Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/386

 380 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Report of Captain JAMES T. HUNTER, Commanding Fourth Texas Regiment in the Battle of Chickamauga.

IN THE FIELD NEAR CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, September 28th, 1863.

Lieutenant KERR, A. A. A. General:

During the absence of my seniors in command, the duty devolves upon me of making a report of the part enacted by the Fourth Texas regiment on Saturday and Sunday, the igth and 2Oth September, 1863.

Therefore, I have the honor to respectfully submit the following :

At 3:30 P. M., on the evening of the igth, the brigade was ordered forward, we occupying our natural position in line of battle. We had advanced but a short distance when we met quite a number of men returning (command not known). Soon after a sharp fire com- menced on the left of the brigade, and extended down the line to the right. Up to the time we met this line, our progress had not been impeded except by a line of skirmishers and a heavy fire of grape and canister. The regiment moved up in fine style, and met and charged the enemy gallantly, driving them from their position. They then took refuge behind a house, some fencing, trees, etc. Here a desperate struggle ensued, and here it was that Colonel Bane, whilst gallantly discharging his duties, received a wound which compelled him to leave the field (the command consequently devolved upon Captain Bassett). Here, too, fell the gallant Lieutenants Bookman and Killingsworth ; also Ed. Francis, our color-sergeant, and many brave and gallant men. In driving the enemy from this position the fighting was desperate. As many as two individual hand-to-hand engagements with the bayonet occurred. In taking this position we forced them to desert a battery that occupied a position in front of the left of the regiment ; but by this time our line becoming deranged, we fell back some two hundred yards in the timber, reformed the regiment, moved up and held position a short distance in front of the house until recalled by order about sunset.

On the following day, about noon, we again moved forward in the same position in line we had occupied the day previous. We moved immediately in rear of another line, and consequently had gone a considerable distance before we received a heavy fire except from the enemy's batteries. On arriving at a field about one mile from where