of General Wallace's division, and Colonel Thayer informed us that

the rear of Colonel Morgan L. Smith's brigade had filed off on a cross road leading into the main Pittsburg Landing road, and that General Wallace was with the head of the column. Taking this cross road we came up with him about 3.30 o'clock p. m. General Wallace said his guide had misled him, and that he had marched about 10 miles. Captain W. R. Rowley, of your staff, whom you had sent after him, was with him and informed us that he had overtaken him about 5 miles from his camp and not on the road he was expected to take; take that when he (Captain Rowley) informed him he was wrong, he sent forward and halted his cavalry, which was in the advance, and counter-marched his command to within a half mile of where he had started in the forenoon. I here stated to General Wallace the report of the officer sent to him in the morning of his refusing to obey or receive any but written orders, which he denounced as wholly untrue, and manifested in his talk a great desire to get into the fight. Colonel McPherson, Captain Rowley, and myself represented to him how matters stood when we left. I urged upon him, with all the earnestness I possessed, the importance of his presence on the field; that General Nelson was expected, but might have difficulty in crossing the river. He said there was no danger; he would yet reach there in good season, and with his fresh division would soon end the fight in a victory for us.

General Wallace at this point expressed doubt as to our being on the road leading into the main Pittsburg and Crump's Landing road. Colonel McPherson went to a house near by, and, upon inquiry, ascertained that we were on the right road. After halting the head of his column for a considerable length of time, to enable it to close up and rest, he gave the order to march, and continued coolly and leisurely forward until we reached the main Pittsburg Landing road. Here Colonel McPherson suggested that to disencumber and facilitate the march, the artillery, which was immediately in the rear of the advance brigade, fall to the rear of the column, which suggestion was concurred in by General Wallace, and the artillery moved out of the road while the column filed by. This was an excuse for considerable delay-I should say for full half an hour-during which time he was dismounted and sitting down. From thence he continued his march until we reached the low bottom-lands through which runs Snake Creek, where we met some citizens, who informed us that the bridge across Snake Creek was in possession of the enemy. He then halted his column and sent forward his cavalry to ascertain if it was true.

Colonel McPherson and Captain Rowley went forward with the cavalry. I remained with General Wallace. In a few minutes a messenger came back from the cavalry with a message that the bridge was safe. General Wallace still remained stationary, waiting for his column to close up and his troops rest. About this time the artillery firing at Pittsburg Landing became terrific, and we who had been there knew that it was our heavy guns,and that the enemy had attained a nearness to the river that filled our minds, situated as we were, with terrible apprehension for the fate of the brave army that had been fighting against such fearful odds and without intermission from early morning.

It seemed as though the enemy was immediately between where we were and the river, which seeming gained credence from the fact that as we passed out his artillery was sweeping the road in that direction.

General Wallace hare asked, if such was the position of the opposing forces, what had best be done? Colonel McPherson said," Fight our