Negley's Division

On September 20, 1863, at 11 A.M., the Union line was broken at Brothertons, and troops just north of the gap were driven in disorder, some from the field and some to Snodgrass Hill, where they were rallied and formed on the crest and ridge facing south and southeast. While Major General James S. Negley, commanding a division of Thomas' Corps, was engaged with the brigades of John Beatty and Timothy R. Stanley on the Lafayette road at and near the north end of Kelly field, General Thomas ordered him to take charge of all artillery at hand and mass it on high ground in rear of the left of the line to resist a turning movement. Negley collected and posted several batteries on Snodgrass Hill, and they opened fire with marked effect on Confederates operating in the McDonald field. William Sirwell's brigade was the first infantry to arrive at Snodgrass Hill and gave support to Negley's batteries, and Stanley's brigade soon formed on Sirwell's right, while Beatty's brigade had become scattered in the earlier fighting and its commander came to Snodgrass Hill and served there until the close of the day. As other troops arrived, General Brannan rallied them on Negley's right and rear. Negley then tried, with Sirwell's brigade and his artillery, to extend Brannan's line westward along the crest, but when the extension was about half completed, he decided that to save his artillery he had to withdraw at once from the field. He made that decision because of the stream of fugitives he could not stop, the enemy's close proximity, the smallness of his own force, and reports that both flanks were being turned. He withdrew with part of his infantry and artillery toward Rossville, leaving Stanley's brigade, the 21st Ohio of Sirwell's brigade, and one battery with Brannan. Casualties on September 19 and 20 were 66 killed, 430 wounded, 295 missing, for a total of 791.

Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia · United States