camps. McKean held the extreme left, and Stanley, with his well-tried division, Batteries Williams and Robinett, the Memphis Railroad and the Chewalla road, extending nearly to the Columbus road. Davies' tried division was placed in the center, which was retied, reaching to Battery Powell. Hamilton's staunch fighting division was on the right, with Dillon's battery, supported by two regiments, posted on the prolongation of Davies' line. The design of General Hamilton was to use the hill where the batteries stood against an approach from the west, where Sullivan found the enemy on the last evening. Against my better judgment, expressed to him at the time, I yielded to his wishes and allowed the occupation as described.

Early in the evening I called the chiefs of divisions together and explained to them these plans, and having supervised the positions retired at 3 a. m. on the 4th to take some rest. I was soon aroused by the opening of the enemy's artillery, which he had planted within 600 yards of Battery Robinett.

THE BATTLE.

This early opening gave promise of a hot day's work, but the heavy batteries and the Tenth Ohio, placed north of General Halleck's old headquarters, silenced them by 7 o'clock, and there was an interval of an hour, which was employed in going over our lines. About 9 o'clock the skirmishers which we had sent into the woods on our front by their hot firing proclaimed the presence of their forces preparing for the assault. Soon the heads of their columns were seen emerging to attack our center, on Davies first, Stanely next, and Hamilton last. The drawing shows these positions, and is referred to for the sake of brevity.

I shall leave to pens dipped in poetic ink to inscribe the gorgeous pyrotechny of the battle and paint in words of fire the heroes of this fight, the details of which will be found graphically depicted in the accompanying sub-reports.

I will only say that when Price's left bore down on our center in gallant style their force was so overpowering that our wearied and jaded troops yielded and fell back, scattering among the houses. I had the personal mortification of witnessing this untoward an untimely stampede. Riddled and scattered, the ragged head of Price's right storming columns advanced to near the house, north side of the square, in front of General Halleck's headquarters, when it was greeted by a storm of grape from section of Immell's battery, soon re-enforced by the Tenth Ohio, which sent them whirling back, pursue by the Fifth Minnesota, which advanced on them from their position near the depot. General Sullivan was ordered and promptly advanced to support General Davies' center. His right rallied and retook Battery Powell, into which a few of the storming column had penetrated, while Hamilton, having played upon the rebels on his right, over the open field, effectively swept be his artillery, advanced on them and they fled. The battle was over on the right.

During all this the skirmishers of the left were moving in our front. A line of battle was formed on the ridge, as shown in the drawing. About twenty minutes after the attack on the right the enemy advanced in four columns on Battery Robinett, and were treated to grape and canister until within 50 yards, when the Ohio brigade arose and gave them a murderous fire of musketry, before which they reeled and fell back to the woods. They, however, gallantly reformed and ad-