and Helm's on the left. The Yankee skirmishers were driven rapidly and within about 700 yards the left portion of the breastworks were encountered by General Helm. Two heroic efforts to take them were repulsed, and that noble officer, "ever ready for action," in the language of his division commander, "endeared to his command by his many virtues, received a mortal wound while in the gallant discharge of his duty."

The brigade was then withdrawn 200 yards in the rear. This unfortunately left a gap in our line, which was the source of much trouble and disaster during the rest of the day, since the Yankees were not slow to pour into the opening and secure a position, from which they had a cross-fire upon our troops attempting to swing round upon their left. Learning that Gist's brigade was in our rear, I sent a staff officer to bring it up in all haste to fill the gap made by Helm's withdrawal. This request was misunderstood, for instead of getting this single brigade from General Walker, his two divisions came up, accompanied by Lieutenant-General Polk. The brigades of Walthall and Gist were then sent in, but there had elapsed something like an hour since the repulse of Helm, and the Yankees were securely posted inn the gap, and Walthall and Gist met with a front and flank fire, which threw their brigades into confusion and drove them back precipitately. Upon the repulse of Helm's brigade General Breckinridge had proposed, and I had cordially approved, a change of front of his two right brigades, so as to swing round on the flank and rear of the Yankee position. His account of the operations of these brigades is as follows:

In the meantime, Adams and Stovall advanced steadily, driving back two lines of skirmishers. Stovall halted at the Chattanooga road. Adams, after dispersing a regiment and capturing a battery, crossed at Glenn's farm and halted beyond in an orders in reference to his new position. I rode to the command of Adams and Stovall, on the right.

It was now evident, from the comparatively slight resistance they had encountered, and the fact that they were not threatened in front,, that our line had extended beyond the enemy's left. I at once ordered these brigades to change front perpendicular to the original line of battle, and, with the left of Adams and the right of Stovall resting on the Chattanooga road, to advance upon the flank of the enemy. Slocomb's battery, which had previously done good service, was posted on favorable ground on the west of the road to support the movement. The brigades advanced in fine order over a field and into the woods beyond. Stovall soon encountered the extreme left of the enemy's works, which, retiring from the general north and south direction of his intrenchments, extended westerly nearly to the Chattanooga road. After a severe and well-contested conflict, he was checked and forced to retire. Adams, on the west of the road, had met two lines of the enemy, who had improved the short time to bring up re-enforcements and to reform nearly at right angles to the troops in his main line of works. The front line was routed, but it was found impossible to break the second, aided as it was by artillery, and after a sanguinary contest, which reflected high honor on the brigade, it was forced back in some confusion. Here General Adams, who is as remarkable for his judgment on the field as for his courage, was severely wounded and fell into the hands of the enemy. Lieutenant-Colonel Turner, of the Nineteenth Louisiana, was wounded and the gallant Major Butler, of the same regiment, was killed.

Stovall had gained a point beyond the angle of the enemy's works. Adams had advanced still farther, being actually in rear of his intrenchments. A good supporting line to my division at this moment would probably have produced decisive results. As it was, the engagement on our right had inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, and compelled him to weaken other parts of his line to hold his vital points. Adam's brigade reformed behind Slocomb's battery, which repulsed the enemy by a rapid and well-directed fire, rendering on this occasion important and distinguished service.

The whole division now fell back to a ridge parallel to and over-