Chickamagua after battle report:
Report of Col. F. C. Wilkes, Twenty-fourth Texas
Cavalry, commanding Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-fourth,
and Twenty-fifth Texas Cavalry (dismounted).
HDQRS. 17TH, 18TH, 24TH, AND 25TH TEXAS CAVALRY,
October 6, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to report that on Saturday, September 19,
about 4. 30, my regiment, numbering 735 rank and file and 29
officers of the line, together with 3 field officers, crossed the
Chickamauga Creek, and after moving forward about 2 miles
formed in line of battle about sundown. The regiment occupied
the position on the right of Gen. Deshler's brigade, the right of
which brigade rested on the left of Gen. Wood's brigade. We
immediately moved forward, passing over the brigade of Gen.
Preston Smith, and at a distance of about 600 yards we met the
enemy. My company of skirmishers, which had been instructed
to keep well to the front, being misled by t he darkness of the
night, had come unexpectedly upon the enemy's line of battle and
had been captured. After a short engagement with the enemy,
especially upon the right of my command, he was routed with
considerable loss in killed and wounded, and about 100
prisoners, principally form the Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania
Regt.'s, together with the colors of each of these regiments and
most of their field officers; also about 150 stand of small-arms,
during which time the company of skirmishers made their escape.
In the engagement I lost 4 killed and 7 or 8 wounded.
The honor of capturing the colors belongs to Private L. Montgomery,
of Company B, and Sergt. C. Martin and Private Pippen of Company K.
Sergt. J. H. Griffin, of Company I, distinguished himself by his
gallantry and coolness in taking command of his company when
the only commissioned officer in it was absent and could not be
found. I recommend that he be promoted to lieutenant.
During this engagement I received a slight wound which partially
disabled me, in consequence of which the command devolved on
Lieut.-Col. Coit and Maj. Taylor.
Having driven the enemy from the field, the action closed about
8 o'clock, and we bivouacked on the battle-field.
On Sunday morning, an hour before daylight, we reformed our
line of battle and threw up temporary breastworks. Between 9
and 10 o'clock we were again ordered to the front. After
advancing about 600 yards through the timber, we came upon an
open field completely commanded by the enemy's batteries, and
we made our way at a double-quick step across this field under
a most terrific fire of shot and shell, grape and canister. During
this movement we lost 8 or 10 men in killed and wounded.
Having advanced near the enemy's lines, and finding a brigade
already in front of us engaging the enemy, the command was
ordered to halt, lie down, and await further orders. Just at this
juncture, I received a contused wound upon the right leg which
completely disabled me, and in consequence of which I was
separated from the command until the close of the action.
The officers and men of the command up to this time, with a few
dishonorable exceptions already reported, displayed
remarkable gallantry. Maj. Taylor, now in command of the
regiment, and who was with it during the entire action of the
19th and 20th, will add to this a supplemental report.
I have the honor to be, yours, very respectfully, &c.,
F. C. WILKES,
Col., Comdg. Regt.
Capt. J. T. HEARNE,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
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Report of Maj. William A. Taylor, Twenty-fourth Texas Cavalry,
commanding Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-fourth, and
Twenty-fifth Texas Cavalry (dismounted).
[OCTOBER 6, 1863]
SIR: Being upon the right of the regiment at the time Col.
Wilkes was wounded, I was ordered by Gen. Deshler to move
the regiment by the right flank. After proceeding about 300
yards, I was ordered by Gen. Cleburne to front and advance,
which I did immediately. The regiment met a regiment of Gen.
Wood's brigade retreating from before the enemy (opening our
lines to give it egress), and then closing up again, advancing
steadily to the crest of the hill immediately in front of the
enemy's breastworks, the enemy hastily retiring from before
them. Upon arriving at the crest of the hill, we were ordered to
halt. It was here the regiment suffered terribly, losing about 200
in killed and wounded, and remained undaunted for three or four
hours under a galling and continuous fire of grape, canister, and
small-arms until it was ordered order, still keeping a line of
sharpshooters near the crest of the hill. Soon after the regiment
assumed its new position, it was discovered that the enemy's
skirmishers were flanking us on the right. Immediately upon
discovering this movement of the enemy I ordered a company out
as skirmishers to drive them back, which was done effectually.
In a short time the enemy was routed, and the regiment was
ordered to bivouac upon the field from which the enemy had
been driven.
Respectfully submitted.
W. A. TAYLOR,
Maj., 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th Regts. Texas Cav.
Capt. J. T. HEARNE,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. XLII.] THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN. PAGE 194-51
[Series I. Vol. 30. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 51.]
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Report of Maj. William A. Taylor, Twenty-fourth Texas (dismounted)
Cavalry, commanding Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-fourth, and
Twenty-fifth Texas (dismounted) Cavalry.
HDQRS. 17TH, 18TH, 24TH, AND 25TH TEXAS REGIMENTS.,
Camp near Tunnel Hill, Ga., December 2, 1863.
CAPT.: About 4 a.m. on November 26, orders to retreat from
Chickamauga were given, and the line of march was taken up for the
rear and continued to Ringgold; encamped near the ford west of the town.
Early on the morning of the 27th, a line of battle was formed a short
distance east of the fronting the town of Ringgold. Company K, Capt.
Manion, was thrown forward as skirmishers, with orders to conceal
themselves, and not to fire until the enemy were very near to them.
