New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-10-29


dered general advance. Some delay was ocoa-
stoned by attempting to get the gap on our left
filed by the brigade of Gen. Jackson; statf officer
after staff officer having in vain been sent to nun:
1 Cheathams division, which had been taken ont OF
/ line by Iieut Gen. Polk and placed upon reserve, |
/ had been sent up to meet the supposed attack |
| from Granger's corps / directed Gen, Cheatham
1 to make the advance, but learning from him that
he came up as support to Gen. Breekinridge,
4 turned over the order TO advance to the later
officer, who responded with alacfity and his brave
men sprang eagerly forward. Two brgades OF
/ Cheatham under the immediate command OF that
gallant officer went to the left Of Breckenridge to
/ establish connection with Cleburne. Gen. Forrest
4 agreed to move forward and seize the Chattanooga
road while Breckenridge swept downitsouthward,
| and in rear of the breastworks.
4 As the whole line was moving forward mes
sage was received from Gen. Cleburne that Briga
! der Gen. Polk had carried the northwest angle of
the enemy's works-the point where Helm, Wal.
| tha and Gist had been repulssd in the morning.
/ Cleburnes account of this brilliant affair is:
''Capt. semple, acting chief of artillery Major
i Hotchkiss being disabled by wound received the
day before,) selected position in front of the line
4 and placed his own and Douglass battery within
| two hundred yards Of the eneny's breast-Works
and opened rapid and most effective fire, siencing
/ Immediately battery whichhad been playing up
on my line. About the same time, Brig, Gen.
Polk charged aud soon carried the north tern
i angle Of the enemy's works, taking III succession
/ three lines Of breast-Works.
i ''In this brilliant operation, he was materially
! aided by Keys battery, which had again been
| moved by my orders to my extreme right and run
into position by hand. 4 large number Of pris-
oners, (regulars) was here taken. The enemy
abandoned his breast-works and retired preCipi-
lately. Brig Gen Polk pursued the enemy to the
Chattanooga Lafayette road, where he captured
another piece of artillery
Gen. Breckinridges second attack was not at
tended with the insuperable difficulties of the
morning assault. The left wing was driving the
enemy every where. Brig. Gen Polk had secured
the troublesome angle of the breast,work. Forrest
was laundering away on the right. Gen. Gist, of
Walkers command. had worked his way to the
enemyis rear, and Col Govan, commanding Lid
del's brigade Of the same command, had seized the
Chattanooga road. Gen. Breckenridge thus de-
scribes his successful advance:
"a line of troops on my right and covering
portion of my front, advanced at the same time.
A portion of these troops obliqued to the right,
and my line passed through the rest, who seemed
to be out of ammunition, SO that after moving
few hundred yards, the enemy alone was in my
under severe fire and dashed over the left of the
intrenchments. In passing over them, I saw the
right of Mai. Gen. Clebnrne, whose brave division
: stormed the center. Several hundreds of the
enemy ran through our lines to the The
; rest were pursued several hundred yards and be-
/ yond the Chattanooga road Of these, some were
| killed and good many were taken prisoners, but
' most of them escaped in the darkness. 1t was
night pursuit was stopped by order of Gen. Hill;
and throwing out pickets, bivouacked in line
t near the road"
J. Inc Wl0ke corps was nalteQ IN tle chattanooga
road, and parallel to it. The darknessasnght cover
g concealed foe in the thick wood in our front or
d it might lead to an engagement between the two
wings of our army. as Longstreet was known to be
d pressing northward while the right was pressing
J southward, though his exact position not
: known. A personal examination soon showed that
i there was no enemy in our immediate front, and
d Hoods division was found halted perpendicularly
to the road and but short distance from our left.
r Scouts were SEM ont with orders to proceed a
e mile in our front. They returned reporting no
/ enemy to be found in that distance. Others were
It directed to go three miles, who made similar
4 port before daylight.
I Never perhaps was there battle in which the
: troops were SO little mixed up and III which the
G organization was so little disturbed. The corps
j. was ready to march fight at dawn in the morn
ing with tliuned ranks tits true, but with buoyant
/ and exultant spirits. The morning, however, was
spent in burying the dead and gathering up arms.
e AT 1. P. NJ, the corps moved towards ChicEa-
e manga and enCamped after midnight near Red
0 house bridge The next day (Tuesday) was spent
T in idleness. On Wednesday, the corps moved up
directly towards Chattanooga, with what object is
unknown, and perhaps ever will be.
The report has been made tediously long, in or
der to embrace points, which have been since the
battle, the subjects of controversy. 1t has been
thought best to refer to the action Of divisions as
described by their own commanders; and much
regret is felt that cannot do the like Justice by
Mai Generals Cheatham and Walker, temporarily
under my command as their reports have not
, been submitted to me. No eulogy Of mine can,
; however, add to the reputation of those veteran
soldiers, to that Of their gallant commands A
, like regret is felt in the case Of General
Forrest, who though not under my command
! most heartily co-operated through the day,
!; and rendered the most valuable service. would
ask no better fortune if again placed on the flank
! than to have such@ Yigiant gallant and accom-,
: plished officer guarding its approaches.
Gen. Breckenridge claims the capture of nine
pieces of artillery, which were remoFedand saved.
! He also took a large number of prisoners. He
carried into action three thousand seven hundred
and siXty-nine (3769) men. OF these, he lost one
+ hundred and sixty.siX (l66) killed; nine hundred
and nine (909) wounded, and one hundred and
: sixty-five Q65) missing. Among these, we have
to mourn Brig. Gen. Helm, whose gallantry and
loyeliness of character had endeared him to every
one; and Major r. G. Graves, chief of artillery of
! the division: " He had won eminence in arms
= and gave promise of the highest distinction. A
, liyed.
No tribute can do Justice to the unknown and
= unrecorded dead, p most of them exiles from home
: and family-men who had endured every hard
ship, trial and pryation for so long period, but
/ to find at last naneless graves. Uncheeredby the
! worlds applause and uninhuenced by the hope of
= distinction, they sacrificed ease, comfort, happi-
ness, life itself, upon the altar of country.
i Brigadier General Adams was for the third time
h severely wounded. 1t was difficult for me to de-
Ecide, which the most to admire, his extraordinary
: Judgment officer, his courage the field, Or
ri his unparalleled cheerfuness under suffering.
h Those intrepid officers Col. Nichols 4th KY,
= Col. Caldwell Of the 9Th KY, Lieut.. Col Turner
L and Maj. Butler of the 10Th La, were wounded
f the latter mortally.
!, Gen. Cleburne claims the capture Of four pieces
of artillery, and his prisoners were very numerous.
. He carried into action five thousand one hundred
a and fifteen GLIB officers and men. Of these, in
a the two days fight, two hundred and four f2OD
/ were killed, fifteen hundred and thirty-nine Q539)
e were wounded, and six are missing,
. The entire casualties in the corps out Of the
+ eight thousand eight hundred and eighty -four
e tss94) taken into action, are as follows:
hlcd 3IO
= HiSslng. l72
rotal.........,..,......,. 2 900
s The grateful duty remains of appropriately no.
e ticng those whose position as well as gallantry,
e attracted attention. The division commanders
behaved most nobIy and exhibited all those high
qualities SO requisite in officers of their grade
r GOODNESS, courage, judgment and personal atten-