[CHAP. XXII.

onel Smith in command of the One hundred and fifty-four Senior Regiment. The Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel William H. Stephens, Sixth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers up to the hour of 2.30 p.m. of the 6th instant, when Colonel George Maney, of the First Tennessee Regiment, senior officer of the brigade, who had been detached by the order of General A. S. Johnston to the extreme right of our line, arrived and assumed command.

The formation of the two brigades was in the following order: One hundred and fifty-fourth Senior Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Colonel Preston Smith; Blythe's Mississippi Regiment of Volunteers, Colonel A. K. Blythe; Second Regiment Tennessee Regiments, Colonel J. Knox Walker; Fifteenth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel R. C. Tyler, commanding and Polk's battery, of six field pieces, Captain M. T. Polk, constituted the First. The left wing of the First Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Colonel Maney; Sixth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Colonel William H. Stephens; Ninth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Colonel H. L. Douglass; Seventh Regiment Kentucky Volunteers, Colonel Wickliffe, and Captain Melancthon Smith's battery, of six field pieces, composed the Second Brigade.

Early on the morning of the 6th instant the division was formed for action on either side of the Pittsburg road, immediately to the rear of the First Division, First Corps, commanded by Brigadier General Charles Clark.

Advancing about the distance of a mile I was directed by Major-General Polk to deploy the Second Brigade to the left as a support to General Bragg's left wing, then hotly engaged with the forces of the enemy. Taking the position as ordered, I remained here for half an hour and until ordered by General Beauregard to proceed with the Second Brigade to the extreme right of our line to ascertain the point where the firing was heaviest and there engage the enemy at once.

At about 10 a.m. I reached the front of an open field lying east of the center of the Federal line of encampments and discovered the enemy in strong force, occupying several log houses. His line extended behind a fence and occupied an abandoned road. He was advantageously located. I here directed Captain Smith to move his pieces forward and open on the enemy, which was done with the utmost promptness and under a fire that disabled a number of his horses before he could unlimber and come into battery. For nearly an hour the firing was kept up with the enemy's battery-superior to ours in the caliber and range of its guns-with a result highly creditable to the skill and gallantry of Captains Smith, his officers and men.

About this time General Breckinridge, with his command, came up and took position on my right, and opened upon the enemy a heavy fire of musketry, and a few moments afterward I was directed by Colonel Jordan, assistant adjutant-general to General Beauregard, to charge the battery to my front. I at once put the brigade in motion at double-quick time across the open field, about 300 yards in width, flanked on one side by a fence and dense thicket of forest trees and undergrowth. So soon as the brigade entered the field the enemy opened upon us from his entire front a terrific fire of artillery and musketry, but failed altogether to check our movement until we reached the center of the field, when another part of the enemy's force, concealed and protected by the fence and thicket to our left, opened a murderous cross-fire upon our lines, which caused my command to halt and return their fire.

After a short time I fell back to my original position, and moving a short distance to the right, with General Breckinridge on my right, we