My officers and men of all grades deserve my acknowledgments for their good conduct and admirable coolness, by which we succeeded in developing a very important position of the enemy and checking any contemplated movement upon the right flank of the army, by which the enemy might have succeeded in gaining our rear, and thus rendering our reverses most disastrous. I regret to report that the cavalry of the enemy, commanded by Colonel Long, which crossed near the mouth of the Chickamauga, succeeded in capturing my brigade train (C), which was en route from Charleston to Chickamauga. My brigade quartermaster learning that a large cavalry force was approaching, had turned his train down the Ringgold road, where the enemy pursued and captured it. The small detail guarding it were unable to make any resistance to so overwhelming a force. Major Elcan, assistant quartermaster, and several of the men with him escaped capture. This proved a severe loss to my officers and men, whose personal baggage was in the train, as well as a heavy loss to the Government. All of my staff discharged their duties promptly and with the highest zeal and intelligence, including Capt. Leon Trousdale, assistant adjutant-general; Capt. E. F. Lee, assistant inspector-general; First Lieut. E. T. Harris, aide-de-camp, and Surg. H. S. Jones, brigade surgeon. Surgeon Jones was at the head of the column when the enemy's fire opened, and rendered me material assistance in transmitting my orders. His field hospital was established with prompitude under unusual difficulties. I respectfully refer you to the reports of subordinate commanders for a more minute statement of the operations of their commands. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, MARCUS J. WRIGHT, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Col. JOHN B. SALE, Military Secretary. [Inclosures.] A. General MARCUS J. WRIGHT: CHICKAMAUGA, November 23, 1863. Move with your command on first train, leaving 300 men at Charleston. Telegraph your departure. GEORGE WM. BRENT. B. Assistant Adjutant-General. General WRIGHT: BRAGG'S HEADQUARTERS, November 24, 1863-8.30 a. m. Direct Colonel Hill to guard the Shallow Ford Bridge and the railroad bridge over the Chickamauga. You will then proceed toward the mouth of the Chickamauga to develop the strength and designs of the enemy. Resist him every step. Should he not have crossed the Tennessee, resist his crossing. Impede him vigorously. Report frequently. GEORGE WM. BRENT, General WRIGHT: C. CHICKAMAUGA, November 23, 1863. No necessity for ordering wagons in. KINLOCH FALCONER, No. 230. Reports of Col. John H. Anderson, Eighth Tennessee Infantry, commanding regiment and Wright's brigade. CAMP NEAR DALTON, GA., March 28, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the action of troops of Wright's brigade, under my command, in the different engagements on and around Missionary Ridge: At 2 o'clock on the morning of November 25, 1863, I received an order from Brigadier-General Wright that he was very much indisposed, and ordering me to take command of the brigade and proceed from Chickamauga Station with my command to the railroad bridge across the Chickamauga Creek and report to Brigadier-General Polk. On arriving at the bridge I was directed by BrigadierGeneral Polk to form my brigade on the crest of the hill below the bridge some 200 yards, and to detach one of my regiments and place it upon a commanding hill still lower down the creek some 300 yards; also to direct my command to protect themselves as far as possible with breastworks, which was done by cutting logs and using rails which were convenient, and in about two hours my whole command was pretty well intrenched. The brigade remained in this position until about 1 p. m., when I was directed by Brigadier-General Polk to move my brigade farther down the creek and occupy a range of hills about a half mile below the bridge, forming my line perpendicular to the creek and fronting to the north and Tennessee River, also prolonging the line on the left of his brigade the formation of the line: The Twenty-eighth Tennessee Regiment (Colonel Stanton) on a high hill, his left resting on the Chickamauga Creek, the left center; Fifty-first Tennessee Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Hall) and Scogin's battery of light artillery posted on a commanding eminence near the center of the brigade, supported by the Eighth Tennessee Regiment, commanded by Lieut. Col. Chris. C. McKinney; the Sixteenth Tennessee Regiment on the right (Colonel Donnell)in which position I remained until about 4 p. m., when I received an order from Col. G. W. Brent, assistant adjutant-general to the commanding general, to leave the Twenty-eighth Tennessee Regiment (Colonel Stanton) to occupy his position on the hill and take