There were present at that battle the Sixth cavalry, the Twenty-ninth, Thirty-ninth, Fifty-eighth, and Sixtieth infantry. The fortunes of the day so ordered it that I was personally aware of the conduct of all save the Thirty-ninth regiment. As to that, the published reports, aided by the decision of the United States Park Commission in a contest between the troops who claimed to have captured a number of cannon also claimed by the Thirty-ninth, must be the authority for whatsoever I say. On the meeting of our State commission at the battlefield, October 25, 1893, we went over all available maps and reports of the action and the territory with the two members of the National commission then present, viz: Lieutenant-General Stewart, late of the Confederate States army, and Brevet Brigadier-General Boynton, late Thirty-fifth Ohio. In marking, the next day, the ___location occupied by the North Carolina troops, we had their full concurrence and approval. As soon as General Bragg discovered that Rosecrans had gained the main road from Lafayette to Chattanooga,
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Twenty-ninth, Col. W. B. Creasman; the Thirty-ninth, Col. David Coleman; the Fifty-eighth, Col. J. B. Palmer; the Sixtieth, Lieut.-Col. J. M. Ray and Capt. J. T. Weaver, and the Sixth cavalry, Col. G. N. Folk.
How nobly these five regiments upheld the, honor of their State is so clearly set forth in a personal letter to the author from Col. C. A. Cilley, a Federal staff officer of the Second Minnesota regiment, that no further memorial to their valor is needed.
The testimony has the added value of coming from a generous foe who stoutly fought these regiments, and whose official position has since put him in possession of all the facts bearing upon the successes attained by the troops from different States.
This position was that of member of the State commission appointed to examine and decide, conjointly with and under direction of the National Park commission, upon the achievements of all the troops engaged, and to direct the erection of tablets to commemorate valiant exploits.
Colonel Cilley's letter is as follows:
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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