No. 173. -- Report of Brig. Gen. Patton Anderson, C. S. Army, commanding Second Brigade.
The engagement had now fairly commenced on the right, and that portion of Major-General Hardee's line to which we were now moving up, by order of General Bragg,
was sharply engaging the enemy's skirmishers. The face of the country at this point, consisting of alternate hills and boggy ravines overgrown with heavy timber and thick underbrush, presented features remarkably favorable for the operations of skillful skirmishers. Our impetuous volunteers charged them, however, whenever they appeared, and drove them from their cover back to their lines, near the first camp met with on the Bark road leading toward Pittsburg.
Here the enemy, having greatly the advantage of position for both his infantry and artillery, made a more creditable stand. A battery of his field pieces was in position on the height of a domineering hill, from 400 to 600 yards in front of our lines, commanding his camp and the approaches to it. Immediately in our front, and between us and this battery, ran a boggy ravine, the narrow swamp of which was thickly overgrown with various species of shrubs, saplings, and vines, so densely interwoven as to sometimes require the use of the knife to enable the footman to pass. Over this the enemy's battery had a full field of fire upon our whole lines as we descended the declivity terminating in the swamp, and on the opposite skirts of the swamp his infantry had all the advantages presented by such shelter on the one side and obstacles on the other. This ravine and its accompanying obstacles could be avoided on the right, but my position in the line required a dislodgment of the enemy from his cover before taking a movement in that direction, lest he should fall upon my flank and rear before I could make the circuit of the swamp and hill to reach him where he was.
No. 175. -- Report of Lieut. Col. Charles Jones, Seventeenth Louisiana Infantry.
We were brought into action on the morning of the 6th, occupying the extreme right of the brigade until we were exposed to the enemy's artillery, where we remained for some time, until we were ordered, with a portion of the line on our right and left, to take a battery immediately in our front. A Tennessee regiment (the Twenty-second, I think) was in front of us. We were delayed a moment by this regiment, when I gave the order to charge. When we reached the top of the hill the enemy poured into us a murderous fire. The Tennessee regiment before referred to retired by the flank through our lines, cutting their way through the center of our fourth company, separating our right from our left, and throwing us into some confusion. We did not retire, however, until we had poured several volleys into the enemy. We lost several killed and wounded in this charge.
We retired to the foot of the hill to reform for a second attack. The right wing also retired farther to the right, having been cut off from the colors by the Tennessee regiment. They charged a second time with, I think, the Twentieth Louisiana on the enemy's left line of support, when the battery was secured. I charged with the left wing on the enemy's right around the left of the hill, where I received a destructive flank fire from another of the enemy's batteries, as well as from his small-arms. From this position we were compelled to fall back to our first. It was in this second charge that Capt. R. H. Curry, of Company C, and Capt. W. A. Maddox, of Company I, both fell severely wounded.
No. 176. -- Report of Col. August Reichard, Twentieth Louisiana Infantry.
Soon after the commencement of the battle the brigade moved forward, and as we approached the enemy I was ordered to file off by the left, in the execution of which movement, the regiment passing through a dense undergrowth in which it was impossible to see five paces ahead, I was suddenly informed that we were separated from the balance of the brigade. Just at the moment when I was retracing my steps to rejoin the brigade a Tennessee regiment in full retreat broke right through my line, causing much disorder. The regiment, however, soon rallied, regained its position, and gallantly fought during the whole day side by side with the other regiments of the brigade. At the last charge, toward evening, when my regiment was severely cut
up by a cross-fire from rifle pits and a battery pouring forth a hail-storm of canister, my regiment was separated from the rest of the brigade, and, as night set in, I led the remnant of the regiment to our hospital, where we bivouacked.
No. 177. -- Report of Col. W. A. Stanley, Ninth Texas Infantry.
On the morning of the 6th we advanced in line of battle under a heavy fire of artillery and musketry from the enemy's first encampment.
