ter's command, which was near the crossing of the Southwest Creek by the Dover road, and were then, with other rebel troops, moving down the Dover road toward the position occupied by General Carter. I moved out with the First and Second Brigades to attack the enemy. Drove in his skirmishers, but found that he had developed more to his left than was anticipated, or else had changed direction in consequence of a movement by a portion of General Palmer's command to my right. Whatever the cause his left was beyond my reach and extended to the line held by General Palmer on the right. Deeming it inexpedient to attack under the condition of things presented unless the troops to my right should attack simultaneously, I halted and reported the situation to Major-General Cox. It being then nearly dark, orders were received by me to intrench strongly the position then occupied so that the line could be held by a portion of the force if occasion required.

General Palmer's troops made connection with my right and General Carter's command, which had followed the movement on my left, continued the breast-works to the left. The Third Brigade, which meantime had come up, remained near the left of the main line. The two batteries I also ordered to park in rear of the left of General Carter's position, to be used as occasion should offer. During the evening the breast-works were extended on General Carter's left to what is known as the lower Trent road by the Twenty-eighth Michigan Volunteers, Colonel Wheeler, and the One hundred and seventy fourth Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Jones, which latter named regiment had in the early part of the evening been in position on the right until General Palmer made connection. Matters remained without change during the night, the enemy making a few dashes at the skirmish line of the First and Second Brigades, without success. On the 9th of March, about 10 a.m., I received orders from Major-General Cox to send what troops I could of the Third Brigade, Colonel Thomas, to report to general Palmer on the right. Colonel Thomas, with the One hundred and seventy-eighth Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Stafford, and the Twenty-eight Michigan Volunteers, Colonel Wheeler, temporarily under command of Colonel Thomas, reported to General Palmer accordingly. Nothing of particular importance occurred during this day. The enemy pressed the skirmish line pretty severely a number of times and seemed mediating an attack. At about 11 p.m. the One hundred and eightieth Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Warner, Second [First] Brigade, was, in obedience to orders, directed to take position on the extreme left, half a mile from General Carter's left, and extend the skirmish line from General Carter's left sufficiently far to cover the hospital, some half a mile down the Dover road toward the railroad.

On the 10th day of March the enemy attacked the left in strong force about 10 a.m. The first intimation of his approach was a rattling fire of musketry on the lower Trent road, on the skirmish line, the cavalry posted to give warning of any approach by the enemy in that direction having been driven off, and did not succeed in communicating until the force of the enemy was well developed. As the main line extended but a short distance to the left of the road on which the enemy was moving to the attack, I reported to Major-General Cox that I thought one of my brigades could, for the time being, hold the line in the center, then occupied by the First and Second Brigades. Whereupon I was directed to send one brigade to the left of General Carter's troops. I immediately ordered Colonel McQuiston, commanding Second [Brigade], to move his brigade toward the left as soon as relieved by Colonel Orr, commanding First Brigade,