Reports from the Official Records
about the 44th Tennessee Infantry
and the 44th Tennessee Consolidated Infantry
for 1862

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME X/1 [S# 10]

<ar10_607>

HDQRS. FORTY-FOURTH REGIMENT TENNESSEE VOLS.,
April 9, 1862.

In compliance with your order of the 8th instant I submit the following report of the action of my regiment of the 6th and 7th:

At 6 o'clock on the morning of the 3d I received orders from Colonel Patterson, commanding the brigade, to prepare five days' rations and be ready to march at any moment. About 3 o'clock on the same day I received marching orders, and immediately put my command in motion and proceeded to the road leading toward the enemy's encampments, when my command was placed on the left of the brigade. We traveled until 12.30 o'clock that night, a distance of some 20 miles, and encamped.

Early next morning we took up the line of march in the same order, and proceeded to within some 3 miles of the enemy, when by your command we were halted and rested some two or three hours, during which time a short skirmish ensued between our cavalry and that of the enemy, and perhaps some infantry on both sides. The skirmish took place immediately in front of our lines, when by your order I placed my regiment in line of battle on the right of the brigade and remained in that position until near dark, and then by your order I moved my regiment to the right nearly half a mile, and occupied the same position in the brigade, and remained there on our arms until 2 o'clock in the morning, at which time we moved back to the main road leading to the enemy, and proceeded at daylight to march in the direction of them.

Colonel McKoin's regiment, having been placed in the reserve to support the brigade, and Major Hardcastle's battalion as a support to the artillery, my regiment then occupied the right, the brigade moving by the left flank. We marched in this order some 2 miles and formed a line of battle, when Colonel Patterson's regiment was thrown out as skirmishers in advance, and Major Hardcastle's battalion was brought upon my right, occupying the right flank of the brigade.

We remained in this position all day. At night Colonel Patterson's regiment was brought back and occupied the position of Major Hard-castle's battalion, which was thrown in advance as skirmishers. We remained in this position all night on our arms.

Early in the morning (the 6th) Major Hardcastle's battalion brought on a skirmish fight, at which time you ordered the whole brigade to move in the same order. We arrived on the ground where Major Hardcastle had the skirmish fight, and then Colonel Patterson's regiment was thrown out as skirmishers and Major Hardcastle took his position.

We then moved in this order until we got in sight of the enemy's camp on our left, when I was informed by one of your aides that the order was to charge. We then charged, Colonel Patterson's regiment being immediately in my front. We charged to the top of the hill, where a short skirmish ensued, and moved on to the enemy's camps, driving them before us, putting them to rout.

I then reformed my regiment and moved to the left, in the line of the enemy's camps, at which time you ordered me to hold my regiment as a <ar10_608> support to the brigade. The brigade then charged on some batteries immediately on a hill in front of us, when a heavy fight ensued, at which time I moved my regiment to the right of the brigade and in a line with one of the enemy's batteries, when the whole of our force on the left fell back a short distance. My regiment fell back some hundred yards into a ravine, when one of our batteries came up to our assistance and opened on the enemy's batteries. I then moved my regiment back up the hill, fighting all the way, other troops having come up on my left. When I got to the top of the hill I found that the enemy had retreated back to another of their encampments and that my regiment was entirely separated from the brigade. Others of our troops coming up, I kept to the right, with them fighting and driving the enemy from another of their encampments, at which time one of your aides, Captain Clare, came up, and rendered me very valuable assistance. My regiment continued to fight until all their ammunition was very nearly exhausted, and having lost a great many of my men, I moved my regiment back to the ammunition wagon and replenished, and then moved forward to nearly the same place, when Colonel Patterson's regiment came up, when I formed on his right. We then moved forward in the direction of the enemy and had a sharp fight, when our artillery came up, and we fell back in the rear of it, and remained there until you came to us. After several moves, but no more fighting, we by your orders lay on our arms during the night.

On the next morning we formed our line of battle on the encampment, my regiment being on the left of the brigade, and after several, and by your, orders we engaged the enemy. Between 11 and 12 o'clock we had a severe fight, my left resting on another brigade of our troops. After fighting severely for some time a charge was ordered, and we commenced making it, when I was informed by the brigade on my left that the enemy was advancing on the left and they were near to us. I ordered my men back and took position to the right of this brigade. Some of my men did not hear this order, and charged across with some of Colonel Patterson's men. Those that did hear my order, before they could regain their position, were opened upon by the enemy with a deadly fire, which continued until the whole of our troops were compelled to fall back from a flank movement of the enemy. I then replenished my men with ammunition, and after several moves and some fighting I was, about 3 o'clock, struck by a grape ball in the right arm, which, from the loss of blood, compelled me to leave the field.

