Cleburne's Division

On September 19th, 1863, at 10 a.m., Major General Patrick R. Cleburne's Division of Hill's Corps, with Polk's Brigade on the right, Wood's in the center, and Deshler's on the left, advanced from this position toward the Union line east of Kelly Field. Polk's Brigade and the right of Wood's reached within 175 yards of the Union works but were repulsed after severe fighting. The left of the division penetrated to the Poe House west of the LaFayette Road, where it was also repulsed and Brigadier General James Deshler was killed. The division then reassembled near its original position. Late in the afternoon, Polk's Brigade, aided by troops on the left, advanced on the northeast salient of the Union line before receiving orders to withdraw. The Union troops held briefly, then withdrew hastily to the woods west of the LaFayette Road, followed by the Confederates to that point, with Polk's Brigade reaching it shortly before dark. At the opening of the battle on September 19th, the force engaged numbered 3,115, and its losses in two days of fighting were 204 killed, 1,539 wounded, and 6 missing, for a total of 1,749, or 34.2 percent.

Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia · United States