A Major Samuel C. Williams, at Chickamauga, commanded the Reserve Artillery Corps. in Buckner's Corps., Longstreet's Left Wing.

The Reserve Artillery was comprised of:

Baxter's (Tennessee) Battery, Capt. Edmund D. Baxter
Darden's (Mississippi) Battery, Capt. Putnam Darden
Kolb's (Alabama) Battery, Capt. R. F. Kolb
McCants' (Florida) Battery, Capt. Robert P. McCants

George Martin

HEADQUARTERS WILLIAMS' BATTALION,

October 7, 1863.

SIR:

In compliance with instructions, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my command in the late battle of Chickamauga:

I crossed the Chickamauga at Alexander's Bridge early on the morning of September 19 with my battalion, composed of Kolb's, Darden's, Baxter's, and McCants' batteries, and arrived on the field just before the infantry became engaged. I was held as the reserve artillery of Buckner's corps, and was posted accordingly in rear of his line, where I remained for several hours. While at that place Baxter's battery was detached and ordered to report to Brigadier-General Gracie, and remained under his orders until the close of the battle. McCants' battery was detached and ordered to report to Colonel Trigg.

About 2 p.m. I was ordered to take a position with my two remaining batteries to check the enemy in case our infantry, which was then hotly engaging him in my front, should be driven in. I remained in this position about two hours, subjected to a very heavy fire of artillery from the enemy, without returning it, losing several men and horses killed and wounded, I was then removed to a position near the one I occupied in the morning. McCants' battery returned to me.

I remained here until 11 or 12 o'clock on the morning of the 20th, when I was moved forward and placed in several positions without engaging the enemy until about 4 or 5 p.m., when I was ordered to move up and open fire upon the enemy, who was crossing from his right to his left. I opened fire first with eight and then with eleven pieces, one piece having been disabled. The fire was kept up at intervals from half to three-quarters of an hour, with considerable effect on the enemy, his line being broken, and Major-General Stewart having closed in across my front, I ceased firing. While in this position I was subjected to a fire from the enemy's artillery at about 900 yards until he was driven away by our fire.

The officers and men of my command behaved with great coolness, notwithstanding most of them had never been in an engagement before.

Accompanying this please find reports(*) of the several captains of my command, also a report of the casualties and losses sustained.

Respectfully submitted.

S.C. WILLIAMS,
Major, Commanding Battalion Artillery.

Capt. J. N. GALLEHER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Buckner's Corps
[OR, Vol. 30, Part 2, pp. 449/50]