LETTER BY CAPTAIN BEN LANE POSEY about the Battle of Chickamauga
Mobile Advertiser and Register Oct. 25, 1863.

Excerpts from Captain Posey's letter:

Chickamauga means “the stream of death...”

On the 19th, Saturday, came the “tug of war,” for if Greek did not “meet Greek,” the Southern chivalry, fashioned into veteran heroes, met the hardy hunters of the Northwest, disciplined, experienced in battle, and hitherto unconquered. Then came the first hard shock of battle between the South’s “right” and the North’s “might.”

It was near three o’clock, when Stewart’s Division formed and moved to the scene. It went to assist and relieve those who had fought until, hard pressed and much exhausted, and cut up, they could not longer hold the field. We soon started off to the right, and, generally at a double-quick, moved one or two miles. We were “right-flanked,” and “left-flanked,” and “forwarded,” so often that we were bewildered, some what disordered and quite out of breath before we reached the enemy.

It was about four o’clock, when, - the brigade moving by the left flank, at “double quick” – the left wing of the 38th Alabama, in front, ran into an ambuscade of the enemy, of whose presence they were first made aware by a fatal volley which instantly killed Major Jewett and Captain Welch, and brought down about a score of the companies of Welch and Bussey.

...the left wing of the 38th was swung back a considerable distance. All of Captain Welch’s company, except Lieut. Welch and four men were cut off, and not seen again during that day or the next.

We raised a loud yell and on we went, driving the fugitive enemy before us. Many of our men fell in this charge, but we pressed on over our fallen comrades. We went now like a tornado. We swept by and over the abandoned cannon of the enemy. Their muzzles still pointed towards us but they were now hushed. It was a sad picture. There lay the Yankee cannoneers dead around their guns, and there lay the dead artillery-horses pilled one upon another. There, too, lay the dead Confederates; showing how close and desperate had been the contest for this battery.

Our loss on Saturday was very heavy. Of two field officers, one was killed; of seven Captains, one was killed and two wounded; of the Lieutenants, half had fallen; of the men over a hundred.

The battle was renewed on Sunday morning. – Clayton’s brigade having suffered so heavily, was held in reserve, in the second line. Brown’s (Tennessee) brigade, of Stewart’s division, was to begin the fight, and we were to help them if too hard pressed. While lying in reserve, we were exposed to a heavy shelling, which fell among my company and company A, wounding another, and wounding two of mine. About eleven we were ordered forward to reinforce our front line, which had become hotly engaged. We came to a log-heap fortification occupied by Brown’s brigade, ran over it and them, and went on in another mad, reckless charge. We were in a dense woods and could not see the enemy, but we felt him terribly, for our men fell by scores. Orders could not be heard if any were given.

Next we reached the road, crossed over it, and gathered about a little log-house, and all around the house and yard. We were now within a hundred yards of the enemy. I looked around to see our numbers, and I do not believe that at this point, we had exceeded one hundred men of the entire brigade. What was to be done? To remain where we were was certain death – to charge the enemy, ten times our number, was hopeless, even if this chaotic mass could have been collected for a charge. I could see only two officers present, (of course others might have been present where I did not see) both of whom were Lieutenants. The fight was now in it’s fury, and we were in the hottest part. The grape-shot tore through our little groups of men with fatal effect. Minnie Balls came thick and fast. It was an awful time.

This fatal charge of ours, on Sunday morning, was gallant one. We faced a terrible fire, went very near the enemy, were in an open field, move exposed than any other troops, and we stood our ground long and well.

Our loss in this charge was very heavy through out the brigade. Lieut. Col. Inge, of the 18th, was mortallywounded. The 38th lost heavily in officers. Two companies had no officers, and I put them with mine, and took position on the left of the regiment. We were again under fire in the evening, and made another, now our third charge, just before sundown. But I know of no loss sustained by our regiment or brigade. If any the loss was slight. This last charge, however, was the best executed of any that we made. The brigade moved forward in much better order, and kept together. The result of this charge was highly successful. In this charge we captured nearly all the prisoners taken by the brigade. The brigade made three charges, in only one of which it was repulsed, and in this one because it had gone too far and taken an untenable position. Even this position, at the burnt house, it held for several minutes. I speak here only of what I saw, and that, of course, was limited to a small space. This was about the burnt house where the extreme right of the 38th and the extreme left of the 36th had gathered. The left wing of the 38th had a much safer position, and I do not think they crossed the road as we did but I am not certain. And though finally driven back from this position, the retreat was checked in two hundred yards, and we held that position to the last. Here and at other places we were subjected to a severer test than that of a charge. Passive, enduring courage, under a continued fire which cannot be returned, is a severer trial than making a charge, in which we give blows as well as receive them, and in which excitement and enthusiasm sustain the spirits.

Captain Ben Lane Posey was commander of Company K, 38th Alabama.

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