I had forgotten to state before in my report that I was deprived of the valuable services of Lieutenant-Colonel Shied about 2 o'clock on the day before by a wound received in his left side. I would also state that I had not the assistance during the fight of the major, he having been, on account of sickness, unable to discharge the duties of his office for some two months.

I would state in conclusion that the officers and men under my command conducted themselves gallantly, and acted as bravely and chivalrously as men could, and fought with endurance not to be surpassed by better-drilled troops, as will appear by my abstract showing the number of killed and wounded. To mention the individual acts of heroism that came under my observation would extend this report to too great length.

I would also mention that Drs. Noblett, Osborne, and Chandler deserve to be mentioned for their services to the wounded; also Lieutenant Guinn, for his aid in assisting the wounded to the hospital. <ar10_609>

Drill-masters Hendrick and Hamilton, for their gallantry on the battlefield, deserve to me mentioned.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

C. A. McDANIEL,
Colonel, Comdg. Forty-fourth Regiment Tennessee Volunteer.

General S. A.M. WOOD,
Commanding Third Brigade.

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XVI/1 [S# 22]

<ar22_1133>

OCTOBER 11, 1862.

I have to report that the Forty-fourth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers was placed in position on the bluff of the creek on the morning of the 7th instant; that they remained there during the day and night, and on the next day the regiment was advanced toward a skirt of woods along our front about 11.30 a.m. After remaining there an hour we were advanced into the woods in front. Here we remained an hour. The enemy engaged in the mean time one of our batteries immediately on our right.

We were again ordered forward and occupied a ravine, and there remained until General Cheatham's division on our right made a charge, when we were ordered to advance upon the enemy and oblique to the left of our then present position.

The regiment was promptly in motion and charged rapidly over the hill and forward through a corn field and over a large meadow, where we were exposed to an enfilading fire coming from the enemy on our right and a battery upon our left. Obliquing to the left here we suffered terribly from the fire of the batteries right and left of us and the sharpshooters of the enemy posted in the orchard and behind the rock fence on our right. We charged rapidly up the hill with fixed bayonets to silence and take the battery on our left, and having gained the top of the hill we found it to be the Washington Artillery, and immediately reported to them that they had been playing upon their own men, when the firing ceased. This battery was supported by Brigadier-General Adams' brigade, who ordered the Forty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Tennessee Regiments to remain there to assist him, as the enemy was reported to be advancing on him to the left in heavy force.

We remained there some twenty minutes and then moved in direction of our brigade and were met by General Buckner, who ordered us to advance to the woods and form line of battle and wait further orders. This done, we remained there some twenty-five minutes and we again received orders to advance. We advanced up to the left of the burning house and occupied position there for some time, and again advanced some 250 yards to a gully at the foot of a small hill. Here we remained under a heavy fire of the enemy's small-arms and artillery.

General Adams' entire brigade fell back behind us with a battery, leaving no one in front of us or any other support. He suggested that we had better fall back. We fell back to a rail fence, where we received orders from General Hardee to advance and hold our former position so long as possible. This was done immediately. Shortly after General Adams' command (or a portion) returned to our support in our rear. They suffered from the fire of the enemy and again retired, leaving us in our position, where we remained until the musketry firing ceased. We then retired a few hundred yards to a rail fence running nearly north and south.

At 12 m. we received orders to fall back from this position and occupy the same position occupied two nights previously.

I am glad to be able to report that both officers and men of this regiment stood well under the heaviest fire of the enemy, evincing courage equal to the occasion. <ar22_1134>

Herewith you have a list(*) of the killed [14], and I refer you to the surgeon's report for other casualties.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

JNO. S. FULTON,
Colonel Forty-fourth Tennessee Regiment.

R. B. SNOWDEN,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Reports from 1862 - Shiloh and Perryville
Reports from 1863 - Murfreesborough, Tullahoma Campaign, Chickamauga Campaign
Reports from 1864 - 65 - Port Walthall Junction, Drewry's Bluff, the infamous A.N.V. transfer

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