Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/376

 Battle of Chickamauga. 375

of the line fell killed or wounded in one fight or the other. Lieu- tenant Hermon H. Perry, Brigade Inspector and Acting Adjutant had his horse shot under him. Owen T. Thweatt, one of my couriers had his horse shot under him. Joseph D. Bethuye, another, had. his horse shot under him, and was at the same time himself wounded The remaining courier, S. Sligh, was knocked from his horse by a piece of shell, which, however, only bruised him. Hardly a man or officer escaped without a touch of his person or clothes. Colonel Waddell of the Twentieth, Major Shannon of the Fifteenth, Major Charlton of the twenty-three field officers left, set a shining example to their men, as did those that were wounded.

A list of the casualties has already been forwarded, also a tabular statement of the strength of the brigade on each day.

I am, Captain, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

HENRY L. BENNING.

Notes by General Benning on Battle of Chickamauga.

The brigade was hotly engaged both days. The first day the number of officers and men was about eight hundred and fifty. The loss this day was very heavy, but it was never reported separately. At night about fifty more joined the brigade. Next day the loss was gain heavy. For both days it amounted to about five hundred and ten, of whom nearly all were killed or wounded. Five field officers out of eight were killed or wounded. Seventeen officers out of twenty-two in the Twentieth Georgia were killed or wounded. The reports are lost, but I remember what I have stated. The field officers were: Lieutenant Colonel Matthews, Seventeenth Georgia, mortally wounded and died at night; Lieutenant- Colonel Seago, Twentieth Georgia, shot through the lungs; Captain McLewis, act- ing Major, Second Georgia, lost a leg; Lieutenant-Colonel Shepherd, commanding Second Georgia, and Colonel Du Bose, Fifteenth, were also wounded, but not so severely.

The conduct of the brigade was most excellent. The second day it captured two batteries of four guns each, one with its flag, and held them, after a desperate struggle by the enemy to retake them. Here Lieutenant Colonel Matthews received his death wound, acting with most conspicuous gallantry. We were forced back behind the