavalrymen attempting to dash up the road from the right to the left where the fight was going on + had taken a few prisoners. The enemy however was still near at hand and a part of them had got into the wood (on) the ridge which I, by the original order, was to occupy. I heard them talking myself + their line was visible to the pickets. There they were threatening to cut us off from the bridge.
About the time Col. Logan had established himself in his new position on my right in the woods, I saw the front of Col. Bratton's troops returning down the road. They proved to be two regiments, the foremost commanded by Major(.)
They were moving in perfect order + without any sign of hurry or (exertment). Knowing that the enemy were in the wood towards the bridge I requested the Major to form his regiment in front of the bridge + ## the hill instead of crossing over. He did so. I afterwards found him in line there.
5 The rest of Col. Bratton's command passed down to the bridge by another way nearer the creek which was out of my sight.
When the whole command had crossed the bridge except the part of it lately forward in line in front of the bridge. I moved my brigade back to the bridge leaving in the breastworks a strong line of skirmishers. Col. Logan (pursued) as (similar) course with his command.
Arrived near the bridge I deployed 15th reg Ga. Vols. as skirmishers in front of the bridge + of the line referred to.
This line then crossed the bridge and I followed it with the three other regiments of my brigade.
My skirmishers were sent for when I commenced moving to the bridge with the three brigades. They all came in safely having repulsed two attacks of the enemy, one a dash of a small cavalry party on the breastwork across the road, the other an attack of infantry skirmishers on the angle of the work.
There Captain I have given you an account of the hand which this brigade had in the night affair of the 28th and I (regret much) having had to use so many words for so little matter.
We had two or three wounded not dangerously + two are missing no doubt taken prisoners, as they went towards the (road) occupied by, as afterwards found out by the enemy. It was important to know where Gen. Robertson's left was. These two young men volunteered to go + ascertain. They were gallant fellows. Their names are John J. Boswell Co. C 17th Ga. + David Zackary Co. H 17th Ga.
Captain
I am very respectfully
Your obedient servant
Henry L. Benning
Brig. Gen.
Bringing the