La Fayette the other two regiments holding my rear and left flank. On our right, toward Pea Vine Church, a brigade of rebel infantry, under General Strahl, occupied the road toward Gordon's Mills. I immediately determined to cut my way through this and join General Crittenden at Gordon's Mills. Leaving a strong line of skirmishers facing the rear, left, and front, I, with the remainder of the command, charged Strahl's command, driving back his left and opening the road to Napier's Gap, in the Pea Vine Ridge, safely withdrawing my command by that route, and joining General Crittenden at midnight.

On the next day my command made a reconnaissance to Pea Vine Church, discovering a considerable number of rebels in that vicinity. The day after we rejoined General Reynolds at Cooper's Gap.

On the 17th we were sent down Chickamauga Creek to guard the crossing at Alexander's Bridge, 3 miles below Gordon's Mills.

On the 18th, at 10 a. m., we were attacked by a brigade of rebel infantry, but our position being a strong one we repulsed them easily. Colonel Minty, being at Reed's Bridge, 2 miles below, with a brigade of cavalry, sent a pressing request for help. I sent Colonel Miller with the Seventy-second Indiana and seven companies of the One hundred and twenty-third Illinois and a section of the Eighteenth Indiana Battery to his assistance. Soon after three brigades of rebel infantry again attempted to carry my position. We repulsed them, however, with severe loss to them. At 5 p. m. a picket stationed in my rear reported a strong force of rebel infantry in my rear. Having driven the cavalry away from a ford below me, I immediately commenced withdrawing my forces in the direction of Gordon's Mills, and intercepted the force that was trying to surround me, when, being re-enforced by two regiments of infantry from General Wood's division and Colonel Miller returning to my assistance, we held the rebels from farther advance until morning, although they made a desperate attempt to drive us at 9 o'clock at night.

On the morning of the 19th I received orders from department headquarters to take up a position "on the right fighting flank of our army, and keep the department commander advised of events in that vicinity." I immediately occupied the woods at the edge of a field on the west side of the road from Gordon's Mills to Rossville, at a point where the road from Alexander's Bridge and the fords in the vicinity of Napier's Gap intersect that road, being satisfied that the rebels would attempt an advance in that direction. At about 1 p. m. heavy fighting was heard in my front, and by General Critenden's order I advanced my line across the road, when, seeing a rebel column in the act of flanking a battery of General Davis' command, I sent two regiments to the right to repel them. This was done in handsome style by Colonels Monroe and Miller, with their regiments, when my skirmishers reported a heavy rebel column flanking my left under cover of the woods. I now brought my entire command double-quick back to their original position, changing direction to my left with two regiments, and opened a deadly fire on a dense mass of rebels, enfilading their left flank as they were making way (across the road to Gordon's Mills) in the open ground in front of Mrs. Glenn's house, first staggering them and soon routing them in confusion, driving them back into the woods east.

In a few moments this or another column of rebels came out of the woods near Vineyard's house, moving obliquely at and to my right, driving General Davis' command before them. General Crit-