150-years-ago -- INCIDENTS OF CHICKAMAUGA, GA.

The Richmond Daily Dispatch

Oct. 1, 1863

Gen. Preston Smith

          We take from our Georgia exchanges some incidents of the battle of Chickamauga. The following are interesting:
           One of the most brilliant feats of this war was performed by Lieutenant-Colonel Frank A. Reynolds, of the 39th North Carolina.--This gallant officer, with only 238 men, charged a brigade of Yankees, and, after a desperate hand-to-hand fight of forty minutes duration, succeeded in routing the enemy, capturing ten pieces of artillery and two stand of colors, seven of which he brought off safely.In this charge he lost nearly half of his men. This is no doubt one of the most gallant feats on record. It stamps Col. Reynolds as a gallant officer, and should well make North Carolina proud of her valiant sons. Col. Reynolds is a graduate of West Point, and was the last Southerner who graduated at that place. He is also a son of Gen. A. W. Reynolds, who commanded a brigade of Tennessean during the Vicksburg campaign, and was taken prisoner there.
           The Rebel, in an obituary of Captain Thomas E. King, a volunteer aid, says:
          At the first battle of Manassas, in which he commanded a company in the 8th Georgia (Dartow's) regiment, he received a desperate wound, and has been upon crutches up to a very recent period. He could not endure the thought that the enemy was invading his native State, and be at home in quiet. He reached the field on Saturday, and was invited to take position on the staff of Lieut-Gen. Polk, but accepted a position on the staff of Gen. Preston Smith, as it would enable him to render more immediate service.
           During the desperate and continuous fighting all day on Saturday, he escaped unhurt, up to 5 P. M., when the firing ceased, and it was generally believed that the strife was ended for that day. He had just taken out his note book, and had written under date of Saturday, 5 P. M.: I thank my God that I have been spared through this day; when an order came from Gen. Polk to make another advance upon the enemy to drive them from a strong position on a creek in front of our lines. Gen. Smith advanced with his brigade, and by a splendid charge drove the enemy some distance. Gen. Smith was still driving the enemy, himself and staff riding some distance in advance of the brigade and close upon the heels of the retreating enemy. A sudden volley cut down Gen. Smith and three of the officers who were with him, including Capt. King, who lived about an hour and a half after receiving the fatal wound.
          Brig.-Gen. Benning's horse was shot from under him during one of the late battles on the Chickamauga. He dismounted, cut a horse loose from an artillery wagon, mounted it bare-back, returned to his command, and was seen, with the utmost sang froid, eating a biscuit, amid the din and danger of arms.