The Third Brigade
Col. WILLIAM GROSE.
A.P. STEWART'S
ASSAULT
2:30 p.m.
Saturday
SHACKELFORD'S 4th BRIGADE
will portray:
The Third Brigade
Col. WILLIAM GROSE.
(of the 2nd Divsion,
Major General John M. Palmer, commanding,
of the 21st Corps, Major General Thomas Crittenden, commanding).
COMPOSED OF THE FOLLOWING REGIMENTS:
84th Illinois, Col. Louis H. Waters.
36th Indiana, Lieut. Col. Oliver H. P. Carey, Maj. Gilbert
Trusler.
23d Kentucky, Lieut. Col. James C. Foy.
6th Ohio, Col. Nicholas L. Anderson, Maj. Samuel C. Erwin.
24th Ohio, Col. David J. Higgins.
HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., SECOND
DIV., 21ST ARMY CORPS,
Camp at Chattanooga, Tenn., September 27, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to make a brief report of the part this brigade took in the recent engagement with the enemy. I crossed the Tennessee River at the mouth of Battle Creek, on the night of the 3d of September, by means of log rafts, sending most of my train by way of Bridgeport, 6 miles below, to cross on the bridge. I passed over without any loss of either men or property. . . . In conjunction with the division we marched thence to Shellmound, to Squirreltown Creek, and thence to Lookout Valley, and on the morning of the 9th instant . . . I ascended or rather climbed upon Lookout Mountain near Hawkins' farm, 9 miles to the right of Chattanooga, and met and drove the enemy from the mountain with no loss to my force. The enemy left the mountain to the northeast via Summertown.
The ensuing night we lay upon our arms without water or rest, and though the fatigues had been great, yet there was more to endure upon the coming day. Ammunition replenished, we were again in position for the fearful labors that awaited us on the holy Sabbath.
Early I was ordered to take position on the right of General Hazen's brigade on the right of our division, which was done, and each regiment quickly threw before it barricades of logs and such materials as could readily be obtained, but before the action on our part of the line commenced, one of my regiments, the Twenty-third Kentucky, had been loaned to General Hazen to fill out his lines, and with the other four, about 9 o clock, I was ordered to the left of General Baird's division (General Rousseau's old division) to strengthen his left. Before we arrived at the intended position in the line, the enemy came upon Baird's division, and consequently upon my command, in fearful numbers. I formed the four regiments under a destructive fire from the enemy in a woodland covered with a heavy underbrush, fronting nearly north and at right angles with the main line of battle, the Thirty-sixth Indiana and Eighty-fourth Illinois in the front line, the Sixth and Twenty-fourth Ohio in the second line. Thus formed we met the enemy, and had a desperate struggle with fearful loss on both sides. The brigade advanced and was repulsed, advanced a second time and was again repulsed, and, with some forces that now came to our assistance, advanced the third time and held the woodland.
In this contest for mastery over the woodland, fell many of my best and bravest officers and men. The dead and dying of both armies mingled together over this bloody field. Here I parted with many of my comrades forever, particularly old mess-mates of the Thirty-sixth Indiana, and whose remains I was unable to remove from the field. In this conflict and amid the shifting scenes of battle, Colonel Waters, of the Eighty-fourth Illinois, with a part of his regiment became detached from the brigade to (he west of the road and became mingled with the division of General Negley, who, it seems, shortly after ordered that portion of Colonel Waters' regiment, with at least a portion of his own command, toward Chattanooga, on the pretext of sending, off Colonel Waters as train guard, for particulars of which, reference is made to the report of Colonel Waters. The residue of the Eighty-fourth Illinois Regiment, under the command of Capt. William Ervin, of Company C, with Lieutenants McLain, Scoggan, and Logue, with parts of four companies, remained with the brigade, and, on the left of and with the Thirty-sixth Indiana, did efficient and good service. Captain Ervin deserves notice for coolness and bravery during this fight as well as the lieutenants above named. After the fighting had ceased, and with seeming success to our arms, on this portion of the line, now about 1 or 2 p.m., I withdrew the Thirty-sixth Indiana. Twenty-fourth and Sixth Ohio, with that portion of the Eighty-fourth Illinois, under command of Captain Ervin, to near the position we had taken in the forenoon near the right of General Hazen's brigade, and put my men in position to rest and to await further developments. The Twenty-third Kentucky having remained with General Hazen at that point where I had left it in the morning, the enemy's sharpshooters and occasional cannonading kept up amusement for us in the meantime. It was here, near by me, that Colonel King, of the Sixty-eighth Indiana, fell a victim to the aim of a sharpshooter.
