remainder of the Fourteenth being detained to picket the roads and guard the approaches from the Kanawha Valley. During the day I received a dispatch from Colonel Jackson telling me that he had been engaged with the enemy, and calling on me again to re-enforce him.

During the night of the 5th instant, I received dispatches from him informing me that he had taken a very strong position on Droop Mountain, and that he intended to maintain it, and that he expected the fight to be resumed the next morning. His estimate of the enemy's force was then 3,500, and his opinion was that all of Averell's force was in his front. I accordingly moved my brigade at 2 a.m ., with the view of reaching Colonel Jackson as early as possible in the morning.

The brigade reached the point designated about 9 a. m., having marched 14 miles, with the expectation of the Twenty-sixth Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar, which was detached with one piece of artillery some 12 miles from the position, and sent to hold another road by which the enemy would be enabled to move from their position upon our rear. Upon reaching the position taken by Colonel Jackson, I at once assumed command of the whole force. I found that he had posted the most of his own command, with the portion of the Fourteenth Virginia Cavalry which had reported to him from duty, very advantageously beyond the crest and on the side of the mountain.

Chapman's and Jackson's batteries, under the command of Major William McLaughlin, were immediately moved to the front, just beyond the summit of the mountain, near a point where Colonel Jackson had already put in position the two pieces of his battery, under the command of Captain Lurty. Colonel G. S. Patton was ordered to take command of that portion of the First Brigade then present, viz, Twenty-second Virginia Regiment, Major R. A. Bailey commanding, and Twenty-third Battalion on the right of the turnpike road and on the right of our line at the summit of the mountain, two companies being deployed as skirmishers. The view from the position thus assumed is a very extensive one, looking down upon the plain known as the Little Levels, and upon the village of Hillsborough, near which the enemy had been encamped during the previous night. The lines of the enemy could be seen in part from the position at a distance of 2 or 2 1/2 miles.

Our artillery very soon after being placed in position opened upon the enemy in the valley beneath, the enemy's artillery for some time replying vigorously and rapidly. Soon after the opening of the artillery, skirmishing commenced along the line, and the Twenty-second Regiment was moved to the right and rear of the ground occupied by Colonel Jackson's command, and six companies of the Twenty-third Battalion were put in position to act as a support to the artillery, the other two companies of that battalion being deployed upon the right and acting as pickets on roads in the rear, it being soon evident that the principal attack of the enemy would be upon our center and left.

About the time of the changes in the disposition of the troops thus mentioned, it being reported to me that the enemy were making a movement upon our extreme left and advancing in that quarter over

34 R R-VOL XXIX, PT I