Beschreibung:

4pp, 8 x 12.5 in. Battle report of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Mississippi, CSA. Submitted by Brig. Genl. B. R. Johnson to Maj. J. D. Porter, Jr., AAG. Written from Columbus, MS, 12 April 1862. Johnson notes that they arrived after dark on the 5th of April. The following morning, they were put in motion "with orders to deploy at a point to be designated in the line of battle on the left of Genl. Clark's command. Brigade was in the following order from right to left: 154th H: Reg: Tenn Vols. Comdd by Col Preston Smith Miss. Reg. Vols. " " Col. A. R. Blythe Battery 6 pcs. Artillery " " Capt. M.T. Polke 15th Reg. Tenn Vols. " " Lt. Col. R.C. Tyler 2nd " " " " " Col. J. Knx. Walker At 8 1/2 o'clock AM. this Brigade came under fire of the enemy Artillery." He notes that they were called up immediately to the line of battle, but they had to maneuver some rough marshy ground to get to their appointed position, and it took longer than expected. They arrived and found the 154th TN and Blythe's MS Vols. Col. Blythe's regiment had attacked a Union position. "It afterwards wheeled to the right and drove a battery with tis support from its position and was advancing upon the enemy under cover of a woods when Col. Blythe was shot dead from his horse whilst leading his regiment. Within ten minutes after his fall Lt. Col. D.C. Heron of the same regiment was mortally wounded." They pressed on: "The Infantry of the left wing, after being reformed in line of battle as previously stated, was moved forward and came immediately under a heavy fire of the enemy's Artillery and Infantry, which took such fatal effect as to cause a momentary wavering in the ranks. The gallantry, firmness and decisions of Lt. Col R.C. Tyler, who with drawn pistol, restored order and pressed forward his regiment merits the highest commendation." An asterisk has been added in pencil after "pistol" and a note in the margin "*I witnessed this myself. Jordan." The battle continued, with heavy fire from the Union lines. "Lt. Col. R.C. Tyler, after having his horse shot three times and nursing a wound himself, was compelled to leave the field. Capt. Polk's Battery was not suffering severely from the fire of the enemy's musketry and Artillery. The 2nd Reg: Tenn: Vols. seemed to be reduced to one half its number, its lines broken and driven back....[he reformed the lines and] each time, at the very commencement of the movement, the lines were broken from the unsteadiness of the men under fire." Then, to make matters worse: "At this time it was reported to me that Cap't Polk had his leg broken, more than half the Battery was disabled and but one gun was being discharged. ...I attempted to lead [the 2nd TN] past the Battery, but only succeeded in advancing them to the position they had previously occupied when I was disabled by a wound, from further duty on the field. Briefly I am able to say that Col. Blythe's Reg. Miss Vols., the 15th and part of the 2nd Ten. Vols. with Polk's Battery made a desperate stand and fought heavily." He goes on to report a few incidents that he heard, but suggests that they read Col. Preston Smith's report, since command of the Brigade devolved to him after Johnson was wounded. He does get in one parting shot: "Had I accomplished my purpose, I am convinced, I would now have to report much more satisfactory results." Bushrod Rust Johnson (1817-1880) was selected to attend USMA from Ohio, his natal state, graduating in 1840. He then served fighting Indians in Florida and the west before being part of the army occupying Texas and later engaged at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma and Monterey and the siege of Vera Cruz. He resigned in 1847 and became professor at the Western Military Institute of Kentucky. Later he became superintendent of the academy, and moved to a similar position at the University of Nashville. He thus found himself on the southern side of the Mason-Dixon line when war broke out, holding the rank of Colonel