contested place, with the suffering truthfully indicates, it is but justice to give those companies soon special notice.

On several other occasions during the day we were ordered to advance and charge through the woods, part of the time under the eye and immediately direction of General B. R. Johnson, on the extreme left, until the enemy were entirely driven off. Our movements under that officer seemed to take the enemy by their flank and rear. We opposed several of their lines of reserves, which retired with but little resistance.

At 12 o'clock I was instructed by General Johnson to remain with the brigade of Colonel Joseph Drake, of the Fourth Mississippi, then on my left. The regiments on my right very soon commenced retiring to the entrenchments; I did not learn by whose order of for what purpose. In two or three hours a heavy column of the enemy attacked us in front, which was repulsed with little or no loss to us. They then endeavored to flank our right and thereby cut us off from the breastworks, now about three-fourths of a mile distant. Colonel Drake being so informed, gave the order to move by the right flank and continue the firing, which was executed. By this time many companies were without ammunition. Such was the case of many of Colonel Drake's command. On this account we retired to the trenches in perfect order.

When called upon the field the regiment had been without sleep for four nights, during which time they were marching, working, and tents or cooking utensils. Notwithstanding all these privations and sufferings, every order was obeyed with the greatest alacrity, every man seeming to fell that much depended upon himself.

At 1 o'clock on Saturday night I was sent for to report to General J. B. Floyd, which I did promptly, and received notice from him that the place was to be surrendered, but that he would not surrender himself, and would cut his way out with his immediate command. To carry out this determination he ordered me to form my regiment on the left of our line, as the previous morning, with the virginia regiments. While executing this order an aide-de-camp of General Buckner brought an order countermanding this arrangement, and directing me to the steamboat-landing, to embark on one of the two boats then momentarily expected.

I went immediately to General Floyd, so as better to understand the movement, and from him learned the authenticity of the instructions, and also that we would embark according to the rank of commanding officers (Colonel Wharton's brigade and Colonel McCausland's brigade would precede me in order). I was further directed to place a strong guard around the steamboat landing, to prohibit stragglers from going aboard. The boat being detained until nearly daylight and the news of a surrender spreading through the camp, caused many to flock to the river, almost panic-stricken and frantic, to make good their escape by getting aboard. In all this confusion I am proud to say that the Twentieth Mississippi Regiment stood like a stone wall, which, as the necessity had required, I had thrown in a semicircle around the landing, to protect General Floyd and his Virginia regiments while embarking; and, when the last hope had vanished of getting aboard according to the orders and promises of General Floyd, and we realized the sad fate that we had been surrendered, the regiment stacked arms in perfect order, without the least intimidation, but full of regret. I am not able to state why we were not taken aboard the boat; there were about 200 men and officers between my regiment and the boat and General Floyd was aboard. I sent my adjutant to inform him we