report and ascertain the position you were to take. General Rosecrans told me you were to relieve General Palmer, who was then present. He sent a staff officer with me to find the position of the different brigades.

They were so widely separated it was quite dark before I could report to you, Colonel Grose's brigade, which was to be relieved by your Second Brigade, being 1 1/4 miles directly to the front. You directed me to remain at Crawfish Spring and place the Third Brigade in the position occupied by General Cruft when it (the Third Brigade) came up, while the Second Brigade marched across to Colonel Grose, and the First Brigade would relieve General Hazen. After my waiting some hours you marched into Crawfish Spring with the whole division, and you informed me that General Hazen and Colonel Grose refused to be relieved, as they had no orders to that effect. After the command was fairly bivouacked you informed me you had again been ordered to relieve General Palmer, as they now had orders to be relieved. You sent me to conduct the First Brigade to Colonel Grose's position. The whole night was occupied with these movements, and the entire command was much fatigued and exhausted. Early the next morning, Saturday, the First Brigade was attacked fiercely by the enemy, and re-enforcements were sent to the assistance of the First from the Second. The enemy were repulsed, but the whole division was kept actively employed during the morning.

Early in the afternoon you were ordered by General McCook, under whose command your then were, to move to his support at once. The division was hastily withdrawn and moved at double-quick past Crawfish Spring to the position occupied by General McCook. At the moment of joining him a staff officer delivered to General McCook and order for you to move on to the support of General Thomas, on the left, as rapidly as possible. General McCook gave you the order and the column was moved on without halting. Upon arriving at General Rosecrans' headquarters, he personally pointed out the direction for you to find General Thomas, saying. "You will find the enemy right in there." You pushed on through the woods in the direction indicated, when, coming upon the brow of a hill with a cleared field on the front, to the right and rear of Nethers' [Withers'] house, you saw the enemy in force moving toward the hill from the woods in front. Nethers' [Withers'] house was occupied by them. You immediately took position on the hill to meet them and the enemy held back; your then directed me to report to General Rosecrans that you had not found General Thomas, but had met the enemy, and wished to know whether you should hold that position and move on them. He replied, "That is right; fight there, right there; push them hard." I delivered to you the message, when your ordered the Second and Third Brigades to move on the enemy, while the First was held in reserve on the hill and the artillery placed in battery near it. You directed me to go with the advancing columns and report if we found the enemy in force; we found only a heavy line of skirmishers in the woods, but, on pushing them rapidly back, found them in force in a cleared field beyond. After a sharp fight for half an hour we pushed them across the field, but having no support on either flank, halted, and I reported to you. It being then dark, you directed they should fall back into the woods and take position for the night. The movement was accomplished; the left resting on Brannan's division, and nothing joining us exactly