From Robert Hope, way out West!
Chickamauga: The “Hand of God” saves General Green life
Fresh from the glorious battlefield of Chickamauga, based on General Green’s blood stained left handed written report of the battle, for our readers, we reflect on the grand movements and decisive actions of Hood, and Green’s division on the confederate right on the 20th September.
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| General Green's Battle torn Bible |
Early that day at their council of war, General Clayton, General Green and Brigadier 'Rocky' Roscoe agreed that this battle was there to be won.
“To our front was a sluggish little stream known as Duck Creek. It was fordable in almost all places, in some nearly dry-shod. Beyond was a series of ridges and an over confident Yankee army, slow to occupy the high ground.”
Having identified a fine chance for a grand attack by our right with massing to the right, this pivotal meeting ended with General Clayton being very clear.
“We attack as soon as we can. No timed orders or delays, we go in hard and fast with the strong right hitting first.”
Brigadier 'Rocky' Roscoe acknowledged this with a southern slur. “Agreed, and when we start to succeed, we hit harder” As everything that had to be said had already been spoken, I merely added “And when we go ahead we stay ahead of everything”.
On the confederate right, the initial vigorous attack by brigades within Hood and Green’s division were met initially by well-organised resistance.
In terms of prominence as to dwarf all other commands, notable actions of bravery during the next 6 hours of fighting were:
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| Coltrane immortalised in porcelain, miniature figures will never catch on! |
“In the centre, seeing Rocky’ Coltrane showing calm and focused leadership walking up and down the line, behind his men, shouting encouragement and when his hat was shot off, he placed it on the point of his sword and held it aloft shouting “Come on boys, I need you to get me a new hat from them Yankees!” Then later, seeing him hit by a mini ball followed by a second shot that caught him in his right leg, dropping him to the ground.
Minutes later on the confederate right, as General Green recalls: “On seeing the Yankee lines waver and collapse on their left anyone with eyes, ears and a clear mind knew that these blue bellies were going to quit the battlefield. There I was swinging my sabre above my head with one arm and my bible in the other. The next thing I knew I had been unseated from my horse. Yes the good book did save me. If truth be told, it was the brass clasp that keeps my bible closed that saved me from my earth's bath. Others will say that it was the "hand of god" that saved my life. Who is to argue."
General Green’s notes also give insight to other factors which contributed to the victory on this part of the battlefield.
“Providing the 26th Virginia infantry with breech loading rifles (and not advertising that we had done so) dramatically influenced the course of the battle on the far right. One of the deciding moments was the 26th Virginia seeing off both the 3rd Ohio and 153rd Pennsylvanian infantry. Thereafter, Smiths boys did the rest. By 3pm the battle was over and victory assured.”
Despite his injury, General Green was extremely content with the day's work - as the end of
his report he clearly expresses.
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| Men of Wiser's Brigade at reset |
"The enemy had fought every man that he had, and each and every one had in turn been beaten. There’s likely a place in paradise for men like you of Hood and Greens Division who always tried hard, but what really matters today is that we succeeded”.
“A simultaneous and continuous shout from those in Wiser’s brigade announced the end of my speech to the men.Our victory complete. Our “Rebel yell” was taken up successively and passed around to our front, along our right and in behind us again, until it seemed almost to have got back to the point where it started.”
