until midnight. He then returned and lay down to get some rest, which was absolutely necessary, as he had endured much fatigue and was very unwell. He had no opportunity up to that time, either himself or by his staff officers, for going over the ground to learn its character and the relative positions of troops of other commands. Had it not been for the important duties to be performed and the responsibility which rested on him, and had he not been sustained in some measure by the excitement engendered thereby, he would have been confined to his bed. He was considered so ill that when he left Bailey's Cross-Roads on the 17th of September he was advised by his medical director and other staff officers to ride in an ambulance.

Sunday, September 20, early in the morning, I was sent to examine the ground occupied by Colonels Stanley and Sirwell and to ascertain the practicability of moving artillery over it. When I returned orders were sent to brigade commanders to be in readiness to move to the left on the shortest notice. About 8 o'clock General Beatty's brigade was sent to the left to report to General Thomas. At the same time Colonels Stanley and Sirwell were ordered out into the road to follow General Beatty. I carried the order to Colonel Stanley, and as soon as he got his command into the road I reported the fact to General Negley. General Rosecrans, who was there at the time, immediately ordered that both brigades be sent back to their positions to remain there until relieved by other troops. I took the order to Colonel Stanley and Captain Hough went to Colonel Sirwell. Both brigades went back to their former positions with all possible speed.

After much delay two brigades of General Wood's division came to relieve General Negley. I met them at the top of the low ridge, about one-half mile in rear of General Negley's line. At that time they had skirmishers thrown well forward and they advanced in this way to their position. I guided Colonel Harker, commanding the left brigade, to the rear of Colonel Stanley's line, where I found an officer of Colonel Stanley's staff waiting to show him the line, but as Colonel Harker said he was ordered to move to the left to fill a gap caused by General Brannan moving away, I then conducted the staff officer (Lieutenant Keith, engineer) to Colonel Buell, commanding the right brigade, and instructed him to show Colonel Buell where Colonel Stanley's troops and pickets were. About 9 a. m. Colonel Stanley's brigade was relieved and led to the left by General Negley in person.

Just before this the road of artillery and the rattle of volleys of musketry indicated that a warm engagement was going on on the left. General Negley marched Colonel Stanley's brigade at double-quick across the field to our left, in which some ammunition wagons had been parked. As they gained the woods, in rear of what we supposed and afterward learned to be General Reynolds' line, General Negley was met by Captain Gaw, of General Thomas' staff, who gave him some order, which I did not hear. General Negley then left Colonel Stanley's brigade and directed me to collect all the batteries I could find near the road and to order them up on the ridge, facing south. I delivered this order to Captain Schultz, Captain Marshall, and a lieutenant commanding a regular battery. These batteries were placed on the ridge as directed and changed about from one position to another as the exigencies of the battle required until about 2 p. m. For some time after they were first placed on the ridge they had no infantry supports until Colonel Sirwell, who had been very