of the engagement, and the enemy giving way, left us in comparative quiet for a short time. Getting an order to move back to the left rear, I started with my men by the right flank and met Captain Fernald, who said I was ordered to follow him, which I did. We moved by the rear of the batteries to the left, and I think in the rear of the THIRD Brigade, on a ridge running parallel with the line o the THIRD Brigade. We had not been here but a short time until we were again flanked and ordered to fall back in the rear of a fence a little under the crest of the hill. At this point we received a very heavy fire from the enemy, which we returned, killing and wounding a great many of the enemy. In this line I found a detachment of the Tenth Missouri Cavalry on my right and the Ninety- fifth Ohio on my left. Finding the enemy were coming in on our flank and rear, we were ordered by Adjutant Abel, of Colonel McMillen's staff, to fall back. We moved back in good order until we arrived at the large white house on the hill. Here I found Colonel Wilkin and the rest of the brigade, forming a line of battle on the left of the road facing the first battle- ground. Colonel McMillen rode by and requested me to ride with him a short distance. I left the command of the regiment to captain Swift, and when I returned to where I had left him he had moved off to the right, and left some ten or twenty men whom I got together, and with some of them I burned a portion of the wagon train. I then moved forward and in a short time I caught up with the regiment, which, I think, was composed of about 190 men. About this time the retreat had commenced in good earnest, the wagon train, artillery, and cavalry blocking up the road so effectually it was impossible to get infantry along it. I gave the command of the regiment to Captain Swift and went forward on the road. I arrived at Ripley about 6 o'clock on the morning of the 11th, where I found the regiment. At 7 o'clock orders came for us to take up line of march for Salem. When I got my regiment in line I was informed that you had not arrived, and we were fearful that you had been captured. I was ordered to take command of the brigade, which I proceeded to do to the best of my ability. The cavalry wee moving at a very rapid pace, and my orders were to keep my command well closed up upon the cavalry. In moving out of Ripley our rear guard of cavalry was driven in, and the enemy came dashing up to within 150 yards of my line and commenced pouring into it a very sever fire, but we kept moving off rapidly to give way for the Second and THIRD Brigades, which were in the rear. At this place the Second and THIRD Brigades were cut off, which left the First Brigade in the rear. After marching at an unusual pace for infantry, to keep closed up upon the cavalry for some six or seven miles, we came t a very bad slough for cavalry or infantry to cross. The Seventy- second Ohio being across, the Fourth Missouri, being the rear guard and being hard pressed, came dashing through my rear regiments of infantry, which let the rebels into them. They, being out of ammunition, were compelled to break to the brush. But very few of them were captured, but made their way to Collierville, but were compelled to throw away their guns and accouterments, after destroying them so they would not be any benefit to the enemy. When the Forth Missouri broke they came running through my ranks, crying "the enemy is coming," which caused considerable confusion. I sent forward to the colonel of the THIRD Iowa (Colonel Noble), and told him our condition. He immediately threw out two companies of his regiment, which checked the rebel advance. In a few moments after, Lieutenant-Colonel Eaton, of the Seventy- second Ohio, came to me and told me that the most of his regiment was captured, which left me