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movement of more than two miles, a large part of the way in double-quick time, and exposed to shot and shell, drove two regiments of the enemy out of a dense pine thicket and captured a battery.
Emerging from this wood the regiment, under Colonel Benning's direction, charged a Federal battery of six pieces, and, though now exhausted and with numbers reduced to about 300 all told, they drove the cannoneers from their guns, held the position confronting seven hostile flags, supported by at least six times the numbers of the Confederates, and only retired, and then in good order, when enfiladed by another battery.
Major Waddell was conspicuous in this day's work, brilliantly seconded by his senior captain, E. M. Seago, and Lieut. W. N. Hutchins, acting adjutant. Capts. H. C. Mitchell, S. W. Blance, W. F. Denny, A. B. Ross and R. D. Little, and Lieuts. T. S. Fontaine, W. W. Beazel, J. A. Maddox, W. L. Abbott and J. B. Richards were honorably mentioned.
Lieuts. Robert Jordan, C. H. Culbreath and J. F. Spear were killed in the discharge of heroic duty, and Captains Seago, Blance, Denny, and Lieutenants Fontaine, J. T. Scott, John M. Granberry, J. L. Carter and J. T. Hammack were wounded.
‘Color-bearer James Broderick was shot down at the instant of planting the colors in front of the belching cannon.
Private Nunn seized the flagstaff ere it fell and bore it through the remainder of the conflict.’
The loss of the Twentieth in the two days was 21 killed, 125 wounded and 6 missing. Over 100 of the gallant 300 were barefooted, and left bloody footprints as they made their way through the thorns and briers.
The other regiments of the brigade fought creditably under the immediate direction of General Toombs.
The Seventeenth lost 101 out of 200 in action.
Maj. John H. Pickett, commanding, fell late in the battle, desperately wounded, and hardly had A. C. Jones, next in rank, assumed command, before he was killed by a ball through the temples.
Capt. Hiram L. French then took the
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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