command was marching by the right flank. It was halted instantly, the rear carriages of the battery having halted a moment before. Without delay the colonel commanding in person directed me to move the regiment behind the crest of the hill on our right.

Facing the regiment from flank to front, and as quickly facing it to the rear, I ordered it forward. The distance over which the regiment must march with the backs of the men unavoidably exposed to the fire of the enemy's battery could not have been short of 300 yards. Shots were flying and shells were bursting in front and rear of the regiment, upon its right and left flanks, and over it, and yet, strange as it might appear to those who witnessed it, not a man was injured. The movement was steadily executed, save the slight interruption of a fence that lay obliquely in our way.

The crest of the hill gained, a new enemy confronted the position we were ordered to take on the left of the battery. The tall grass and the weeds down the slope in front of us had been fired through the day, and a line of flame driven by the breeze directly in the faces of the men compelled a withdrawal of a few paces, until a detail should brush away the new foe. The task was speedily completed; we moved to our position.

After lying under fire of the enemy's guns almost or quite an hour, I received an order to have the men rise, as the enemy were thought to be on the point of charging. The order "Rise up" was no sooner given than as one man and instantly the regiment sprang to its feet. The enemy's skirmishers appeared on our left and fired, but were quickly driven back to the woods for shelter. Such was the excellence of our position at this time, that while shot and shell, with occasional grape that crest, the open field in front was completely commanded by our arms.

With the advent of night the sounds of battle died away. I received an order immediately after dark to move quietly out by the left flank, as soon as I could recall the pickets that had been first posted 300 yards in front of the command. It was done, and after a brisk march of about 5 miles the regiment bivouacked at Rossville.

On the following morning Company F, Captain Hutchinson commanding, rejoined the regiment, having been left on picket when the command was ordered out on the 18th. Every company was now present; besides those already mentioned were Company G, Captain Rothacker commanding; Company E, Captain Mansfield commanding; Company A, Lieutenant Lane commanding; Company K, Lieutenant James commanding.

At noon, 21st, I was ordered to move the regiment up Missionary Mountain, and by the personal directions of the colonel commanding occupied the side of the mountain, the right of the regiment resting near the crest, and the left slightly refused near the road; the Eighteenth Ohio upon our left; the One hundred and fourth Ohio* upon the right. In one-half hour a line of breastworks was formed of logs and bushes from the mountain side. It covered the entire regiment.

About 2 p.m. our skirmishers, Company A, were attacked by those of the enemy. This firing was continuous for four hours. Our skirmish line was 50 yards in front of the temporary breastworks, in which many of the enemy's balls lodged. Shells from the enemy's guns were constantly bursting and flying over the regiment, until

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*So in original; but it was probably the One hundred and fourth Illinois.

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56 R R-VOL XXX, PT I