Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/544

536 command of Lieutenant Deas, to take position about one hundred yards to the right of Carter; and Reese, four rifles, about fifty yards to the right of Fry. Total, fourteen guns—two of Fry's guns having been sent, the day previous, on detached service, under the immediate command of Captain Fry.

As we ascended the hill, just before entering the long, narrow and difficult space between the woods on our left and line of works on our right, through which the column had to pass in order that the batteries might get into their respective positions, one of Montgomery's guns became detained by some accident, and thus escaped capture. There was a heavy fog and some scattering musketry, but no enemy visible, though they must have been much nearer than I had any idea of, as subsequent events showed. Arrived at the salient, and having explained to Captain William P. Carter that he was to occupy that point with his four guns, and having pointed out to Captain Montgomery the position for his three guns, just on Carter's left, I returned along the line of works by which we had come, in order to place Fry's two guns under Lieutenant Deas, and thence to Reese's battery. Having seen Reese going into position, I started off to return to Montgomery's battery (formerly commanded by me), but was astonished to find that the enemy had already captured that part of the line, together with Montgomery's three guns, Carter's four and Fry's two. Captain Carter, as I afterwards understood from some of the men who had escaped, had succeeded in getting two of his guns in position and fired twice. None of Montgomery's guns were in position. Lieutenant Charles L. Coleman, of this battery, fell mortally wounded, and his body was never recovered. It is said that while lying on the ground a corporal, in the confusion, asked him which way he should point the gun. "At the Yankees!" he replied, and those were his last words. Lieutenant Deas was wounded and captured while endeavoring, as usual, to do his utmost, regardless of odds, and if I remember rightly, he succeeded in firing once. In this condition of affairs, I returned to Reese's battery at once, and ordered Captain Reese to save his guns. Only one was saved, and this was brought off under the charge of a sergeant, whose name, I regret to say, I cannot recall. Captain Reese and the remaining three guns were captured, without the opportunity of firing a shot. This rifle gun of Reese's, therefore, and Montgomery's brass twelve-pounder, before mentioned, were the only two guns of my battalion that were saved, and I came off with them along