to fire because our men were precisely between the guns and the enemy. The enemy then gave way, and First Lieutenant John W. Rivers, of my battery, was ordered by General Clayton to carry a message to General Stewart to the effect that the enemy were being driven, and that he (General Clayton) wanted more men. Lieutenant Rivers, supposing that I had been notified of the order to him, left to obey it. The brigade of General Clayton soon advanced. With one officer (Lieutenant Richardson), I followed it closely about a quarter or half mile to the Chattanooga road, where I immediately caused the guns to be unlimbered and put in position. Our own men were much scattered, their ranks much broken; some were a short distance in front, some on the right of the battery. At this point, the enemy opened upon us a hot and well-directed fire, which disabled two limbers - one of a 12-pounder howitzer, another not fire without dangerous consequences to our men, who were scattered in groups along our front, and in small parties were coming back from the charge.

Finding that our men in disorder were retiring upon my right and leaving me without support, I caused the guns to be limbered up. or such of them as there were horses left to move, and taken to the rear. I then sent to the rear for caisson limbers to take out the two remaining pieces, and to urge them forward rapidly, sent Lieutenant Richardson, my only remaining lieutenant, who stated at the time that he disliked to leave me alone in such a perilous condition. I then rode some 150 yards to the right and rear of the pieces left in the road to where Colonel Woodruff, of the Thirty-sixth Regiment Alabama troops, was endeavoring to collect his scattered command. I asked him for men to aid me in hauling off the pieces, then about equidistant between the enemy's lines and our own. He said to me he would, but, "see, these are all the men I have," pointing to a few whom that gallant officer was assembling around him. I then went back to the pieces and found that one limber had come up and saw it take off one of the guns. But one piece now remained in peril. I then went back and about 300 yards to the right of my gun, and 100 or 200 to its rear I met General Hood; told him that the gun would be lost if it remained much longer where it was. General Hood asked me who ordered me into that place. I told him. His responses was, "You had no business there." I told him I knew that, but asked that he would press forward his lines sufficiently far to cover the gun. He said, "If it is lost we will get it back again." I then started back to the gun, and met it about 100 yards from where I had left it being carried out by a small number of troops of Hood's division and a few of my men, one of whom (Private William N. Green) I have had occasion on other battle-fields to mention for distinguished services.

I lost 1 man killed, 2 wounded slightly; some half dozen were injured besides,and though disabled at the time, have since returned to duty, and are not mentioned in the list of casualties.

I was not notified of the order depriving me of the services of Lieutenant Rivers. That officer, so soon as he had conveyed the message above named, rejoined the battery.

I could not and did not during the day fire a single gun, though several times urged to do so. It is a subject, situated as I was, of self granulation that no Confederate was injured by my guns, which would have been the case had I fired at any time during the day.