Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-15
sEOrmIng a BaIierY-The 3D. Georgia in
the Fight.

From the Macon GA Telegraph, July 7th.I
The following extract from a letter written by
Capt. X, B. Nisbet, of the Brown rifles, Putnam
county, gives a vivid and terrible idea Of the
storming of the Federal battery on the lst inst
Capt NIsbet was acting lieutenant colonel OF
the Sd regiment ia the beginning Of the action,
but the death of Col. Sturgis, the command of
the regiment was afterwards devoleed upon
him.
After detailing some Of the particulars of the
hard contested fight of Monday, the Both ult
he says: This was on Monday evening. On
the next morning the enemy fell back toward
James river, and took q position on a high hill,
with four hills lower and in front of it. These
four hills were entirely bare. Gen. LOngstreet
ordered Olmstead's and Wrght's brigades to
take the batteries of the enemy, which crowned
this hill, numbering, It is supposed, fifty pieces.
We started, Bob Dennis, my bTOtheT-in-law,
commanding my old company in the ID GeOr-
gis. We went across the first hill Dave Adams
and Johnnie Dennis were wounded here. l
carried the right Of the regiment over two of the
ridges.
Gen. Wright sent an order for me to fall back
then came an order to take the batteries If ev-
cry man was lost. Wright, on foot, formed the
remnant Of his and Olmstead's bIigades, and
crawling on our hands and feet, we crept along
over the hills, reaching the last hill next to the
batteries with only SIX hundred men left-O out of
the two brigades. We drove the guns over the
hill. Here regiment after regiment Of the enc
my-WhOle divisions of ~them-under old Rear-
ney, rose up. Thought nothing could equal
the storm of shell and shot, canister aud crepe,
which we had met, crossing the hill but It was
the musketTy which slew US. Sturgis was shot
dead, leaving ma in command of the regimeat,
now about one hundred and fifty strong. We
had made up our minds that we must die there,
but not a man fsltered. 1t was awful. A ball
/ passed through the back of my cap, stunning
ma so that | had to lie down, but l soon got
over it. Brigade after brigade came np to re-
lieve US, but were driven back by the artillery
as fast as they came-still we stood. TOombs',
RansOm's, and Cobb's brigsdes finally got near
enough to engage the enemy, as we were about
to be surrounded. Twas whilst we were cheer
ing them, as they came to our relief, that | re-
ceived a shot ia the wrist. l was stunned
and faint. Bob Dennis oane to me-poor
fellow, he was shedding tears" Brother"
said he, II brought eighteen men with
me-. l cant find one--nOt one 20 He was
the only one among the field officers or command
ers of companies in the Sd VINO was not either
killed or wounded. l was carried, fortunately,
to DIR. Sam. Whites Hospital and had excellent
attention. ] got here to-day, am at Nelson's
rooms, where I was brought with Lieutenant
OldALOIuo OurAui VI aug uosdJ " OOAu " Dl6au,
Esq, his father. Don't be uneasy about me
I've a clean shirt on, have had something to eat
1--WE nave had nothing but Yankee crackers since
Saturday and shall go back to my regiment in
a day or two.
In Mondays fight, from the looks Of the bat
tle-feld, two Yankees to our one were killed In
Tuesdays fight, l think our killed and wounded
far exceeded theirs. I have read of stoTming
batteries, but have never heard of infantry
without cannon, crossing fields half a mile wide
to take whole parks of artillery. Such a scene
as the battle field presented you can't imagine.
Legs, arms and heads, were lying sll over the
field, and now over the two battle-hslds of Mon
day and Tuesday, for nearly four miles, under
the trees, in the bitches, down in the gullies,
everywhere, the dead are lying.
The Sd and 4th Georgia, LIST Louisiana, and
l4th and 36th Virginia (the last Powhattan
Whites regiment), l understand, suffered most
in Tuesdays fight. Our regiment, from sick
ness and constant labor, was small, carrying
only $50 men in the fight, and about 200 in the
last charge.