Being ordered to charge the battery with our bayonets, we made two successive attempts; but finding, as well as our comrades in arms on our right and left, it almost impossible to withstand the heavy fire directed at our ranks, we were compelled to withdraw for a short time, with considerable loss. Being then ordered we immediately proceeded <ar10_509> to the support of the Washington Artillery, which, from their battery's well-directed fire, soon silenced the battery of the enemy, after which we immediately charged, routing the enemy from their first encampment, and continued a forward, double-quick march until we passed through two other encampments of the enemy, where we found our troops again heavily engaged with a second battery and its supports, to the galling fire of which my regiment was openly exposed.
No. 178. -- Report of Maj. Franklin H. Clack, "Confederate Guards Response" Battalion.
SIR: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to your orders, about 5 a.m., of the 6th instant, I drew up my command in column at half distance on the left of the Seventeenth Regiment Louisiana Volunteers, which occupied the right of your brigade, at a point distant, as I was informed, about 3 miles from the enemy's nearest camp, and between Owl Creek and Bark road, in McNairy County, Tennessee.
The position assigned the brigade at first, that of a reserve to support the First and Third Brigades of General Ruggles' division, having been changed, I formed my battalion in line of battle, under your orders in the same relative position as at first in the brigade, which at that time formed the left of General Hardee's line.
On arriving at the ridge nearest the enemy's first camp, owing to some accident, the Seventeenth Regiment Louisiana Volunteers became for a time separated from my right, and the First Florida and the Ninth Texas remained in their position on my left.
The order was then given to advance, and I took up a position in a hollow immediately below a hill on which was a camp of the enemy and on the slope beyond which they had a battery in position. The charge was made by my battalion, supported on my right by a portion of a regiment, which I was informed constituted a part of General Polk's command. The enemy were being driven back with much effort and stubbornly resisting, when some one in the force on the right gave the order to fall back, and simultaneously that force came rushing back, bearing my men with them. I drew off my force to the hollow from which we had charged. The second charge was successful, and we pursued the< ar10_511> enemy through that and another camp, and were brought to a stand by discovering a considerable force of the enemy posted in a thick wood on a slope to our left.
Having been separated from you, I consulted with Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, of the Seventeenth Louisiana, who I found had joined me on my left, and with General Russell, and we deemed it advisable to pause. You then placed the brigade in line and, if I am not mistaken in localities, led us to the successful attack of a camp on the left of our line.
From this time, sir, until the close of the day I am unable to describe the various localities in which you led us to the attack. We made several other successful charges., being ordered from one part of the field to the other, where our services were most needed.
Having bivouacked that night in a camp of the enemy, on the succeeding morning, at 5 o'clock, in obedience to your orders, I formed my line and we were placed as a reserve. Being ordered to the left in advance, with the artillery on our left,
the enemy were discovered in position in our front, protected by log breastworks. The order was given to charge, which was executed, and the enemy driven from their position. It was then discovered that they had a camp on the hill behind their breastworks, and after our flag had been planted in their camp a battery placed on a slope about 500 yards to our left opened on us, and you ordered us to fall back to the ravine whence we had charged. The enemy still having our range, you ordered a further retiring beyond range.
No. 191. -- Report of Col. Daniel W. Adams, First Louisiana Infantry, commanding First Brigade.
When we reached a position about 200 yards of the enemy's lines, near the hour of 8.30 a.m., they opened a very heavy fire upon us with the rifled muskets, followed very soon thereafter by the fire of their artillery.
In a very short time after the engagement commenced General Gladden, who was gallantly commanding in the advance of the brigade, received a very severe wound, which afterward proved mortal, from a cannon-shot, and having to be taken from the field, relinquished the command of the brigade in my favor.
Finding that the enemy were then pouring a most destructive fire upon us, I ordered a rapid advance of the brigade to drive them from their cover and position; but as we advanced the fire became so very severe that I found the whole brigade began to falter and finally to fall back. Fearing the worst consequences, I rode to the color-bearer of <ar10_537> the First Regiment Louisiana Infantry, the command of which I had turned over to Major Farrar, and seizing the battle-flag, placed myself in front of the brigade and called upon them to follow me, which they did with great alacrity, and leading them close to the enemy's lines I ordered a charge, which was promptly and effectively executed. The enemy were driven from their position and retreated very rapidly. Following them we took possession of the encampment and of General Prentiss' headquarters, and some of the privates of the Louisiana regiment seized and secured seven stand of colors.
