being behind them, and thinking that if I attempted to cut my way through I might be fired on, after cutting through the enemy, by our friends, I concluded it was best to move by the right flank and endeavor to get out in that way. This was accordingly done, and after making a considerable circuit to the right I succeeded in passing out from between the two lines of the enemy and reaching the brigade, which had fallen back.

I was greatly assisted in this movement by Lieutenant-Colonel Harvey, Second Arkansas, and Major Watkins, Eighth Arkansas, a portion of whose commands joined mine. Colonel Harvey, by his coolness and gallantry, reassured the men, as well as rendered efficient service in keeping the men in ranks, and in finding the most practicable route, which I, having lost my horse, would have been unable to do.

After rejoining the brigade and reforming my command on the left of General Walthall's brigade, I remained quiet with my command until nearly sunset, when I was again ordered forward, and, being on the right of the brigade, to conform to the movements of General Walthall's brigade, which was on my right. In moving forward I passed over the same ground over which I had passed in the morning until I had crossed the Chattanooga and La Fayette road and got into the open field over which I had passed in the morning. Immediately after getting into his field the command on my right halted. I did the same and immediately ordered my men to lie down. The enemy, who up to this time had not fired on me, now opened fire from a battery which was several hundred yards to my right and front. Fortunately they fired high and did not do much execution.

On looking to my left, I found that only one regiment [the Eighth Arkansas] was on a line with me. The other regiments of the brigade were nowhere to be seen. A also saw a line of battle of the enemy's which was then forming about 400 yards from the left of the Eighth Arkansas perpendicularly to our line. I immediately went to Major Watkins, commanding Eighth Arkansas, and asked him to assume the responsibility of changing direction to the left, so as to meet this enemy, and told him that if he would do so I would also change direction and put myself on a line with him and share the responsibility of the act. This he declined to do unless I would authorize or order him to do so. This I declined to do, as he was commanding one regiment and I another and the brigade commander was on the ground. I then rode off and saw Captain Bostick, of General Liddell's staff, and yourself, and represented the matter to you. Immediately after I had done this, I saw the other regiments of the brigade coming up on the left of the Eighth Arkansas, and thinking that they were driving back this enemy, I told you that it was useless to report to Colonel Govan what I had told you, as I thought the enemy was giving back. I had scarcely returned to my regiment after making this report when the enemy opened fire on my command from three batteries and a line of infantry, enfilading it from the left with grape, canister, and small-arms, and also giving me a very heavy artillery fire from the front and right. Being so situated that it was impossible for me to reply to this fire, I was compelled to fall back. After falling back several hundred yards another line passed to the front and I rallied my men and reformed.

During this retrograde movement, and while I was trying to rally my men, it was discovered that Swett's battery was in danger of being captured. Captains T. J. Fletcher and A. B. Washington and First