No. 370.

Report of Brig. General John C. Brown, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.

HEADQUARTERS BROWN'S BRIGADE,
Before Chattanooga, October 13, 1863.

MAJOR:I respectfully beg leave to submit the following as a report of the part performed by my command in the battle of Chickamauga on September 19 and 20:

My brigade consisted of the Eighteenth Tennessee, Colonel J. B. Palmer; Forty-fifth Tennessee, Colonel A. Searcy; the Thirty-second Tennessee, Colonel Ed. C. Cook;Newman's battalion, Major Taz. W. Newman, and the Twenty-sixth Tennessee, Colonel John M. Lillard, forming line from right to left in the order stated, numbering 1,200 total effective on the morning of the 19th. Dawson's battery of Georgia light artillery (four pieces), commanded by Lieutenant R. W. Anderson, also reported to me.

At early dawn of the 19th, I crossed the Chickamauga at Thedford's Ford, and formed in rear of Brigadier-General Clayton, 600 yards from that stream, Bate forming soon after in my rear. A little after sunrise we moved to the front in that order, swinging the right a little forward, until we came up with the division commanded by Brigadier-General Johnson, and formed on its left. About 11 o'clock we moved by the right flank 400 or 500 yards in rear of Johnson's division, and soon afterward 800 yards farther, halting immediately in rear of the left of Cheatham's division, which was then hotly engaged. His left brigade, being numerically overpowered and repulsed, was relieved by Brigadier-General Clayton, immediately in my front. I followed this movement closely being so near to Clayton's line that many of my command were wounded and a few killed before I could return the fire. The front line advanced but little under the combined fire of the enemy's artillery and small-arms until General Clayton reported his ammunition exhausted.

At about 2 p.m., in obedience to orders received in person from the major-general commanding, I relieved him, and encountered the enemy in an unbroken forest, rendered the more difficult of passage by the dense undergrowth which for more than 200 yards extended along my entire line; and the difficulties were still further enhanced by the smoke of battle and the burning of the woods, rendering it impossible to distinguish objects 20 paces in advance. My skirmishers encountering the enemy at 100 yards or less, I pushed rapidly upon his lines under a most terrific fire from all arms. There was no position from which my artillery could be served with advantage against the enemy, while two of his batteries immediately in my front and one almost on my right flank filled the air with grape, canister, shells, and solid shot, while volley after volley of musketry in quick succession swept my men by scores at every discharge. For 400 yards, however, my line steadily advanced without faltering at any point until the enemy had been driven beyond the tangled undergrowth and his first line completely routed. A stubborn resistance from the second line, supported by artillery posted upon a slight acclivity in our front and pouring showers of canister upon us for a few minutes, checked our progress; but again we advanced, driving back his second line up to and beyond the summit of the ridge, until my right rested upon and my center and left had passed the crest. Unfortunately, however, at the moment when the