Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/406

 Battle of Chickamauga. 406

wires extended from Chattanooga to General Rosencranz's head- quarters, and at the gorge of the gap a train of wagons filled the road, while a number of caissons and a battery of artillery, for defence of the train, occupied the grounds near Villetoe's house. The ridge on the east of the cove was taken without resistance, though the enemy had there constructed a breastwork of rails, and had filled up a large number of their knapsacks, secure, as they doubtless thought, from the danger of the battlefield. As soon as this ridge was occu- pied, which was a few minutes before twelve M., our advance position, commanded by adjacent hills and separated on the right and left as far as I could see from our troops, induced me immediately to send my Aide-de-Camp, Captain Blackemore, to report our position to Lieutenant-General Longstreet, commanding our wing, and to bring up artillery and infantry to our support, while I disposed of my com- mand for defence. Gregg's brigade was at once posted, partly facing to the north, at the edge of the woods at the north end of the field, and partly facing to the west, along a portion of the adjacent ridge. Johnson's brigade was posted, facing to the west, on the crest of the ridge, about one hundred yards to the left of Gregg's brigade. Both brigades immediately advanced their skirmishers to the front.

When I discovered the train of wagons at the gorge of the Craw- fish road, the enemy were making every effort to get them away. I promptly posted Everett's battery on the ridge between Johnson's and Gregg's brigades, when it opened fire on the train. The fire of the artillery and some shots from our advancing skirmishers, created the utmost consternation among the drivers and teams, causing some of the wagons to be upset, and others to be run against trees and up the precipitous acclivities adjacent. Lieutenant Everett also sent forward one piece of artillery to a knoll in the cornfield, south of Villetoe's house, which fired up the gorge along the Crawfish road. A few shots were fired upon us from a battery of the enemy posted on the high ground north of our position, to which Everett's artillery replied, firing about six rounds, when the enemy ceased firing on us. A ball from Lieutenant Everett's battery dismounted one of the guns (a rifle piece) near Villetoe's house, by breaking the axle- tree. Our skirmishers now advanced and took possession of the wagons, caissons and guns. Lieutenant Everett sent forward two teams and hauled off one Napoleon gun and caisson, attaching, for that purpose, the limber of a six-pound gun found near by the Napoleon, for which no limber was found. This gun has since been ascertained