ordered an attack the next morning at 4 o'clock, but the enemy, learning my force, retreated about daylight up the Clinch Valley, pursued by a battalion of the Eight Tennessee Cavalry, under Major Sawyers. About 7 a. m. the enemy met Colonel Parsons. attacked thus in front and rear he was routed and driven through Sneedville, with a loss of 15 killed, includinmen, 17 horses, and 43 guns captured. This little affair reflect much credit upon Cand Brownlow.

On the 22nd instant I learned that in consequence of the failure of Hood to capture Chattanooga, and hold lower East Tennessee, that Williams' command had been ordered to Georgia by way of Paint Mountain, Tenn., and Ashville, N. C. No sooner had I received this information than I determined to cross the river and attack General Vaughn, who had advanced to Morristown, and on the 23rd crossed the Holston at Dyer's Ford and encamped at New Market. I being necessary to go to that point to get some necessary supplies and ammunition, I was unavoidably detained at New Market until the 27th, the military authorities at Knoxville acting with much apparent indifference in regard to furnishing supplies for my command.

On the 27th I marched from New Market, and met the enemy's pickets at Mossy Creek; skirmished with them until we arrived at Panther Springs, where we came upon about 250 of the enemy, who were charged by a battalion of the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ingerton. The rebels lost 3 killed and 5 captured. It was now 5 o'clock, and we wear yet five miles from Morristown. There was not, therefore, time enough to attack the enemy t that place and secure anything like a decisive result. I therefore determined to defer the attack until morning. That night the troops lay upon their arms ready for action at a moment's warning.

On the 28th we left camp at 7. 30 a. m., Colonel parsons, commanding Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, in the advance. The remainder of the troops marched in the following order: Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, Battery E, First Tennessee Light Artillery, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry; the train I left at Panther Springs under a guard of two companies of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry. The enemy's pickets were met soon after leaving camp, and rapidly driven in. About 9 a. m. we came upon the enemy's skirmish line about one mile and a half from Morristown. Colonel parsons immediately charged and drove them back upon their main body, which was discovered drawn up in two lines, one just west, the other east of the village of Morristown. The lines extended entirely across the open fields, with the flanks resting on the woods, their artillery on the flanks of the second line. The distance between their lines was about 800 yards. I brought forward Pattersons' battery, and placing it on a an eminence on our right flank shelled their front line for a short time, whilst Lieutenant-Colonel Ingerton was forming his regiment in a column of fours by companies. Everything being ready I ordered Colonel Ingerton to charge the center and right of their front line. The distance separating our line from that of the enemy was about 1,000 yards. The first 600 yards of this distance was passed over at a walk, and with an utter disregard for the shower of shells hurled at them by the enemy's artillery, and which could not be replied to by our artillery without endangering our own troops. When about 400 yards from the enemy's line our cavalry took a trot. Soon after the enemy opened a musketry fire form his entire line, and Ingerton charged. For a moment both parties were enveloped