Battle Report of Pickett's Mill, Georgia - May 27, 1864 BY "Texas", An Anonymous Officer of Granbury's Texas Brigade As published in the
Memphis Daily Appeal, June 7, 1864

In Camps on Altoona Mountain, Ga.
June 1, 1864.

There appears to be a partial calm in the fiery ordeal of military operations at this time, so far as fighting is concerned. There is constant skirmishing along the entire line, and it seems from the apparent tardy movements of the enemy, that he is at a loss to know where is the most vulneralble point at which an attack is to be made on our lines. Owing to the topography of the country he is necessarily compelled to labor under the most insurmountable difficulties to effect any further flank movement upon our lines. Suffice it to say, that we are prepared for any emergency. The consequent failure on the part of the enemy to cut our line, after the many fruitless efforts to effect a passage, has, no doubt, produced a feeling of discomfiture among them needing such a specific as will baffle the characteristic ingeniality of the wily Yankee to procure. On the 27th ultimo there was an effort made to turn our right wing, by concentrating two corps on our extreme right, at which the enemy had learned that there was only a small squad of rebel cavalry; and, really, there were a few at this point until within a few minutes before the engagement commenced. Our cool, intrepid and ever watchful general, (H. B. Granbury) commanding a brigade of Texans, was just in time to prevent a flank movement, which, had the enemy have been successful, would have caused us much trouble. We had no time to throw up breastworks; and, under the circumstances, we resolved to meet the enemy, who were advancing upon us in seven lines, whereas, we had but one, and all that we claim is that the advantage in the position of the ground.

Although our number was small, in comparison to that of the enemy; yet this did not in the least daunt the minds of the ever faithful Texans, who have been taught by the perils of this cruel war, to face danger in every conceivable shape. From the statements of the enemy's wounded, they anticipated an easy job to whip the rebel cavalry, who were, at the time of our arrival, skirmishing with them; but as usual, they were subjected to sad disappointment. We fought them from 4 o'clock P. M. until dark. Gen. Granbury not being satisfied with the glorious victory already achieved, determined to make a descent upon the enemy after dark. The bugal sounded the advance at 11 o'clock P. M., and a part of the brigade only was ordered to make the charge. The enemy were in line of battle about 200 yards in our front. We marched forward without any interruption, for the discomfited Yankee made but little resistance. We killed and captured quite a number of the foe, and our boys considered that they were well paid off for their night adventure, and to take it all in all, it was one of the most brilliant achievements of the war. To sum up the results, any impartial observer will say that the Texas boys "are all right." Our loss in killed in the brigade is 41, wounded 117. The loss of the enemy in killed in front of the brigade 300, wounded 1200, prisoners taken 250, and about 1700 stands of small arms, most of which were new Springfield rifles.

To sum up, our loss in killed and wounded was 158, whereas, the loss of the enemy in killed, wounded and prisoners, was 1750. Let other troops do likewise, and we will soon put an end to this cruel war and secure an honorable peace. Gen. Johnston took a survey of the battlefield on the following morning, and remarked that our boys did the best shooting that he has seen during the war. There was an immense thicket immediately in our front when the engagement commenced, and in less than one hour scarcely a single bush remained standing. No part of the battlefield of Chickamauga will bear comparison to this in the slaughter of Yankees within a space of two hundred yards of our position. In some places the dead and wounded lay in heaps. The bodies of some were pierced as many as forty times. Very few shots were discovered upon the trees higher than a man's head. The enemy had to ascend the hill upon which we had taken our position, and a part of the ridge below us was very rough, but it facilitated the air of our unnerving marksmen. We are now awaiting another opportunity to show to the enemy we are not yet demoralized. Our boys have been on the wing constantly day and night since the campaign opened at Dalton; or more properly we have been like Waverly's goose, "in no place constant never," and by such we have been styled old Pat's webfooted cavalry. It is surprising how well the boys bear up under such hardships; but we are well fed and have the will to do. The enemy is moving to our right, and we have orders to "follow suit." More anon.