Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/400

 Battle of C hickamauga. 399

Fiftieth Tennessee regiment, which now contracted its line and con- centrated its fire upon the enemy on the left in the vicinity of Vin- yard's. Under the spirited charge and heavy fire of Robertson's brigade, the enemy were driven back some distance. The operations of the brigade will be more properly reported by its division com- mander. It will, however, be proper for me to state that, during a halt, before Robertson's brigade reached the Chattanooga road, Brigadier- General Gregg rode out in front to reconnoitre the enemy's position. He very soon found himself near the enemy's line, and was suddenly halted by the Yankee skirmishers. Turning his horse to ride back to the rear, he was shot through the neck. Having fallen from his horse, the Yankees proceeded to take from his person his spurs and sword, when Robertson's brigade charged forward and recovered possession of him and his horse.

Brigadier-General Gregg deserves special commendation for his gallantry and activity on the field. The brigade which he com- manded is an excellent one, and is commanded by a worthy and able officer.

Colonel Suggs, of the Fiftieth Tennessee regiment, also merits particular notice for the manner in which he from time to time dis- posed his regiment and protected our flank, which was necessarily exposed in our advance, as the movement did not extend to the division on our left. While these operations were going on in my left brigade, the right one, Johnson's, with which the Forty- first Tennessee regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel James D. Tillman, and the Third Tennessee regiment, under Colonel C. H. Walker, of Gregg's brigade, preserved their connection, having advanced some six hundred yards, received the fire of the enemy's artillery and infantry and became hotly engaged. The enemy were posted upon rising ground. A battery swept our ranks with grape-shot, while their infantry delivered heavy volleys from small arms. The contest continued here nearly an hour, when the enemy, after a stub- born resistance, gradually retired to an open woods, beyond the road from Chattanooga to Lee & Gordon's Mill; approaching the road, a part of the brigade halted and poured its fire into the enemy's ranks, now in full view, two hundred yards in front; again advanced, crossed the road, gained the cover of the woods on the left of the field in which the enemy's battery was posted, a clearing, with enclosure, intervening. The Twenty-fifth Tennessee regiment, under tenant-Colonel B. R. Snowden, and part of the Twenty-third nessee regiment now wheeled to the right, moved on the flank of the