Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/390

 Battle of Chickamauga.

ander's bridge, over Chickamauga creek, and bivouacked at one o'clock A. M. on the 2oth. At nine o'clock we were ordered by the Lieutenant-General commanding to a position in reserve to Hood's division, near the headquarters of the Commanding General. About eleven o'clock I was ordered forward with the command to report to Major- General Hood. Arriving, I found his troops engaged in front and a line of battle just going in. General Hood directed me to form line in his rear, with my centre resting on the spot where I found him, which, I suppose, was his centre. Forming line, Hum- phreys on my left, as rapidly as possible, under fire of the enemy and in a thick wood, I moved as directed to the front. I had been directed to occupy a line of breastworks, but, before reaching that point, a staff officer of the Lieutenant General commanding was sent to direct me to a point further in advance. I crossed the Lafayette road near a house, and, crossing the open ground, entered the woods beyond and proceeded nearly to what I understood to be the Cove road. While passing through the last wood Lieutenant-General Longstreet directed me to look out for my right flank, and I had disposed of Colonel Hennagan's Eighth South Carolina, my right regiment, in such a manner as to cover me in that direction, as I supposed. Having reached the point last mentioned, the firing on my right be- came very heavy, and a portion of General Hood's division fell back along my line. I changed front almost perpendicularly to the right on Colonel Nance's Third South Carolina regiment, my left centre, which I had indicated as the directing battalion. This movement had just been accomplished when an officer of Brigadier General Law's staff informed me of the unfortunate loss of Major-General Hood, and suggested that, as senior brigadier, I should assume the direction of the two brigades of that division on my right. General Bushrod Johnson was present, and called for a comparison of rank, which seemed to satisfy him. Major Cunningham, Assistant In- spector-General, General Hood's staff, who had been sent by the General to conduct me, made the opportune suggestion that the Lieutenant-General commanding be informed. Relieved by this. I requested him to direct General Humphreys to move up and sup- port me on my right, he having been thrown in my rear by my change of front. General Johnson had undertaken to advance a brigade on my left.

The enemy occupied a skirt of wood on the far side of the field around Dyer's house; his right extending into the wood beyond the field, his left crossing the Cove road. His colors were ostentatiously