Ezra Church, Georgia

Col. Edward A. O'Neal, Twenty-sixth Alabama Infantry, commanding Cantey's Brigade

 In obedience to orders from division headquarters, I have the honor to submit the following brief report of the operations of this brigade in the engagement of the 28th of July at the Poor-House, on the Lick Skillet road.
    The brigade was moved from a position in reserve in rear of the trenches on the morning of the 28th, and after a somewhat fatiguing march, the weather belong excessively hot, arrived at the scene of conflict about 1 o'clock, where it was halted and formed on the left of the road in rear of a line of battle, then engaged, preparatory to a forward movement. 

The Thirty-seventh Mississippi, Maj. S. H. Tarral commanding, on the right; the battalion of sharpshooters, under command of Capt. A. L. O'Brien, on the left; the Twenty-sixth Alabama, Maj. D. F. Bryan, in the center, and Seventeenth Alabama, Maj. T. J. Burnett, and the Twenty-ninth Alabama, under Capt. J. A. Foster, the right and left center.  About 2 p.m. the command to advance was given and the brigade moved forward in perfect order through an open field, exposed at every step to fire of the enemy, who were posted on the crest of a hill sheltered by a skirt of dense woods.  The advance was continued some 300 yards, and until we passed down and across the declivity intervening between the open field and the position occupied by the enemy, when the fire became so hot and galling the men sought shelter behind a fence, from which they opened on him a heavy fire along the whole line. 

Besides the protection which the hill and woods afforded him the enemy had some slight and hastily constructed field works.  For more than two hours the sanguinary conflict raged with great fury and slaughter, and finding it impossible to dislodge him from his position, I sent to the major general commanding for assistance.  General Quarles was ordered up.  He obeyed the order with alacrity.  His troops came up in splendid style, and at once opened on the enemy a heavy fire; but even with this additional force it was found impossible to break his line, although at one time some parts of our line gained a footing in forty or fifty yards of the enemy. 

The regimental commanders having informed me that their ammunition was exhausted, the brigade was ordered back to the point from which it had advanced, and ammunition distributed to the men shortly afterward.  General Quarles was compelled to fall back, and the command of the corps having devolved on the major-general, in consequence of the wounding of General Stewart, General Quarles took command of the division, and I was ordered by him to move to the left some 300 or 400 yards, where line of battle was formed, and where we remained till night, when we fell back to the trenches and bivouacked for the night.

    During the engagement the Thirty-seventh Mississippi and the right wing of the Seventeenth Alabama became somewhat detached from the brigade in consequence of the woods on our right, and also in part owing to the wounding of Major Burnett, who fell early in the action severely wounded, and who was the only field officer present with his regiment.

    During the whole of the sanguinary conflict the officers (field and line) and the men, with some exceptions, behaved with the coolness and intrepidity of veterans, and held their ground with a steady and stubborn courage worthy of the highest admiration, and I trust it will not be deemed invidious to say what truth demands should be stated, that if the troops on the right of our division* had moved forward and kept pace with our line of battle, the enemy would have been driven from his position, if not routed.
    Enclosed I send you a list of casualties, which is large for the number engaged.

    Among the slain we have to mourn the loss of some valuable officers.  Captain Ragland, Seventeenth Alabama, and Captain Hanna, Twenty-ninth Alabama Regiment, two gallant and meritorious officers, are among the killed.  I cannot close this report with acknowledging my obligations to Capt. S. B. Smith, of the Twenty-sixth Alabama Regiment, and Capt. J. F. Tate, Seventeenth Alabama Regiment, and Sergeant-Major Banks, who were acting on my staff in the absence of the regular staff.  Each behaved with gallantry, and faithfully performed his duties.  I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant.

                                                             E. A. O'Neal Colonel, Commanding Brigade