gun being hauled off by General Bate's men as they (my officers) were returning from the front and before they reached the fence and road.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. T. WOODRUFF,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain J. M. MACON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 390

Reports of Lieutenant Colonel A. R. Lankford, Thirty-eighth Alabama Infantry.

CAMP THIRTY-EIGHTH ALABAMA VOLUNTEERS, In Front of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 28, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the marches and participation of my command in the battles of the 19th and 20th instant:

Leaving La Fayette, Ga., on the 17th instant, we encamped that night about 2 miles west of Rock Spring.

Early the next morning we left camp and marched in a northeasterly direction 3 or 4 miles. Here we bivouacked until 9 p.m., and then moving 1 mile farther west bivouacked in a corn-field, my regiment supporting Humphreys' battery.

We left this place early on the morning of the 19th, and about 12 m. the regiment was drawn up in line of battle. At about 1.30 p.m. we were ordered forward and met the enemy and received his fire, when the right of the battalion was about 60 and the left about 30 yards from the enemy's line of battle. The men continued to load and fire until the command "cease firing" was given, when we were withdrawn and supplied with ammunition. I took this engagement 461 muskets.

During this engagement Major O. S. Jewett and Captain W. R. Welch, Company B, were killed. Captain C. E. Bussey, Company I; Lieutenant G. H. Cleveland, Company G; Lieutenant Newton Johnston, Company E; Captain B. F. Wright, Company F; Lieutenant B. H. Lockett, Company B, and Lieutenant E. H. Morgan, Company B, were wounded and carried to the rear.

At 5 p.m. we were again ordered to the front and passed Bate's brigade, which was halted in line of battle. Charging at

double-quick time over the hill, my regiment passed by two pieces of the enemy's artillery about 50 yards before reaching the road near a house on our left. Some of the officers and men asked my permission to carry off the guns immediately, but being engaged in a successful charge upon the enemy retreating in confusion, I thought it best to continue the pursuit, leaving the artillery to be taken to the rear on our return, not supposing for a moment that a brigade that was not in the charge, and which was at least a quarter of a mile in our rear, would claim and take if off. I am sorry, however, to say that, such was the case, the artillery being carried off by General Bate's brigade, and claimed as having been captured by his command.

We pursued through a corn-field and afterward through a sedge-field half a mile beyond the batteries mentioned above. I saw no other command except Clayton's brigade.