Today in History:

644 Series I Volume XXX-II Serial 51 - Chickamauga Part II

Page 644 Chapter XIII. KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA.

site side of Limestone Creek, cutting off the communication of the enemy by railroad south. Soon after Colonel Walker came up with his men, who had marched at double-quick time 12 miles. At my suggestion they were ordered to lie down and rest for thirty minutes, and during that time the enemy's sharpshooters were firing upon our battery, and we were amusing them by a few discharges of spherical case-shot.

As soon as Colonel Walker's men had rested, they deployed as skirmishers to the left to clear the woods, and Major McKamy's battalion on the right to sustain the battery. [The enemy] at that moment had possession of a skirt of woods in front of the block-house and stone and brick buildings occupied by them as barracks, distant about 1,000 yards from our position. The infantry, advancing as arranged, charged the enemy's skirmishers, the battery covering them by throwing case and canister into the woods occupied by them. With a shout and a hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag, the North Carolina boys made the charge, and the enemy fled before them, as you and the general well know. The enemy, being now within the blockhouse and other houses, were pouring upon us a shower of Minie balls. When we had thus driven the enemy into their last retreat (Colonel Giltner, with his gallant Kentuckians, accompanying to the other side of the creek), I brought the guns of Burroughs' battery (then under Blackwell) into position, and opened fire upon them with spherical case and canister shot, Colonel Giltner's small rifled guns joining in the action. The enemy in the meantime kept upon us a very sharp fire of small-arms (Enfield), and then (as Sterne says) a white flag appeared.

By order of General Jackson, I went down, accompanied by Captain Robert W. Haynes, aide-de-camp, and accepted the side-arms of near 350 Yankee officers and soldiers, the remnant of 450 who began the fight in the morning.

Among the men who by their gallantry contributed to this result were Lieutenant Colonel James L. Bottles and Captain Jenkins, both volunteers for the occasion, but men whose bravery could not be exceeded.

Our troops of all arms behaved with becoming courage, and all within their sphere contributed to the general and honorable result, among whom I ought not to leave out, and do not leave out, the names of the gallant Lieutenant-Colonel Winn, of Georgia, Colonel Giltner, of Kentucky; among whom and over all of us was the gallant commanding general.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MILTON A. HAYNES,

Lieutenant-Colonel, P. A., C. S., Comdg. Art.

Captain W. B. REESE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Zollicoffer, September 22, 1863.

SIR. In regard to the engagement of yesterday and the day before on the bank of Wautaga River, at Carter's Station, I have this to report to you, to be submitted to the commanding general:

On the morning of the 19th (General Jackson being in command), I posted my batteries on the right and left of the depot, upon the


Page 644 Chapter XIII. KY.,SW.VA.,TENN.,MISS.,N.ALA.,AND N.GA.