Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/377

 376 Southern Historical Society Papers.

batteries, about forty yards, after having taken them, and there Mat- thews fell in the desperate stand we made > to recover and save the guns. We saved them, and finally, the enemy retired out of sight.

REPORT OF MAJOR-GENERAL A. P. STEWART.

HEADQUARTERS STEWART'S DIVISION, NEAR CHATTANOOGA, TENN.,

October I5th, 1863. Captain I. N. GALLAGHER,

Assistant Adjutant- General:

SIR, This division, constituting at the time a part of Buckner's corps, with the exception of Johnson's brigade detached, marched on Thursday morning, September lyth, 1863, from Lafayette, Georgia, in the direction of Chattanooga. We bivouacked for the night on Peavine creek, and resumed the march next morning, with Bate's brigade in front, Clayton's following, and Brown's in rear, the column taking the direction to Thedford's Ford, on the west Chick- amauga. Arriving during the afternoon of Friday, the i8th, within a mile or less of the ford, Major-General Buckner directed me to occupy the high ground in its vicinity, commanding the approaches to it, but not to bring on an engagement with the enemy, who were near at hand, unless necessary. With the aid of Major Nocquet, of the engineers, Bate's and Clayton's brigades, with their batteries, were placed in position on the wooded heights, respectively, below and above the ford, Brown's being drawn up in reserve in rear of Clayton's. The Eufala Battery, Captain Oliver, commanding, and Caswell's battalion of sharpshooters, both of Bate's brigade, opened fire upon the enemy, in the direction of Alexander's Bridge, who soon retired. Three companies from Clayton's brigade were then sent across the stream to occupy, as skirmishers, a wooded hill be- yond, and after nightfall his entire brigade crossed.

Early Saturday morning, the iQth, the other two brigades passed on, and formed in rear of Clayton's. The Commanding General coming up soon after, and receiving information that the troops which had crossed the stream lower down had advanced and estab- lished their line in front of and nearly at right angles to Preston's, whose division had passed the stream above and was then on my left, General Buckner directed me to move forward and form on the left