line of battle facing due west. A line of skirmishers was deployed and my regiment thrown forward to support it, with orders to advance and develop the position and strength of the enemy in our front. Soon the brigade advanced, and I moved my regiment by the left flank to its position in line [left of the brigade]. We very soon encountered a heavy line of skirmishers and drove them back, suffering a small loss and capturing a number of prisoners. Just at this time the regiment on our right moved off by the right flank, leaving us somewhat detached from the brigade, but I continued to advance in order to clear the strip of woods on our left of the enemy's sharpshooters and prevent their firing on our rear and flank, while we would otherwise have occupied a position in the open field with no enemy in our immediate front. After emerging from the woods and advancing a little beyond the main Chattanooga road, I found that I was considerably in advance and to the left of the brigade.

Helm's brigade falling back from my left abandoned a piece of captured artillery, which Company A, Lieutenant Owens commanding, [detached from my regiment], rescued, and carried off the field. This left my regiment exposed to a heavy fire of grape and canister, and I moved it by the right flank to rejoin the rest of the brigade, but at the instance of Major Graves, chief of artillery, Breckinridge's division, I went to the support of a battery a little in our front. Here I was notified to join the brigade, after which we formed line of battle perpendicular to the Chattanooga road and to our former line, facing to the south, the First and Third Florida on my left and the Sixtieth North Carolina and Forty-seventh Georgia, respectively, on my right. With this disposition we advanced against a strong position and heavy force of the enemy until we arrived in the edge of an open field, where we halted and opened fire. The enemy poured a concentrated and effective fire upon us for some time, and at length, a support failing to come up in due time, we were forced to yield ground and retire to a more secure position.

We were then relieved by fresh troops and rested until the afternoon, when we were moved forward again to support a line then engaged, and formed our line in the edge of a wood, facing northwest, and about 5 p.m. moved forward, swinging round to the left until we faced due west. The enemy was dislodged from his fortified position, and our whole line charged gallantly over his works and rushed forward with a triumphant and deafening shout, adding confusion to the complete rout of the enemy, and rescuing the whole of the previously contested field. Our line ceased to pursue them beyond the Chattanooga road and rested on it for the night.

In this last charge the regiment captured one fine piece of artillery and a number of prisoners, and the next morning secured a quantity of small-arms.

My loss during the day was 9 killed, 67 wounded, and 11 missing. The number of prisoners captured I estimated at not less than 100, 2 pieces of artillery, and a quantity of small-arms, blankets, &c.

Lieutenant-Colonel Badger and Actg. Adjt. Lieutenant A. S. Pope are both worthy of complimentary mention for gallantry on the field.

In the absence of Major Lash, who was detached on other duty, Captain Gorman acted major and rendered efficient service.

It is unnecessary to particularize further, for the whole command, officers and men, are well deserving for gallantry and good conduct during the action.