about 2 a.m., September 22, when I received orders from Major-General Rosecrans to return with my command and reoccupy my old position, with all but one regiment, which I was ordered to throw on the mountain at Summertown. I accordingly ordered Colonel Cross, commanding Third Regiment, with his command to Summertown, on Lookout Mountain, with proper instructions, and Colonel Cooper with his command was marched to the cross-roads, near where the battery and Colonel Shelley's regiment were. All this was accomplished before daylight.

On Tuesday morning, September 22, about 8 o'clock, orders were received from Major-General Rosecrans to send all the transportation and First Middle Tennessee Battery into Chattanooga, and, in the event I was attacked by the enemy, to contest the ground inch by inch and foot by foot, and to fall back across the mountain and cross the river at Brown's Ferry, where a steamboat would be in waiting.

Accordingly, I immediately sent the transportation and battery as ordered. I was also ordered to send three companies upon the railroad along the river at the point of the mountain, which I did from Colonel Shelley's regiment; and the Sixth Regiment, Colonel Cooper's, and five companies of Fifth Regiment, Colonel Shelley's [two other companies having been left at Carthage, and not yet having arrived], I had drawn up in line of battle at the cross-roads awaiting the enemy's attack.

At about noon the enemy, with one regiment of skirmishers and sharpshooters, supported by three regiments of infantry or mounted infantry, and with artillery and cavalry, attacked my line. The attack was made principally upon the Sixth Regiment [Colonel Cooper]. The command of Colonel Shelley [five companies] was immediately upon the right of Colonel Cooper and connecting therewith.

The engagement lasted about one hour and a half, when the contest in numbers being so unequal, I ordered my command to slowly fall back to a more favorable position on the first bench on the point of the mountain, which was done in good order, and the enemy declined to pursue. This contest was severe, and my command, officers and men, all behaved well, and fought gallantly, and deserve much praise.

The casualties were as follows:*

Here my command remained, holding the point of the mountain that evening, night, the next day [23rd], and that night, until orders were received to march off the point of the mountain with two regiments, and to leave one regiment on the point of the mountain as a picket. This order was received from Major-General Rosecrans at about 2 o'clock on morning of 24th of September.

On the evening of the 23rd, a considerable force of the enemy appeared on the mountain near Summertown, and demanded a surrender of Colonel Cross and his command. This information was immediately dispatched to me by Colonel Cross, upon receiving which I ordered Colonel Cross not to comply, but to fight the enemy stubbornly. Accordingly the enemy attacked Colonel Cross and his command, which was resisted, and the enemy repulsed. This was in the evening and prior to the order to march the Third Regiment from the top of the mountain.

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*Nominal list [omitted] shows 3 killed, 19 wounded, and 2 missing.

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