course until we struck the main Georgia State road, near which we took a position about 3 miles from the first position occupied by my regiment. Here we remained quiet until dark, when, by order of Colonel John T. Croxton, I moved my men to the rear three-quarters of a mile and camped for the night.

On Sunday morning, September 20, I marched the regiment at 3 o'clock back to the position across the Georgia State road that we left the evening previous. The regiment was then formed in line of battle on the right of the brigade. At about 7 a. m. the brigade was moved about one-half mile to the left. My regiment was then formed on the right of the brigade, in rear of the Tenth Indiana. The battle opened on our front about 9 a. m., and continued until about 10.30 or 11, when the troops on our right gave way, the enemy completely flanking us on the right in large force. I immediately formed my regiment by filing to the right on a line perpendicular to the one just occupied, but held this position but a few moments. We were overwhelmed by numbers, and the enemy continued to flank us. Our loss at this point was very great. It was here that the gallant Captain Bevill fell mortally wounded. Colonel John T. Croxton, our brigade commander, was wounded about the same time. I then moved the regiment to the left, near the house on the hill. Colonel Croxton's wounds not permitting him to remain on the field, I took command of the brigade, and Lieutenant-Colonel Wharton took command of the regiment.

The officers and soldiers of the regiment behaved with great gallantry and courage. They all did their duty nobly. We went into the fight with 421 men. A statement showing the number and names*

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. H. HAYS,

Colonel Tenth Kentucky Infantry.

Lieutenant CHARLES V. RAY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Brigade.

Numbers 54.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel C. Wharton, Tenth Kentucky Infantry.

HDQRS. TENTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Chattanooga, Tenn., September 28. 1863.

SIR: In obedience to orders just received from you, I have the honor to make the following statement of the action of the Tenth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry during the battle of the 20th September, while under my command:

At about 11 o'clock on the 20th Colonel John T. Croxton, commanding Second Brigade, was severely wounded at the head of his column, and the command of the brigade devolved upon Colonel W. H. Hays, of the Tenth Kentucky Regiment, when I assumed command of the regiment. At this time the regiment, together with the Fourth Kentucky Regiment and the Fourteenth Ohio, were posted on the crest of a high hill on the west side of the Chattanooga and La Fayette road, which they were ordered to hold, which we succeeded in doing with slight loss, until 3 o'clock, when we were relieved by the divis-

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*Embodied in revised statement, p. 172.

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