Joseph T. Derry , A. M. , Author of School History of the United States; Story of the Confederate War, etc., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 6, Georgia
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[270] flank. . . . In the meantime, General Cumming, having placed the Fifty-sixth Georgia in line for the charge, and supported it by placing the Thirty-sixth Georgia ten paces in the rear, moved forward to the charge; twice he was checked and had to reform.

In the last effort Tennesseeans, Arkansans and Texans joined and the enemy was driven back with a loss of 500 prisoners and eight stand of colors, of which two were taken by the Georgia regiments. ‘Colonel McConnell, of Cumming's brigade, and other gallant soldiers who fell in front of my works, I can but lament,’ said the heroic Cleburne. ‘I did not personally know them, but I saw and can bear witness to their gallant bearing and noble death.’

In General Sherman's account of the fight he says: ‘The enemy at the time being massed in great strength in the tunnel gorge, moved a large force under cover of the ground and the thick bushes, and suddenly appeared on the right and rear of this command. The suddenness of the attack disconcerted the men, and exposed as they were in the open field, they fell back in some disorder to the lower edge of the field and reformed.’ General Sherman contends that his main attacking columns were not repulsed. ‘They engaged in a close struggle all day, persistently, stubbornly and well.’ But at 3 o'clock Sherman's command remained in statu quo, and he did not gain the hill until the Confederate center had yielded to Thomas, when Gen. Morgan L. Smith's division advanced and found the heights before him vacant except for the mingled Northern and Southern wounded and dead. In this splendid fight Colonel Slaughter, the last regimental commander of Cumming's brigade, was wounded. Captains Morgan and Grice commanded the Fifty-sixth and Thirty-sixth regiments in the charge. In the last advance Captain Cody and Lieutenant Steiner, of Cumming's staff, were badly wounded.

The Georgians of Bate's brigade shared in the distinguished