Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/396

 Battle of Chickamauga. 395

develop the position of the enemy, and was soon skirmishing with them. Just as my line was formed, Major Robertson came up from the direction of Lafayette and reported to me, with eight pieces of artillery. My line of skirmishers in front was now promptly ad- vanced to Peavine Creek, which offered some obstructions to regular movements, and caused some delay in crossing the troops. Captain McDonald, of the Seventeenth Tennessee regiment, opened fire with his company upon the enemy's pickets about one hundred and eighty yards west of the creek, and repulsed a charge of their re- serve, which was made down the road to the creek. Major Robert- son placed some four pieces of artillery from his own command and a section of Everett's battery in position, and opened upon the enemy, part of whom were dismounted, driving them back, with a section of artillery, which they had posted in good position. As soon as the command could cross the creek, the line, preserving its formation, with Robertson's brigade supporting McNair's on the right, was pressed forward to the top of the hill, dislodging the enemy from a second position. The cavalry, on the right, kept up the skirmishing during the ascent. We found in front of the Seven- teenth Tennessee regiment three Yankees killed and one mortally wounded. It was now ascertained that the enemy's force consisted of three or four regiments of mounted men. Pressing down the western declivity of this hill the enemy were again found in position at Reed's bridge, over which they had passed.

The skirmishers of the Twenty-third Tennessee regiment becoming engaged, the whole regiment, supported by the brigade, charged with a shout and run, and drove off the Yankees before they could destroy the bridge. The Twenty third Tennessee regiment here had five men wounded. After our skirmishers and some of the regiments had passed, the enemy opened a battery on the bridge, which was silenced by a section of Bledsoe's artillery.

Lieutenant Hastings, of the Seventeenth Tennessee regiment, was wounded at the bridge by the enemy's artillery.

My command commenced crossing the Chickamauga about three o'clock P. M. Major-General Hood having appeared in the column, I reported to him, and submitted to him my orders, just before pass- ing the bridge, in person. Having crossed the Chickamauga, partly by the bridge and partly by the ford above the bridge, by four o'clock P M. the command advanced to Jay's steam saw-mill, about one mile west of Reed's bridge, where there are two roads leading t< Alexander's bridge. I ordered the formation to be preserved, and