In these two days, 19th and 20th, my command took a considerable number of prisoners and sent them to the rear; among them was Capt. E. B. Sayers, chief engineer of General Polk's corps. He surrendered to me in person, was put in charge of Lieutenant Scott, my engineer, and sent back to General Thomas' corps hospital. Sayers was one of the Camp Jackson prisoners and formerly a citizen of Saint Louis, Mo. I presume many of the prisoners taken on Sunday escaped. About 4 o'clock a deserter came in and informed us that Breckinridge's division of the rebel army was advancing toward the same point where we had been in such deadly strife during the forepart of the day, which statement was soon verified by the roar of artillery and small-arms in that direction, again moving upon Johnson's and Baird's shattered divisions. About the same time, a heavy force of the enemy commenced an attack to our right and rear, from toward Lee and Gordon's Mills and from the direction we had come in the morning, and opened the most terrific cannonading I had heard during these battles, and in a few moments completely enfilading our entire rear. At fifteen minutes before 5 o'clock, Lieutenant Thomas, Major-General Palmer's aide, brought me the order to retire my command. Which way or where to retire to was not an easy question to solve, the enemy fast approaching from right and left toward our rear, their artillery fire meeting. I, however, immediately sent orders to the regiments there with me to retire across the farm to our rear, passing to the right of the farm-house in the following order: Sixth Ohio, Thirty-sixth Indiana, and that portion of the Eighty-fourth Illinois with me, the Twenty-third Kentucky to bring up the rear; portions of the Twenty-fourth Ohio were with each of these regiments. My artillery had been retired to the west of the farm. The forces that were to my left, when faced about, had to retire farther to my right and cross the farm farther north. When I commenced the move, it seemed evident that my now small command would be swept away by the artillery fire of the enemy.
To prevent breaking of ranks or any further panic, and to indicate to the men that this was a time for coolness and steady habits, with Lieutenant Boice, one of my aides-de camp, he carrying the brigade flag at my side, we rode on the left of the front regiment and in the direction from which the most terrific fire of the enemy emanated, until we passed the ordeal of danger. As soon as we passed the point of greatest danger, I halted the two front regiments, Sixth Ohio and Thirty-sixth Indiana, and into line faced them to the rear to defend and cover the retreat. This was done, coolly and deliberately. General Palmer was here to consult with me and give directions. Here was the last I saw of Capt. J. R. Muhleman, assistant adjutant-general of the division, and, I presume, he fell near this place, for we were yet under a sharp fire. As soon as all was closed up and had passed this line, I again retired the force across another farm about one-half mile, and ascended a high wooded hill and reformed, faced as before, now out of range of the enemy's fire. It was now dusk, and as soon as all was closed up, and meeting General Cruft with his brigade here, we consulted together with our division commander, and retired to Rossville, about 4 or 5 miles distant on the Chattanooga road, and rested for the night.
It is due that I mention in this place an act of bravery and danger of my aide, Lieutenant Boice. After we had passed over the first farm, fearing that my orders to Captain Ervin, of the Eighty-fourth Illinois, had not been definitely understood, and that he with his command might be left behind and lost, I directed Lieutenant Boice to return again over the field of death and see that the captain was coming with his command. The direction was promptly obeyed, and the lieutenant made the trip and returned unharmed. My fears for his safety were inexpressibly relieved when I saw him safely return. For this and similar efficient services during all these battles Lieutenant Boice deserves the most favorable notice. In the position assigned me with my command at and near Rossville on the 21st, although I did no fighting, and a better situation could not have been given me, yet I lost 1 man killed and 1 wounded from the enemy's artillery. From thence we withdrew to our present position without further harm.
. . .
For further and more minute particulars, reference is made to the reports of regimental commanders herewith forwarded.
I have the honor to be,
your most humble servant,
WM. GROSE,
Colonel. Commanding Third Brigade.
Capt. D. W. NORTON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. Second Division.