Reminiscences of the Chattanooga campaign A paper read at the reunion of Company B, Fortieth Ohio volunteer infantry, at Xenia, O., August 22, 1894

In this first‑hand account, a Union sergeant recounts the tense moments as his regiment left the safety of Crawfish Springs and encountered Confederate pickets on the road to Chattanooga. The narrative captures the crack of a distant gun, the scramble of soldiers into skirmish lines, and the eerie solitude of night watches amid a moonlit valley. Through crisp, unvarnished language, listeners hear the clash of musket fire, the clatter of fences, and the uneasy camaraderie that steadied men in the face of danger.

As the engagement unfolds into the opening actions of the larger Chickamauga clash, the veteran describes the confusion of battle, wounded comrades, and the sudden surge of Confederate troops over a farm fence. His observations blend personal fear with a soldier’s sense of duty, offering insight into the everyday realities of Civil War combat. The memoir provides a vivid snapshot of the campaign’s early hardships, inviting listeners to step into the boots of those who fought on those rugged Tennessee hills.