CAPT.: In obedience to a circular received from brigade headquarters, dated near Chattanooga, Tenn., October 4, 1863, I have the honor most respectfully to make the following report of the part my command took in the late battle of Chickamauga:

On the morning of the 18th instant, we marched from camp near La Fayette; arrived in the vicinity of Alexander's Bridge, across the west prong of Chickamauga Creek, about 2 p. m.; were thrown into line, ordered to put out skirmishers, and advance in the direction of the bridge. This we did, dressing our line in the movement to the left. My regiment struck the enemy in considerable force near and immediately in front of the bridge above mentioned, and a fierce engagement ensued. I pressed forward with my command and took possession of the bridge, which had been so torn up as to prevent crossing.

In this engagement the loss of my regiment was 56 killed and wounded.

After it was found to be impossible for the command to cross the creek on the aforesaid bridge, I received orders to march by the flank, together with the whole brigade, to [Byram's] Ford, about 1 1/2 miles below the bridge, where a crossing was effected without opposition. By the time we had fairly gotten over the creek it was night, and, in obedience to an order I received through a staff officer of the brigadier-general, I directed my command to move out of the road to the left, build small fires, and rest until further orders.

On the morning of the 19th, between daylight and sunrise, under orders from the brigadier-general commanding, I moved out from my resting place left in front and followed immediately in rear of the Thirtieth Mississippi Regt. The march was not continued exceeding half a mile, when a halt was ordered and the men permitted to rest by the roadside. Here we remained until about 9 a. m., when the signal "attention" sounded from brigade headquarters, whereupon the line was immediately formed and ordered to advance upon the enemy. We had not gone, in my opinion, exceeding a quarter of a mile when we struck the enemy in force, my regiment meeting him in an open field. Here the whole command (without orders, I believe) lay down. They only remained in this position a few moments, however, and arose as one man, charging through the Yankee lines most gallantly for a mile or more, capturing quite a number of prisoners and taking possession of a battery complete. Soon after we passed the battery, it was ascertained that, on account of some break in our lines to the left of our position, the enemy was fast flanking us, and because of this we were compelled to fall back, leaving the battery we had taken (excepting one gun) again in the enemy's possession. In this engagement my regiment suffered severely, though I am unable to state the exact number.

After having fallen back, the alignment of the brigade being rectified, we rested a short while and were again ordered into action. My regiment the second time met the enemy in a field, where we fought him until the commands on my right (Twenty-fourth and Twenty-seventh Regt.'s) commenced falling back to protect themselves in a small hollow about 200 yards in our rear. When I learned of this movement on my right, I retired my command to the same position and formed in my regular place in brigade line (on left of Twenty-seventh Regt.). Here we rested for the night without having any further engagement except by our skirmishers in front, who were relieved by those from Maj.-Gen. Cleburne's division about 6 o'clock in the evening.

On the morning of Sunday, the 20th, we were first marched by the left flank to the rear and in supporting distance of Maj.-Gen. Cheatham's line, where we remained only a short while, and were then marched by the right flank to the rear of Maj.-Gen. Breckinridge's position. Soon after we arrived here I received orders to advance in line, dressing to the right. This we did for a mile, I suppose, and encountered the enemy at the top of a ridge, from whom we received a destructive fire, and were briskly returning it when information was received that there was a line of our troops in our front in the hollow just below us, whereupon we fell back under cover of the hill and moved by the right flank to the top of the hill and to the right of the line which we were then in rear of. Here the men were halted and allowed to rest in place until about 3 or 4 o'clock in the evening, when we were again called upon to advance in line, dressing this time to the left. We moved forward, in my opinion, about half a mile, and near the center of an old field were halted, ordered to lie down and hold the ground until our artillery could be gotten in position. During the time we were in this field our line was enfiladed both from the right and left by artillery, and subjected to a severe fire of musketry from a cluster of trees to the left of our line. We had been in this position but a short while when, from the ground I occupied, I could see the troops on my left falling back, and soon the news ran along the whole line that the enemy were getting in our rear. Upon this I gave the command "in retreat, march" to my regiment, and fell back to the woods, losing but few in killed and wounded, but some 15 or 20, I suppose, in prisoners.

The loss of my command during the whole of these engagements was more than one-half of the number carried in [368], being 194 in killed, wounded, and missing, a list of the names of which I forwarded a few days since, and ask most respectfully that it be made part of this report.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. F. BRANTLY,
Col., Comdg.

Capt. E. T. SYKES,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.

Source: Official Records
CHAP. XLII.] THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN. PAGE 280-51
[Series I. Vol. 30. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 51.]

Battles Fought
Fought on 14 Sep 1862 at Munfordville, KY.
Fought on 24 Nov 1863 at Lookout Valley, TN.
Fought on 31 Aug 1864 at Jonesboro, GA.
Fought on 30 Nov 1864 at Franklin, TN.