The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-16
(No. 26.)
HISTORY OF THE 46TH ALA BAMA REGIMENT OF voLUN-
 riER INFANTRY.
Ky Capt. Geo. E.. Brewer, of Mon:-
 gomefV.

~
 Gen. stephen D. Lee was assigned to the )command of the Alabama brigade to succeed General 'Tlracy. The battle of Bakers Creek, or Cnampions f1llI, oc- cured May .I6 1868, in which that brig ade, with General. Lee in command, was hotiy engaged during the entire day. nearly. General Lee orlcial report or the action of his brigade. dated Demop- olis, Ala, July z5, looS, is as folows:
 By $ o'clock my brigade was in line of battle and skirnlishing on both roads. the position occupied by eur brigade be- ing on the extreme left of our nne. At ADout o'clock it was discovered that .ne enemy was massiug troops on the left for the purpose of turning our left nank and getting between our army and Edwards Depot. My brigade was at once marched tunder fire) oy the left hank for the purpose of checking the enemy, and information of his move ments and the corresponding change of my line was immediately sent to the Slator-Generat comiiiailulng, With the re- luest that the gap on my right should Je filled by other troops. Similar move .nents on my part were frequently made Under fire throughout the day, until about D m., the MaJor-General commanding being in each case notified of my change of position, and of the continued efforts 4 the enemy to turn our left Captain ,vaddelPs battery. which had been placed in position on the Raymond Road md a section of J. w. sJohnstons bat
 cry, which had been posted on the Clin- .on Road, had during the earlier L.l.'t of the day. been supported by my brlg- ade. but in consequence of my continu- Jus movements to the left these guns were left to the right of my brigade. md subsequently, supported by Gen .ral Cummings brigade.
 3 As early as 10 o'clock in the morning tt became evident that the enemy was Tn heavy forceSand determined on battle, IS his skirmishes were bod and az gressive, and several divisions of his .roops were visible in the front. About D. m. he advanced in force on my cen ter and left, but was repulsed by the .6th, 30th and 23d Alabama Regiments"
 Having checked the enemy on my
 enter and left. and having ordered the
 eglments last mentioned to hold their espective positions, my attention was :alled to the, very heavy fire on my right. Jpon proceeding there 1 found tCum- ning's brigade had been driven back by he enemy and that the 10th and 31st Alabama Regiments, of my brigade, had oeen compelled to retire, their right ,ank having become exposed and the nemy having gained their rear. At bout the same time the enemy had ad- fanced rapidly on my left and had al- most gained the Edwards Depot Road, ialf a mile to the rear of my line. Un- Ger these circumstances, ordered the .6th, 30th and 23d Alabama Regiments 70 retire about 600 yards to the rear.
 
 ,hree regiemnts behaved with distin' suished gallantry. retaining their posi- ion against heavy odds.
 T at about this time went to the oad, about 500 yards to the rear of my inc, and found 1t filled with straggers, nd hearing that Bowen's division was e-enforcing on my right and that Bar
 on's brigade was going to my left, l
 gam returned to my second line, carry
 lg with me about 400 stragglers tmost
 f them from 34th Georgia, Coi. J. A., w.
 ohnson), whom I placed to the left of
 he 30th Alabama Regiment tColonel
 helley,) With these re-enforcements the
 nemy were broken in some confusion
 osrving which Colonel Woods, 46th Ala
 anna. made most gallant charge with Is regiment, moving up almost to tht
 .iginal position in the line or battle. ,.oon afterward Bowen;s division, on my ilght, and Bartons brigade, on my left, aving retreated and the enemy having ,rosed the Edwards Depot Road with | least three regiments, 1 ordered Col. !. c. Stith, of my staff, to recall the
 jth Alabama Colonel Shelleyo and the ith Alabama Colonel Woods.) The or UT was delivered to Colonel Shelley, but ne enemy having advanced very rapidly pon the right, the 46th Alabama could lot be reached, and l regret to say that his excellent regiment. under its gal int field officers Colonel Woods. Lieut.. ol, Osceola Kyle and Major James M. landley) was captured"
 General Lees regiments were short six eight companies of sKirmishers on the fiddle Raymond Road under Lieut.. Col. Kyle, large portion of which belonged l , the 46th. These companies did not eioin General Lee until after the battle. oloncl Kyle's Instructions were, as ne 'as on the flank. to keep the enemy | rom turning it. bv moving to the flank the enemy moved. In doing this he ias constantly changing position. Am hunltion was running low. and others ailing to find 1t, he set out in the search .imself He soon came upon the part f the regiment not detailed, but just in ime to be surrounded and captured with {. But for the heavy draft for s'lrm
 shers and other details there would nave been but little of the 46th left.
 aped All the field officers. and many
 the line, were captured The commis-
 toned officers were kept in prison until
 st before the close of the war. The
 thers were soon exchanged and rejoined
 ne regiment. Captain McCaskill and
 Ifjutant Riggs. two gallant officers.
 ere killed.
 General Pemberton. after the disaster f Champion Hills, withdrew his army ,oross Big Black. River. The Union -.oops followed leisurely In pursuit. General Pemberton on the 17th tried to lold Big Black Bridge, with Vaughans rlgade of fresh troops and Bowens di- ,ision. but this resulted in disaster and In the loss of additional guns and prs. ners. He then gave directions to Gen rai Stevenson. his next in command, tC apidly withdraw all troops from the Big 3lack at once into the city. The di visions of Generals Stevenson and Bowen the only troops engaged in the battle O | Champions Hills, (and Bowens division was also in the fight at Big Blacl | Bridge), arrived in the city on the af | ternoon of May 17th. and were arranged | for the defense of the place; so that b, ! loon on May 18th, when the advance o | Grants army arrived in pursuit befOr, | he city Pemberton was about ready fo l its defense. and was in his entrench | ~lcnts and fortified lines. The division Q
 Major General Loring. which was or he battlefield of Champion Hills. bu | which did no fighting. was cut off il ] the retreat and did not come into tn, 1 city.
 1t must be stated that when Genera