No. 195. -- Report of Col. Z. C. Deas, commanding Twenty-second Alabama Infantry.
Marching in line of battle, at about 7 o'clock we came upon the enemy, drawn up in front of their camp, where they opened fire upon us with their infantry and a battery of artillery, to which we responded. Robertson's battery was brought into action, which soon silenced them, and shortly afterwards the enemy wavered, and we charged over their dismantled guns, driving them through their camps, where we halted to reform, and after a short time they again opened upon us with another <ar10_542> battery, which was silenced by our batteries. We then moved forward a few hundred yards and halted in support. Here Colonel Adams, who was in command--General Gladden having been very seriously wounded by a cannon-ball in the first engagement--was seriously wounded, and the command of the brigade devolving upon me, Lieutenant-Colonel Marrast took command of my regiment, and will finish this report.
No. 198. -- Report of Lieut. Col. William D. Chadick, Twenty-sixth Alabama Infantry.
On the 5th we reached our line of battle in front of the enemy's camp. After having rested in place a few hours we were ordered on picket duty. The night was spent without sleep.
Returning to the line of battle a little after daylight, we were ordered forward without a moment's halt. On reaching the scene of action the regiment was momentarily thrown in rear of our brigade by the troops on our left precipitately rushing in before us while we were crossing a marsh. A perplexing confusion ensued, which it was evident could only be remedied by moving up on the right of our brigade, which was done without an order from General Gladden, as we were unable to obtain one. We occupied the only available space in the line and in a few moments were hotly engaged, contributing a full share to the driving back of the enemy. When the charge was made upon the lines and into the camp of the enemy the Twenty-sixth was among the first to penetrate them. Passing through the camp, we were halted in rear of the tents along a line of fence immediately beneath the path of a terrific cannonading between our own and the enemy's batteries. Here Maj. John S. Garvin was wounded by an exploding shell.
No. 199. -- Report of Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers, C. S. Army, commanding Second Brigade.
When we arrived in sight our line of battle was formed, and the brigade moved steadily forward in the following order: The Tenth Mississippi Regiment, in command of Col. R. A. Smith, on the right; the Seventh Mississippi Regiment, Lieut. Col. H. Mayson, commanding, second; the Ninth Mississippi Regiment, Lieut. Col. W. A. Rankin, third; the Fifth Mississippi, Col. A. E. Fant, fourth; the Fifty-second Tennessee, Col. B. J. Lea, on the left, and Gage's battery of light artillery in the rear.
When within about 150 yards of the enemy the line was halted and a heavy firing ensued, in which a number of our men were killed and wounded, and Colonel Lea and Maj. T. G. Randle, of the Fifty-second Tennessee Regiment, lost their horses. After several rounds were discharged the order to charge bayonets was given, and the Tenth Mississippi Regiment (about 360 strong), led by its gallant colonel, dashed up the hill, and put to flight the Eighteenth Wisconsin Regiment, numbering nearly 1,000 men. The order to charge having been given from the right flank, where I was then stationed, was not heard down the line, and consequently the Tenth Mississippi moved alone in the first charge, though it was quickly followed by the Ninth and Seventh Mississippi, when the whole line of the enemy broke and fled, pursued by these three regiments through their camps and across a ravine about half a mile to the opposite hill, where they were halted by command of General Johnston.
No. 204. -- Reports of Col. John C. Moore, Second Texas Infantry.
At about 8.30 o'clock we moved to the right, and took position in the front line of battle on the left of General Chalmers' brigade. This brought us near a small stream, which I was told is known as Lick Creek.
Soon after we took position the enemy, deployed as skirmishers, opened fire on our line, wounding two or three of our men and also mortally wounding Captain Brooks, who was carried to the rear, and died on the 8th.
The enemy being concealed behind trees and logs, Captain Smith was ordered to deploy his company as skirmishers, cover our front, and <ar10_561> ascertain the precise position of the enemy. At the same time Captain Girardey's battery was thrown forward, and by firing into the woods seemed to disperse the enemy's forces.
Bringing the