[CHAP. XLII.

port Brigadier-General Robertson, who was a little to my left. On advancing, I found him with his brigade hotly engaged with a superior force of the enemy's infantry aided by a battery. The place was on the Chattanooga road near a small house, and a smaller out-house with open ground for 150 or 200 yards in front, and stretching to the right and left, through which ran the road from front to rear. Beyond the open ground all was forest, in which, on the right of the road, was the enemy's battery. Thus the missiles from this battery not only swept over nearly all of the open ground, but passed on with effect far into the level wood in the rear.

When we first encountered the enemy they were at the two houses and on the near side of the open ground. After a obstinate contest they were driven from this position and across the open ground into the woods beyond. We then occupied the ground about the houses. My numbers were too few to venture with them alone to follow the enemy into the wood and to the battery. The place we held was much exposed to the enemy's fire, but with the little cover furnished by the houses, some stumps and a few scattered trees, I thought I could hold it till the re-enforcements (every minute expected) should arrive, when a general advance might be made and the enemy swept from the opposite wood. We did hold it for a long time, driving back several charges of the enemy to retake it. No re-enforcements came. Finally toward sunset the enemy's fire from his battery and from his infantry, protected by the wood, became so heavy, and so many of our officers and men had fallen, that we had ourselves to retire a short distance. We accordingly took up a new position 100 or 200 yards in the rear of the houses, where we remained till the close of the fight.

We felt much in this engagement the want of artillery to oppose not only to the enemy's artillery but to his infantry; but none came to our aid. None had been attached either to my brigade or to Brigadier-General Robertson's.

My loss was very heavy to my numbers. In the Twentieth Regiment 17 officers out of 23 were killed or wounded. In the other regiments the proportion though not so great was very great. The proportionate loss among the men was but little less. The command fought with a dogged resolution.

On the next day, the brigade was in line a little to the right of the place where it had fought the day before, and a short distance in the rear of Law's brigade. At about 12 m. I was ordered to follow and support that brigade at the distance of from 300 to 400 yards. After advancing, in obedience to this order, 400 or 500 yards, and after having passed the Chattanooga road, Law's brigade, which had moved a little faster than mine, became lost to view in the thick woods. At the same time I saw the enemy in considerable force on his right apparently preparing to attack his flank and rear. I immediately changed the direction of march by bearing to the right and advancing my left, so as to face this enemy. I then marched upon them and attacked them. After a sharp contest they gave way and we pursued them. They made a stand at some artillery in the wood, but were driven again from this position and pursued several hundred yards beyond the guns, when they disappeared in the wood.

In a short time they returned in heavy force and made a desperate effort to recover their ground. Here there was a very obstinate fight. At length I saw them turning my right to get into my rear. We then fell back behind the cannon, facing so as to meet this new dem-