advance, under Lieutenant Barnes, attacked and scattered, some of them going in the direction of Brownsville and the others toward Reed's Bridge. Pushing on down the Wire road toward Little Rock, I ran off about one company of Federals picketing at Long's stage stand. They left in great confusion without firing upon me. I pressed on in pursuit some 2 or 3 miles beyond Long's, whence I returned to that place, and from there by the direct road made my way back to Shallow Ford. Soon afterward the firing ceased at Reed's Bridge.

About 8 p. m. got a note from General Walker's assistant adjutant-general informing me that he was withdrawing from Reed's Bridge, and directing me to retire on the direct road leading from Shallow Ford toward Little Rock to the point where that road intersects the Wire road, about 4 miles from the river, opposite Little Rock, and to move at once, sending a few trusty scouts across the bayou to get upon the Wire road in rear of [J. W.] Davidson, and report to me in the morning what should transpire during the night.

I withdrew my pickets and commenced the retrograde movement in obedience to General Walker's order. Reached the point designated in the order about 12 p. m., and immediately dispatched a courier, reporting to General Walker my arrival there, according to order. Bivouacked there for the remainder of the night.

About 8.30 a. m. the next day (August 28) received an order from General Walker to move to English's, on the Shallow Ford road, about 2 1/2 miles from its intersection with Wire road, camp there, and picket 6 or 8 miles in advance of me. Obeyed the order at once; remained in camp there that night; sent Captain [L. D.] Bryant with his company (G) to Shallow Ford to ascertain if there was any news there of the enemy.

The next morning (August 29), about 8 o'clock, Bryant returned; no news of enemy toward Shallow Ford. At 3 p. m., my General Walker's direction. I moved from camp at English's toward Shallow Ford for the purpose of taking position near that place; camped for the night at Hicks' plantation, 5 miles from English's; sent Captain [John H.] Dyer with his company (D) to Legate's Bridge, on lower road, scouting.

The next morning (August 30) moved from Hicks' at sunrise, in direction of Shallow Ford. Just beyond Greenwood's met a small party of Federals; advanced Major Bull, with 15 men, to ascertain enemy's strength; Federals fled at his approach. He pursued them rapidly to Mrs. Ewell's, where he learned a considerable body of the enemy had been in the morning. Arriving there, I placed 40 men under command of Major Bull, and sent him forward to ascertain enemy's whereabouts and strength. About a half mile beyond we found some little force of enemy. It retired to the railroad, where a heavy force of dismounted cavalry was lying concealed behind the railroad embankment. In a short time, being re-enforced from Shallow Ford by cavalry and artillery, the enemy commenced advancing from his position behind the railroad. Bull resisted his advance almost at every step, his men behaving with admirable courage and steadiness. I immediately ordered forward all the men with long-range guns in the command, and made my preparations to retire before the vastly superior force of the enemy, determining, however, to fight him as I fell back. He now commenced using his artillery upon me very freely, and, although I had none to reply with, I continued the fight with my small-arms at every available point, dispatching a courier to General Walker with information of the enemy's movement, and suggesting that more force be sent upon the Shallow Ford road. The fighting, which commenced a little before 9