Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/375

 374 Southern Historical Society Papers.

heavy to my numbers. In the Twentieth regiment seventeen officers out of twenty-thiee were killed and wounded. In the other regi- ments, the proportion though not so great, was very great.

The proportionate loss among the men was but little less. The command fought with a dogged resolution.

On the next day the brigade was in line a little to the right of the place where it had fought the day before and a short distance in the rear of Law's brigade. At about 12 o'clock M., I was ordered to follow and support that brigade at the distance of from three to four hundred yards. After advancing, in obedience to this order, four or five hundred yards, and after having passed the Chattanooga road, Law's brigade which had moved a little faster than mine became lost to view in the thick woods. At the same time I saw the enemy in considerable force on his right, apparently preparing to attack his flank and rear. I immediately changed the direction of march by bearing to the right and advancing my left so as to face the enemy. I then marched upon them and attacked them. After a sharp con- test they gave way and we pursued them. They made a stand at some artillery in the woods, but were driven again from this posi- tion and pursued several hundred yards beyond the guns, where they disappeared in the woods. In a short time they returned in heavy force and made a desperate effort to recover their ground. Here there was a very obstinate fight. At length I saw them turn- ing my right to get into my rear. We then fell back behind the cannon, facing so as to meet this new demonstration. The enemy followed a short distance, but not fast enough to retake the artillery, and for some time kept up with us at long range an artillery fire, and finally they disappeared.

The artillery taken consisted of seven or eight pieces. Accord- ing to my account there were eight four brass and four iron pieces. Some of the officers thought there were only three. A flag was also taken with the guns.

The brigade, reduced as it was to a handful by the fight of the day before, again suffered heavily. Lieutenant-Colonel Matthews, commanding Seventeenth Georgia, fell, mortally wounded, while acting in a most heroic manner.

On the previous day four field officers had been wounded, one I fear mortally, Lieutenant-Colonel Seago, Twentieth Georgia; the other three were Colonel Du Bose, of the Fifteenth Georgia, Lieu- tenant-Colonel Sheppard, commanding Second Georgia, and Cap- tain McLaws, acting Major of Second Georgia. Many other officers