twenty men escaped our vigilance and were captured. I am sure that we saved 500 men from capture by these severe measures. The enemy continued to annoy our rear all the time, and at 11 a. m. we reached Stevens' Hill, overlooking Franklin, took position on it, and remained there an hour and a half. General Wagner then ordered me off, and as my rear was clearing the hill, was ordered back there. When I reached the top of the hill I at once discovered heavy and parallel columns of infantry approaching rapidly. I was ordered off again after sending a number of shell and solid shot at the advancing enemy. At about 2.30 p. m. the brigade was massed about 200 yards ot the rear of Carter's house and on the right of Columbia pike-the main line of defense crossed this pike just in front of C.'s house.

General Wagner was with me in person, and ordered me to fight when and where I thought I should be most needed without further orders. The men got coffee, and at about 4 p. m. General Cox sent me a request to have my brigade ready, and I received no other orders till after the battle. I was familiar with the whole ground and knew that Carter's hill was they key to it all. The fighting was now heavy, and I commenced moving the command to the left of the pike for greater security to the men and for easier maneuvering in case of need. While thus moving a most horrible stampede of our front troops came surging and rushing back past Carter's house, extending to the right and left of the pike. I at first thought them only the Second and Third Brigades of our division that were left nearly a quarter of a mile to the front with orders to fall back; but I soon saw that the troops at the main works had left them. When I gave the order "First Brigade, forward to the works," bayonets came down to a charge, they yell was raised, and the regiments rushed most grandly forward, carrying many stragglers back with them. We deployed as we charged, which took us up in echelon forward on the center, Colonel Smith's two regiments leading as follows:

[map.]

The enemy were following our troops with great celerity and force. He was met this side of Carter's house by our charge, and at once put to rout with a loss of 394 prisoners, 19 of whom were officers, 1 a colonel, and 9 battle-flags. A battery and a section of another near Carter's house were abandoned to the enemy in the stampede, and were retaken by this charge and worked by the officers and men of this command. Our lines were now restored and the battle raged with indescribable fury. The enemy hurled his masses against us with seeming desperation. Officers devoted their mightiest energies to bringing up the stragglers to the breast-works, and we soon had the position impregnable. These desperate assaults continued till after dark, when the