[
73]
Trabue, ‘
Lieut.-Col. Robert A. Johnston, after exemplary conduct, was wounded,
Capt. William Mitchell was killed, and
Capt. George A. King and
Lieutenants Gillum,
Harding and
Schaub were wounded; all of the Fifth Kentucky.
In the Sixth Kentucky,
Lieutenant-Colonel Cofer, a cool, brave and efficient officer, was wounded;
Capt. W. W. Bagby and
Lieut. M. E. Aull were mortally wounded;
Capts. D. E. McKendree and
John G. Hudson were likewise wounded, as were also
Lieuts. L. M. Tucker and
Charles Dawson, the last named of whom was taken prisoner.
Late in the evening of this second day,
General Breckinridge, with the
Kentucky brigade and
Statham's, and some cavalry, undertook to check the enemy and cover the retreat.
This was a hard duty, exposed as the command had been and wasted as they were by the loss of more than half their numbers; but the general was equal to the great undertaking, and his officers and men shared his devotion to duty.’
The loss of the brigade was 844 out of a total of something less than 2,400; the Third Kentucky losing 174, Fourth 213, Fifth 134, Sixth 108,
Cobb's battery 37,
Byrne's 14.
Colonel Trabue notes particularly the gallant service of Cobb's and Byrne's batteries, both of which made names for themselves second to none in that arm of the service.
The horses of Cobb's battery were nearly all killed on the first day, but he saved his guns, while on the second day Byrne's battery had been so depleted by the casualties of battle that at one time he was assisted in the service of his guns by volunteers from the infantry of the brigade.
The Seventh Kentucky infantry, Col. Charles Wickliffe, served during the battle in Col. W. H. Stephens' brigade of Cheatham's division.
Colonel Wickliffe was mortally wounded and succeeded by Lieut.--Col. W. D. Lannom.
Later Col. Edward Crossland became commander of the Seventh and continued so during the war.