About 9 a.m. the enemy advanced a heavy line of skirmishers. When
within about 20 yards of my line of skirmishers, and on the right of the
regiment, they were fired upon and the engagement commenced, our
fire slightly checking their advance. The enemy, heavily re-enforced,
advanced steadily and with the intention of flanking my right. Informing
Col. Granbury, commanding brigade, of this fact, I immediately
withdrew Company K, Capt. Manion, from the front, and ordered
First Lieut. Basye, Company E, to take his position; ordered
Capt. Manion to deploy his company a little in advance and at right
angles with the regiment, and ordered Capt. Speir, Company B, to
support him. The enemy being close upon my flank, rapid soon
commenced, which told with terrible effect upon the enemy, owing to
the coolness and the accuracy of the aim and the bravery of the men.
Seeing the enemy again heavily re-enforcing, I ordered Capt. Marsh,
Company I, to deploy his company, take command of the skirmishers,
to advance, and drive the enemy back, which he did, charging them
with a shout and drive the enemy back, which he did, charging them
with a shout in gallant style, routing the enemy and driving them back
in confusion, killing quite a number, capturing a stand of colors
(Twenty-ninth Missouri), and between 60 and 100 prisoners, among
them a number of officers.
I would call attention to the gallantry of Capt.'s Marsh, Manion, and
First Lieut. Basye, of Companies I, K, and E. In this engagement,
as at Missionary Ridge, with but few exceptions, the men and officers
behaved as men and soldiers should fighting for their homes and country.
The enemy making no farther advance, about 2 p.m. orders to retreat
were given, which was done in good order.
Your attention is respectfully called to list* of casualties, marked B,
accompanying this report.
W. A. TAYLOR,
Maj., Comdg. 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th Texas Regiments.
Capt. J. T. HEARNE,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. XLIII.] THE CHATTANOOGA-RINGGOLD CAMPAIGN. PAGE 778-55
[Series I. Vol. 31. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 55.]
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Report of Capt. William H. Perry, Eighteenth Texas Cavalry, commanding
Seventeenth and Eighteenth Texas Cavalry (dismounted),
of operations July 20-22.
ATLANTA, August 2, 1864.
Report of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Texas Cavalry in the
engagement of the 20th, 21st, and 22d of July before Atlanta.
July 20, we did not participate in the engagement, being in reserve
for Gen. Cheatham's division. We were exposed to some
extent to the shells of the enemy. Loss of the regiment 2 men
wounded. 21st, at daylight we formed our line within 250 or 300
yards of the enemy's pickets, and some 500 or 600 yards from the
main line of the enemy's works, they having previously built works.
We at once began throwing up works under a heavy fire from the pickets
of the enemy. The regiment sustained some loss while building
our works. About 9 a. m. the enemy advanced with two or three lines
of battle, driving our pickets and rushing on to get possession of our
line. They were met with a volley of bullets and turned their
course. After rallying and making several faint charges they disappeared.
The loss of the enemy was heavy. The regiment did
not suffer but little from the minie-balls, but suffered heavily from
shells, the enemy having an enfilading fire upon our lines.
The regiment had 184 rank and file. Loss during the day-killed,
1 captain, l lieutenant, and 10 non-commissioned officers and privates;
wounded, 3 lieutenants, 36 non-commissioned officers and privates.
I suppose the enemy must have had 6,000 or 8,000 in the
engagement. No captures were made.
July 22; the regiment went into the action with about 160 men.
The cook detail having been ordered in, and the picket that had been
left on the line some two or three days previously having come up,
we advanced rapidly upon the enemy and in good order, notwithstanding
the thick undergrowth and the marshy ravines we had to
pass through. We drove the enemy about a mile, taking two lines
of works. We then emerged into an open field and advanced to the
third line on double-quick, the enemy pouring musketry into us from
our front and right flank, playing on us at the same time with cannon.
The right of the brigade, having engaged the enemy, failed
to move forward with us and left our flank exposed. Not until we
had reached the third line did we discover that we had no support
on our right with the exception of the left wing of the Fifth Confederate
Regt. We were separated from the left of the brigade
by a marshy ravine and an angle in the works. The brigade received
orders to move out by the left flank as soon as our position
was ascertained, but the orders failed to reach our regiment. Captain
Manion; commanding the regiment at that time; sent Lieutenants
McKnight and Little to Gen. Smith for orders and to know
what to do; but before they could return the enemy made several
charges upon us and had succeeded in getting in our rear. We fought
the overwhelming forces of the enemy in almost a hand-to-hand encounter
until further resistance would have been folly. Thus it was
that many of our gallant men fell into the hands of the enemy. I
know nothing of the killed and wounded after the occupation of the
third line. We captured several pieces of artillery, wagons, ambulances,
horses, and several hundred stand of small-arms. I saw
some five or six pieces of artillery, several wagons and ambulances
our regiment ran over; also many horses and mules. As soon as it
was ascertained that Maj. Person (senior officer) had surrendered
us, many made their escape by running. We made a second charge
upon the enemy's works late in the evening, but did not succeed in
taking the works, the brigade on our right not coming up and the
enemy having an enfilading fire upon us. Many of our regiment
went to the works on the left, it being put on the left of the brigade
late in the evening.
Loss, so far as I can ascertain, was-killed, 1 captain, 3 non-commissioned
officers and privates; wounded, 2 officers, 4 non-commissioned
officers and privates. Many others may have fallen victims
to the enemy's missiles, but we not being able to hold the ground we
took, I could not learn anything of the number.
W. H. PERRY,
Capt., Cmdg. Regt.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. L.] REPORTS, ETC.--CONFEDERATE. PAGE 751-74
[Series I. Vol. 38. Part III, Reports. Serial No. 74.]