the distance of 700 yards we came upon him in force, and the battle was opened by Helm's brigade with great fury. The Second and Ninth Kentucky, with three companies of the Forty-first Alabama, encountered the left of a line of breastworks before reaching the Chattanooga road and, though assailing them with great courage, were compelled to pause. From some cause the line on my left had not advanced simultaneously with my division, and in consequence, from the form of the enemy's works, these brave troops were, in addition to the fire in front, subjected to a severe enfilading fire form the left. Twice they renewed the assault with the utmost resolution, but were too weak to storm the position. The rest of Helm's brigade, in whose front there were no works, after a short but sharp engagement, routed a line of the enemy, pursued it across the Chattanooga road, and captured a section of artillery posted in the center of the road. This portion of the brigade was now brought under a heavy front and enfilading fire, and being separated form its left and without support, I ordered Colonel Joseph H. Lewis, of the Sixth Kentucky, who succeeded to the command upon the fall of General Helm, to withdraw the troops some 200 yards to the rear, reunite the brigade,and change his front slightly to meet the new order of things by throwing forward his right and retiring his left. The movement was made without panic or confusion.

This was one of the bloodiest encounters of the day. Here General Helm, ever ready for action, and endeared to his command by his command by his many virtues, received a mortal wounds while in the heroic discharge of his duty. Colonel Hewitt, of the Second Kentucky, was killed, acting gallantly at the head of his regiment. Captain Madeira, Captain Rodgers, and Captain Dedman, of the Second; Captain Daniel, of the Ninth Kentucky, and many other officers and men, met their death before the enemy's works, while Colonel Nuckols, of the Fourth Kentucky; Colonel Caldwell, of the Ninth, and many more officers and men were wounded.

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 the road at Glenn's farm and halted a short distance beyond in an open field.

When Helm's brigade was checked, and I had given Colonel Lewis orders in reference to his new position, I rode to the commands 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 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 entered 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 westwardly 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, met two lines of the enemy, who had improved the short time to bring up re-enforcements and reform nearly at a right angle to the troops in his main line of