Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/664

Rh of the latter retired. Meanwhile three companies of the Twenty-fourth, under Capt. J. D. Smith, as sharpshooters, were holding the ridge on the north side of the mountain under fire from the Moccasin Point batteries, to cover the retreat of the brigade. When Colonel Dowd reached the ridge, nothing but a handful of his men remained. The remnants of the other regiments gained this point, and formed line of battle south of the Craven house, but the pickets on the right, under Col. J. A. Campbell, were cut off and mostly captured. Being reinforced, the brigade fought in their new line, holding back Hooker from executing his desired movement against Bragg's left flank until night, the Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and a remnant of the Thirty-fourth fighting under Colonel Brantly. The loss was very heavy. Four companies of the Twenty-fourth, on picket under command of Lieut.-Col. McKelvaine, were killed, wounded or captured; the Thirtieth lost 130, and the others similar numbers. The brigade was about 1,200 strong, and lost 100 killed and wounded, and 845 captured. The remnant of the brigade served with credit next day on Missionary Ridge, losing 28, among them General Walthall, severely, and Adjutant Campbell, of the Twenty-ninth, mortally wounded.

In the battle of Missionary Ridge Lowrey's brigade and Swett's artillery battalion shared the creditable work where Cleburne, fighting all day, bloodily repulsed the enemy. "Swett's battery was hotly engaged the whole day and lost some noble officers and men.’’ But on Taylor's Ridge, near Ringgold, where Cleburne made his famous stand, saving the army and winning the thanks of Congress, Lowrey's Thirty-second and Forty-fifth Mississippi, under Col. A. B. Hardcastle, and the Fifteenth battalion sharpshooters, under Capt. Daniel Coleman, were particularly distinguished. During the battle, General Cleburne reported, "General Lowrey brought up the Thirty-second and Forty-fifth Mississippi in double time, and threw them into the fight at a critical moment. The