the balance of the brigade (three regiments and two batteries of artillery), which would report to me, and move immediately to the bridge at Shallow Ford, about 2 miles higher up the creek, and take position to protect the bridge and ford and to resist the enemy to the last extremity, and hold the position until I was satisfied that all the troops had passed over, and then to effectually destroy the bridge and bring up the rear. I moved my command promptly, in accordance with the order, and took position so as to command the bridge and ford, placing the two batteries of artillery on a commanding position about half way between the ford and bridge, placing the brigade in position in accordance with the topography of the grounds, and I remained in this position until the troops were all across, dispatching a force on the opposite side of the creek to watch the movements of the enemy; also, a small squad of cavalry which was with my command, to scour the battle-field and pick up all stragglers, it being reported to me that there was no movement of the enemy. I remained at the bridge until about 12 o'clock at night, the scouts bringing in stragglers all the while. The report was then made to me that everything was across. I ordered the destruction of the bridge, which had to be accomplished by cutting it down. The timbers being very heavy and green, it could not be burned. After two hours' hard labor I had the satisfaction of seeing the bridge fully destroyed. About the time I had completed its destruction I received an order from the commanding general that if I had not already destroyed the bridge to do so immediately, and move my brigade to Chickamauga Station and join my division, which order was promptly obeyed, joining my division at Chickamauga Station about 3 o'clock in the morning, and proceeded with my division to this place. I cannot close this report without returning my thanks to the different regimental commanders and their command for the prompt and soldierly manner with which all orders were. obeyed, although very much fatigued and worn down by continued duty both night and day for fifty-six hours, and a large number of them being without shoes, yet they evinced a spirit of true patriots worthy of the noble cause in which they are engaged. All of which is respectfully submitted. JNO. H. ANDERSON, Colonel, Commanding Wright's Brigade. Capt. T. F. HENRY, CAMP NEAR DALTON, GA., SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Eighth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers in the action in and around Missionary Ridge November 24, 1863: My command, together with the brigade, was on detached duty at Charleston, E. Tenn. Orders were received on the evening of the 23d to move the command immediately to Chickamauga Station, which order was promptly obeyed, and my regiment arrived at the railroad bridge across Chickamauga Creek about 10 o'clock the morning of the 24th,leaving all of our transportation and baggage at Charleston to be brought through overland. In a few minutes after our arrival at the bridge I was ordered by Brigadier-General Wright to place my command on an eminence near the bridge, to cover and protect it from the rear. I had just formed my command in accordance with the orders when I received another order to form my command and move down the Chickamauga Creek to arrest a movement then being made by the enemy at the mouth of the creek, the intention of which was supposed to be to get possession of the bridges in our rear, and thereby cut off our communication from our rear. The regiment moved promptly down with the balance of the brigade by the right flank (my command being on the right was in front), and when we had arrived within about three-quarters of a mile of the mouth of the creek I was suddenly opened upon by the enemy with small-arms from the opposite side of the creek, where they lay under cover of the bank of the creek in large force, not exceeding 100 yards distant from me. I immediately halted the command upon the ground it then occupied and formed line fronting the enemy under a very heavy fire from him, my command behaving in the coolest manner, forming promptly, and opened fire upon him, which caused him to become very restless in his hiding place, and in a few moments caused him to retire before my fire. I had expected when they opened fire upon me that they would certainly injure me very much, the distance being so short and my regiment being in an open place without any protection, but they overshot the mark and did not do me much damage. Having driven the enemy from my immediate front, and perceiving that he was bringing up a battery of artillery to open upon me with, and at that moment receiving an order from Brigadier-General Wright to retire by the left flank up the creek, on