in the direction of Pigeon Mountain, and after heavy skirmishing on the part of the advance brigade [General Beatty's] and considerable artillery firing, the division returned to camp.

On the 14th, we moved west, over a ridge to Chattanooga Valley, camping on Chattanooga Creek and remaining there until 11 a.m. on the 15th, when we returned 4 miles toward Gordon's Mills and turned south, passing Crawfish Spring and camping 2 miles above it, on West Chickamauga Creek, near Glass' Mill. We remained in camp there during the 16th and 17th without perceiving any demonstrations of the enemy. Several reconnoitering parties reported the enemy in force about 1 mile or 1 1/2 miles southeast, on Pigeon Mountain.

At 9 a.m. on the 18th, the pickets reported the enemy in force on the opposite bank of the creek. Soon after, the enemy threw some shells into our camp, injuring no one, however, but slightly wounding a horse. I immediately put my command in motion, retiring them some 200 yards to a better position, formed two lines of battle, and posted the artillery on commanding ground, so as to control both front and flank, and threw forward, and on each flank, skirmishers and detachments, to prevent the enemy from gaining such positions with artillery as would enable them to expel me from my position. Here we skirmished with the enemy nearly all day, killing and wounding several near a house on the opposite side of the creek, where they attempted to plant a battery and signally failed. We lost none. My entire command, both officers and men, behaved well on this occasion, and is entitled to praise. I have no means of knowing the number of the enemy before me and around me on that day, but it consisted of a considerable force of mounted infantry and artillery. Soon after taking my position, I received an order from Brigadier-General Van Cleve to hold my position until relieved by a brigade from General Palmer's division, which I did. I was relieved late in the evening of the 18th by Colonel Grose, of General Palmer's division, having under his command five regiments of infantry and ten pieces of artillery. Being ordered, when relieved, to join my command at Gordon's Mills, I proceeded with all possible dispatch to obey said order; passing Crawfish Spring about dark, and proceeding direct to Gordon's Mills, I joined my division, camping west of the road and adjacent to General Wood's command. I succeeded in getting in position about 9 p.m., forming two lines of battle, the right of each line resting near the road and running rather diagonally to the road. I remained in this position until the morning of the 19th, when Colonel Swaine's [Ninety-ninth Ohio] regiment was temporarily detached from the brigade and moved several hundred yards across the road, and he placed in command of two or three regiments and a battery. I changed position two or three times, by order of my division commander, remaining on the same side of the road.

Toward the middle of the day, General Van Cleve went forward to the battle-field with the First and Second Brigades, leaving my brigade and eight pieces of artillery under my command, with instructions to take care of myself, hold my position, and repel any assault of the enemy. Colonel Swaine, with his [Ninety-ninth Ohio] regiment, again joined my command. Lest the enemy should attempt to turn our right flank and get in rear, I placed the artillery in position to command the ground to the right of the road, and formed on each side of the battery, a strong line of skirmishers