Thursday, July 9, 2009

Chickamauga battle report - William R. Butler

Chickamagua after battle report: 

  Report of Lieut. Col. William R. Butler, Eighteenth Tennessee
  Infantry.

  HDQRS. EIGHTEENTH TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS,
  Near Chattanooga, Tenn., September 28, 1863.
  SIR:I have the honor to submit the following report of the
  operations of the Eighteenth Tennessee Volunteers, in the late
  battle of the Chickamauga:

  About 3 p. m. Saturday, September 19, the Eighteenth Tennessee
  Volunteers, under command of Col. J. B. Palmer, 320 strong,
  was
  ordered forward with Brown's brigade, and upon the right
  of the same, to relieve Clayton's brigade, then under fire of the
  enemy. The conduct of both officers and men as the regiment
  moved forward in the charge was truly gratifying. Regardless of
  the thick woods, the crest of the hill to be gained, and the galling
  fire of both musketry and artillery from the enemy, the line,
  without faltering, moved in perfect order, passing some pieces of
  the enemy's cannon and reaching the crest of the hill, at which
  point we received a most destructive enfilanding fire of artillery,
  thinning our ranks at a fearful rate. Just about this juncture, the
  regiment retired, many of the members, however, remaining on
  the crest of the hill until the brigade that relieved us moved up.

  This hurriedly written report, gotten up at short notice, fails to
  mention the gallant conduct of many meritorious officers and
  men, but the writer respectfully requests a suspension of
  publication until the colonel commanding recovers from a severe
  wound received at the same time and place, from whom a more
  complete detailed report of the operations of the regiment may be
  received.

  All the field officers having been wounded, the regiment was
  placed in command of Capt. Gid. H. Lowe, who will furnish a
  report of the operations of the same on Sunday.

  A list* of casualties of the two days' fighting is hereunto
  attached.

  Respectfully submitted.

  W. R. BUTLER,
  Lieut. Col., Comdg. Eighteenth Tennessee Volunteers.

  [Capt.] H. J. CHENEY,
  Assistant Adjutant-Gen.

Source:  Official Records
CHAP. XLII.]   THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN.   PAGE 374-51
  [Series I. Vol. 30. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 51.]

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