examination of the ground I perceived that his battery would have a fair play on me at 400 or 500 yards if I moved by the left flank, and seeing a considerable eminence immediately in my rear, I gave the order to move to the rear by the right of companies, which was done promptly and in good order, without the enemy getting a shot at me with his artillery. As soon as I was under cover of the hill, I formed line and moved off with the balance of the brigade by the left flank, as previously ordered. We were again formed on an eminence, where we remained until about dark, when we were again ordered to Chickamauga Station at a double-quick, the supposition being that the enemy, who had crossed a large force of cavalry at the mouth of the creek before we arrived there, would attempt to destroy our stores of supplies at that place. We arrived at the station about 9 o'clock at night. The men were very much fatigued, having been up all the night before and moving about all day. We found everything quiet, and remained there until about 2 a. m., when orders were received to move the brigade immediately to the railroad bridge across the creek. Brigadier-General Wright being very unwell, I was ordered by him to take command of the brigade and move to the bridge. Turning over the command of the regiment to Lieut. Col. Chris. C. McKinney, I assumed command of the brigade. I refer you to his report for proceedings of the regiment after that time. JNO. H. ANDERSON, Colonel Eighth Regiment Tennessee Infantry. Capt. LEON TROUSDALE, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 231. Report of Lieut. Col. Chris. C. McKinney, Eighth Tennessee In fantry. HDQRS. EIGHTH TENNESSEE REGIMENT VOLUNTEERS, Camp near Dalton, Ga., March 31, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Eighth Tennessee Volunteers in the action around Missionary Ridge November 25, 1863: The Eighth Regiment, together with the brigade, was at Chicka mauga Station, where it had been ordered on the evening of November 24, 1863. About 2 a. m. orders were received to move immediately to the railroad bridge across Chickamauga Creek. Col. John H. Anderson at this instant was ordered to take command of Wright's brigade, and at the same time turning over the command of the Eighth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers to me, I immediately formed the regiment and proceeded to the railroad bridge, as per orders above, which place we reached about daylight. I was ordered to put the Eighth Regiment in position on an eminence just above the bridge, which order was promptly obeyed. I remained in this place about two hours, when Col. John H. Anderson, commanding brigade, ordered me to take my command down the creek about half a mile and report to Colonel Colquitt, of the First Arkansas Regiment, which I did promptly, and put my command in position on his left, and proceeded to protect my command by constructing a breastwork of logs, which was accomplished in a very short time. We remained in this position until sunset, when I received orders from Colonel Anderson to move to Shallow Ford Bridge, which orders I complied with immediately. On arriving at the bridge I placed my command in position just above the bridge, where we remained until about 2 o'clock, when Colonel Anderson called for a detail of men and axes, which I furnished, and in a short time had the satisfaction of seeing the bridge totally destroyed by cutting it away. In a very short time after the destruction of the bridge I received an order from Colonel Anderson to move to Chickamauga Station and join our division, which order I promptly obeyed, together with the brigade, which point we reached about 3 o'clock on the morning of November 26, when we rejoined our division and moved back to this place. CHRIS. C. MCKINNEY, Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Eighth Tennessee Regiment. Capt. LEON TROUSDALE, Assistant Adjutant-General. Casualties of the Eighth Regiment Tennessee Infantry, Wright's brigade, Cheatham's division, in the battle of Chickamauga Creek, on November 24, 1863.-Second Lieut. William R. Galyen, Company A, gunshot wound, left leg fractured, tibia, severe; Private Hugh H. Bradley, Company A, gunshot wound, left hand fractured, metacarpal bones, severe; Private James A. L. D. Stevens, Company B, gunshot wound, left hand, slight. S. E. H. DANCE, Surgeon Eighth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers. No. 232. Report of Capt. Benjamin Randals, Sixteenth Tennessee Infantry. HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH TENNESSEE REGIMENT, April 9, 1864. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Sixteenth Tennessee Regiment in the battle of Missionary Ridge November 24 and 25, 1863: On the evening of the 24th, the regiment, with the other regiments |