[G] General Taliaferro gave his loss in the campaign at 10 killed and 25 wounded. He particularly commended the gallantry of the men on his advanced line under unremitting fire for eight days and nights from the enemy's monitors, gunboats, mortar boats and land batteries. These troops were detachments from the First and Second artillery, Company B, siege train; First cavalry, First infantry (regulars), Kirk's and Peeples' squadrons of cavalry and Harrison's and Bonaud's Georgians, the South Carolina officers commanding being Major Manigault, Major Blanding, Capts. R. P. Smith, Dickson, Warley, Rivers, Witherspoon, Burnet, Humbert, Stallings, Kennedy, Porcher Smith and Trezevant. The Stono batteries, under Majors Lucas and Blanding, were commanded by Captains Hayne, Richardson, Rhett, King, Lieutenants Ogier (specially distinguished), Martin, Reveley, Lucas, Ford and Stuart. Lieutenant-Colonel Brown at Fort Lamar, and the light batteries under Captain Wheaton, did good service, and Colonels Black, Frederick and Rhett were faithful and efficient in their duties commanding on the east and west and in reserve.
[H] General Robertson specially commended, aside from the gallant Georgians who led in the charge on the 9th, the Washington, Marion, and Inglis batteries, under Colonel Kemper, Major Jenkins, Sergeant Jervais and Privates Miller and Bryan of the Stono scouts; Private A. J. White, of the Second cavalry, and a portion of the Second cavalry under Captain Clark, who defended the right of the line on the first day and lost 13 out of 21 engaged. Captain Dean, of the same regiment, with 13 men, also participated in this heroic fight.
CHAPTER XVIII.
SOUTH CAROLINIANS WITH LONGSTREET AND LEE—WAUHATCHIE—MISSIONARY RIDGE—KNOXVILLE—THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN OF 1864—FROM THE WILDERNESS TO THE BATTLE OF THE CRATER.
Following the battle of Chickamauga, Bragg's army occupied Lookout mountain and Missionary ridge, beleaguering Rosecrans, whose troops soon began to suffer for want of food. Longstreet, in command on the left, had the important duty of holding the river line of communication, and cutting off Rosecrans' supplies. Hood's division, at this time, was commanded by Brig.-Gen. Micah Jenkins, and Col. John Bratton commanded Jenkins' brigade, which joined Longstreet after Chickamauga. The First regiment was under command of Col. F. W. Kilpatrick; the Second Rifles, of Col. Thomas Thompson; the Fifth, of Col. A. Coward; the Sixth, of Col. M. W. Gary, and the Palmetto Sharpshooters, of Col. Joseph Walker.
In October, 1863, Rosecrans was replaced by Thomas, Grant became commander-in-chief in the West, and prompt efforts were made by them to relieve Chattanooga. On Longstreet's part Law's brigade of Jenkins' division was moved down the river below Lookout mountain, and on the 25th the brigade observed a force from Chattanooga cross the river and seize a strong position, where it was soon reinforced by Hooker's corps from Virginia. On the 28th Longstreet arranged for a night attack upon Geary's division, marching down Lookout valley toward Brown's ferry, in which Bratton's division was to assail the enemy's rear.[I] The South Carolinians made a gallant attack, and, Colonel Bratton reported, "drove the enemy through their camp, and entirely beyond their wagon camp." The brigade became seriously engaged, and apparently had prospects of success, if supported, but the Federal divisions of Carl Schurz and O. O. Howard were close at hand, and Bratton was ordered to withdraw. The loss was heavy, 31 killed, 286 wounded and 39 missing. Colonel Kilpatrick, distinguished for gallantry and efficiency, was shot through the heart early in the engagement. Capt. James L. Coker, of Bratton's staff, was seriously wounded. In an account of this combat, Captain Coker has written:
General Geary's division was attacked by Jenkins' South Carolina brigade. No other troops fired a shot at Geary's men that night. When the order to retire was received, the brigade was withdrawn in good order. General Howard [marching to the support of Geary] made such progress that Jenkins' brigade was in danger of being cut off from the crossing over Lookout creek.
With this understanding it is interesting to read General Geary's report: