[CHAP. XLII.

of Hood had sought to surprise and capture us, or to annihilate us. Baffled in his every attempt to accomplish his mission, the enemy was driven from the field, after a most desperate struggle of three hours' duration, with such precipitation that he had not time to carry with him all his wounded, whether officers or privates. We had prisoners in our hands from the First, Second, Third, Fourth,* Fifth, Sixth and Seventh South Carolina Regiments, Hampton Legion, and the Palmetto Sharpshooters, all of which were large regiments, reported by members of them to have been filled up. They informed us that General Longstreet directed their movements by signals from a point half way down the side of Lookout Mountain, which was perceptible to us during the engagement.

To the coolness and judgment of my officers in executing my orders, and in their promptness to appreciate emergencies, calling into use their discretionary actions, and to the men of my command, who evidenced only in repetition a prowess displayed on many well-contested fields in the Army of the Potomac, which fostered their soldierhood, and which has become a component of their military existence, is attributable the defeat of so large a force by such comparatively small numbers. All seemed to feel that the results of their first encounter would determine the nature of their introductory reception by their brothers in arms of the Army of the Cumberland. The officers were, without an exception known to me, collected and constantly engaged in inspiring and directing the men who, in turn, delivered their fire deliberately and with telling effect, as shown by the wounded and dead of the rebels, the majority of whom were struck in the chest or abdomen. No straggling, no confusion, was visible, except among the negro teamsters, who, under the first fire, deserted their teams, and the horses fled affrighted through different parts of the field, many of them falling from the shots of the enemy.

Brigadier-General Greene was wounded early in the engagement. With his proverbial bravery he was in the front, near the One hundred and thirty-seventh New York, prepared to contribute his valuable efforts to our success. During our movement he was ever zealous in seconding any measure productive of benefit to the service he so warmly espouses.

I beg to furnish the following statement as to the strength of my command engaged. Seven of my regiments had not yet come up. One was holding the pass between Whiteside's and Trenton. The Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania was engaged on grand guard duty. The actual fighting throughout the battle was sustained, in conjunction with the artillery, by the One hundred and thirty-seventh New York and One hundred and ninth and One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania, with portions of the Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania, driven in from the picket front:

Offic Enlist

Command. ers. ed

men.

General Greene's (Third) brigade: One hundred and thirty-

seventh New York, Colonel D. Ireland. 15 353

Colonel Cobham's (Second) brigade:

109th Pennsylvania, Captain F. L. Gimber 4 108

111th Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Colonel T. M. Walker 22 282

In line engaged 41 743

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*This regiment was consolidated with the Hampton Legion November 11, 1862.

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