Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 23.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[170] bushes and fired into the head of our column. They had discovered us just in time to throw this one regiment forward. Some of our cavalry in search of buttermilk, had strayed off and aroused the foe. But it was too late. This sudden check to Hoke and his generals was startling, and here the Major-General displayed his genius. He did not order his division ‘Forward into line!’ but raised his hat and shouted to those around him, ‘Make all the men cheer!’ Shout and cheer they did like a tornado among the pines and rushed with great spirit upon the enemy. Hoke thus prevented either his own troops or the enemy from seeing that he was for the moment himself surprised. But this unexpected fire in the rear completely demoralized the forces of General Cox at this point. They fled before us in confusion, leaving several hundred prisoners and a battery of light artillery in our hands, besides their camp and many small arms. Our line was reformed after the pursuit and the division resumed its position on the right of Bragg's army, highly elated at the success of the day. Kirkland's Brigade was in front in this assault.

The next day, March 9th, Bragg attempted a flank movement around the enemy's right—D. H. Hill's command in advance—but found intrenchments and resumed his former position. Again, on the 10th, he moved Hoke around by our right flank to attack the enemy in rear, Kirkland's Brigade in front. After much marching through the swamps and pocosons and dense pine forests, Hoke decided to attack. The enemy showed a very strong skirmish line, which stubbornly resisted Kirkland's battalion of sharp-shooters, commanded by Major Robinson, of the Sixty-sixth, who fought them bravely. On my reporting to Kirkland that Robinson could not drive back the enemy's skirmishers, General Hoke ordered Kirkland to support them with his entire brigade, and we formed line with the Forty-second on the right, Sixty-sixth centre, and Seventeenth on the left, and moved forward. I rode with the Seventeenth, and Major L. J. Johnson, inspector, with the Forty-second, Kirkland with Lieutenant Stoddard in rear of the centre. As we advanced to the front the guide, named Wooten, passed me going to the rear, and said, ‘Captain, your brigade has not gone far enough to the right, and Hoke is doing wrong to attack here.’ Hoke says he told Kirkland to feel the enemy, but not to attack breastworks. But the brigade made a charge through the woods, which were very thick, with great spirit, and drove the skirmishers before them. We encountered a brisk fire of musketry and artillery. As I heard a battery to our right and rear I changed the