The South Carolina in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Missing S.C. reports
In Response To: Missing S.C. reports ()

M. W. Gary's after action report for Wauhatchie/Lookout Valley is in a small Martin W. Gary Collection at South Caroliniana Library, Univ. of South Carolina. The casualty lists for each of the units of Bratton's Brigade were published in anumber of S. C. newspapers, along with detailed accounts, particularly the accounts by the correspondent for the Charleston Daily Courier, Felix G. deFontaine, who wrote under the penname "Personne." One of the details which coems out of those sources is that Micah Jenkins, acting divisional commander, botched his job by failing to coordinate with McLaws to have his pickets along Chickamauga Creek relieved in a timely manner, and thus ten companies of the South Carolina brigade -- the equivalent of a regiment -- were relieved so late that they did not take part in the engagement. Given the close nature of the fight at Wauhatchie Junction, the unavailability of those ten companies undoubtedly spelled the difference between a drawn tactical battle (and strategic defeat of the first magnitude) and victory. Jenkins' failures before the battle were compounded by virtual total inaction on his part during the fighting; he never left his HQ at the western end of the Lookout Creek road bridge, and he did not commit any part of his brigade reserve of Benning. Indeed,. he withdrew it before Bratton's brigade could cross, almost leading to elements of Bratton's brigade being cut off. His was a thouroughly dismal performance which he then blamed on Law and Robertson.

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Re: Missing S.C. reports - Lee White
Re: Missing S.C. reports