[CHAP. XXII.

the right of Ruggles' division and held in double column at half distance by command of Brigadier-General Ruggles, the right resting on the Old Ridge road. Its position was afterwards changed farther to the right, the left brought up to the Old Ridge road by order of Major-General Bragg. I was then ordered to march rapidly, by the right flank, to the support of Brigadier-General Hindman. In the execution of this order we passed within reach of a battery of the enemy on our left, from the fire of which several casualties resulted.

Proceeding again by the left flank in line of battle, we marched through the enemy's camp and up to the battery, which was taken at the instant by the first line. It was at this point that we first opened fire on the enemy.

I was then commanded by Major-General Bragg to attack the enemy in a position to the front and right. The brigade moved forward in fine style, marching through an open field under a heavy fire and half way up an elevation covered with an almost impenetrable thicket, upon which the enemy was posted. On the left a battery opened that raked our flank, while a steady fire of musketry extended along the entire front. Under this combined fire our line was broken and the troops fell back; but they were soon rallied and advanced to the contest. Four times the position was charged and four times the assault proved unavailing. The strong and almost inaccessible position of the enemy-his infantry well covered in ambush and his artillery skillfully posted and efficiently served-was found to be impregnable to infantry alone. We were repulsed. Our men, however, bore their repulse with steadiness. When a larger force of infantry and artillery was moved to flank this position on the right, a part of the brigade formed on the left of the assaulting line, and a part held a position to the rear in the old field near by. The enemy was driven from his position. From this his retreat became precipitate, and in obedience to orders we moved with the main body of the army toward the river.

I was again commanded by Brigadier-General Ruggles to retire my command from the fire of the gunboats. In this movement considerable disorder ensued, owing to the fact that all the troops were closely massed near the river. My whole command was kept together for the night, except the Nineteenth Regiment Louisiana Volunteers, Colonel B. L. Hodge, who, in spite of my exertions and his own, did not succeed in reporting to me until after the battle of the 7th.

We had hardly taken position in line of battle, under the immediate supervision of Brigadier-General Ruggles, early on the morning of the 7th instant, when I was ordered to advance a certain distance and then oblique to the right. An abrupt descent of 50 or 60 feet, perhaps more, from a ridge to a swamp, added very much to the fatigue of the men and disturbed very decidedly the regularity and rapidity of this movement.

At the command, however, to charge a battery, on the right flank of which we were marching, they advanced with enthusiasm, and captured a field battery from the enemy under a galling fire. Finding that a battery was playing upon us from the right, while the enemy was attempting to throw forward a heavy force on our left, with a view of assailing our own battery to our rear and circumventing my entire command, I withdrew the brigade into a ravine and threw forward a portion of the troops to my left, whose steady fire drove back the advancing lines. I also sent forward officers to bring down the battery we had captured from the summit of the hill upon which our flag was