Corpets battery

[Foosfoos]

Corpets Battery flag.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

View attachment 60881 Corpets Battery flag.

Cherokee (Georgia) Artillery


Report of Capt. Max Van Den Corput, Cherokee (Georgia) Artillery.

HDQRS. CHEROKEE ARTILLERY, STEVENSON'S DIVISION,
December 29, 1863.
MAJ.: In obedience to orders from Maj.-Gen. Stevenson's
[headquarters], I send you a report of the part taken by my battery on
November 24 last while on the summit of Lookout Mountain:

On the night of November 23 and 24 last, I was ordered by Gen.
Brown, in command of Gen. Stevenson's division, to place two
Napoleon guns on the point of the mountain and relieve Garrity's
battery, which I did, and at 1 a.m. that night I had my section in
position on the right of the mountain, facing the Craven house.

At daybreak and until 10 o'clock the fog was so heavy that it was
impossible to distinguish anything in the valley below.

About 10 a.m. the fog on the side of Lookout Creek had disappeared
enough to show us the Federals moving in three different bodies from
the foot of Raccoon Mountain toward Lookout Creek. The pickets had
been firing from about sunrise toward the creek. We could hear very
distinctly cutting of timber in the valley, but presuming that the pickets
would give notice of any work going on on the side of the Federals, I
took no notice of it. The longest fuse that I had with my guns was 7",
which time would carry my shells only 1 mile. The position of the
Federals being far over that distance, I did not open fire on them then.
After their first charge on our infantry-who instantly gave way, the
enemy pursuing them-I opened fire on the Federals, having brought my
section in position on the left of the mountain. I fired 33 shells, doing
in many instances good execution. The Federals were, however, soon
under cover of the rocks, being unable to depress my guns enough. The
for during all that time was very dense on the right and in front of the
point. When the enemy made their charge I discover two places over the
creek where they had made bridges by cutting timber, which answered
for the cutting that I heard in the morning. Unable to do anything more,
I waited for further orders.

At about 12.30 p.m. I received orders to bring my pieces back toward
headquarters.

At 1 p.m., being close by headquarters, the order was countermanded
and I went back to the point. I took position on the right, the fog being
still very heavy, and waited for orders.

At about 2 p.m. Gen. Brown gave me orders to fire toward the
Craven house if I could ascertain the direction, the enemy being
reported in force in that direction. I obtained from the signal corps the
position of the house, and fired about thirty times at intervals in that
direction and toward the right. In the opinion of Gen. Brown, then
present, and according to my own judgment, I believe I did some good
firing.

At 3.45 p.m. I received orders from headquarters to retire with my
section from the point, which order was obeyed, and in passing at
headquarters I reported to the general, who gave me orders to proceed
with my battery to the foot of the mountain and from there to the rear.
In coming down the Lookout the enemy shelled my
battery severely, but every carriage being kept at a long distance, they
did no damage.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. VAN DEN CORPUT,
Capt.

Maj. J. J. REEVE,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Stevenson's Division.

Source: Official Records
CHAP. XLIII.] THE CHATTANOOGA-RINGGOLD CAMPAIGN. PAGE 728-55
[Series I. Vol. 31. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 55.]