through the timber, and engage the enemy at close quarters. All these orders were promptly obeyed amidst a storm of grape. The artillery steadily unlimbered, and opened a carefully-aimed fire upon the enemy. Lieutenant Colonel T. H. Rosser in person, with the calmness of a professor of entomology examining a rare addition to his collection, aimed one of the guns, while the enemy's grape shot tore up the earth and disabled men and horses around him. In the course of the cannonading at this point Captain Hiram Bledsoe and Lieutenant Wallace, of the artillery and Captain F. M. McKinney, of infantry, all of Lieutenant-Colonel Rosser's command, in person served the guns, in consequence of the number of men disabled, Lieutenant Wallace remaining at his post, though twice wounded in the leg.

At this point the artillery lost in wounded the gallant Lieutenant Charles Higgins, seriously but not fatally wounded, who, shot down at the gun he was serving, gained his feet and continued the loading until completed, and fell exhausted under the muzzle of his piece; Lieutenant Wallace very slightly wounded, and 8 privates. Three horses were also wounded, and 4 killed.

Lieutenant-Colonel O'Kane, with his battalion, upon the receipt of my order, advanced rapidly though a field, and on the skirt of the timber nearest to us fell in with the enemy, and aided by Captains Gaines' and Kelly's companies (General Clark's division) and Colonel Burbridge's regiment (General Clark's division), engaged the enemy, and after a short conflict drove him through the timber across the creek back upon him main body. Lieutenant-Colonel O'Kane had his horse shot under him, and suffered a loss of 2 killed and 20 wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel O'Kane makes honorable mention of Captains Hale and Vaughn, who rushed into the conflict, and also of Captains McElrath and Gray, and Lieutenant Taylor, commanding Captain Warren's company-Captain Warren having been short though the leg by a grape shot.

Responding with spirit and zeal to my order, Colonels Graves and Hurst threw their regiments into the timber on the right of the artillery, and advancing to the creek found it impassable on the direct line of point below, passed through the timber on the farther bank of the creek on the enemy's left flank, but not until he was in the act of retiring. The enemy was a third time force to retire.

By this time it was 2 o'clock p. m. The entire brigade, with the exception of Colonel Graves' command, had been marching 4 o'clock a.m. (Colonel Hurst's regiment without breakfast), and I was proceeding to encamp the brigade upon the ground recently held by the enemy the scene of their victory, when, learning that Colonel Rives, of General Slack's command, with his regiment of cavalry, had engaged the enemy and needed support, I again called upon my wearied brigade to advance, to which they promptly responded; but the enemy before our arrival had again retreated.

The brigade advancing crossed Spring River, and was passing through the timber on its banks, and was nearing Carthage, when the enemy from a concealed position opened upon us his artillery. I halted the artillery, and ordered the infantry regiments of Colonels Graves and Hurst to leave the road and pass though the timber and flank the enemy on his left. In obedience to the order, Colonels Graves and Hurst, with their regiments, passed through the timber to the right of the road, and arriving in town fell on the rear of the retreating enemy, but being uncertain of his identity, did not at once open fire on him. As soon, however, as it was made certain by a reconnaissance that it