evidently belonging to the First Division. I prepared at once to support them, and a few minutes afterward I discovered, by a wavering in the enemy's lines, that it was meeting with success. I ordered my command again forward. The Third Brigade (Colonel Knefler), leading, went forward with a cheer, followed closely by the other two brigades formed in echelon on his left, and this time were more successful, carrying the works of the enemy, capturing a battery of four guns, and rapidly pushing on in pursuit of the fleeing and routed enemy. The command also captured five other guns in the low land on the left or eastern side of the hill, which the enemy fled from, finding it impossible to get away with them, from our rapidly advancing column. It would be proper here to remark that I had deployed a heavy skirmish line extending about one mile to my left, and covering the front of the troops on my left, as they had not advanced as rapidly as I had, and I took this precaution to protect my left. It was this skirmish line that captured the five pieces of artillery in the swamp, but no guards were left over them, and they may have been afterward claimed by troops coming up from the rear. The pursuit was continued for two miles and a half, when the darkness of the night rendered it impracticable, when we were ordered to halt, and occupying a ridge running eastward from the railroad, bivouacked for the night.

The morning of the 17th demonstrated plainly that the enemy had fled from our front, and the ground strewn with arms, accouterments, and munitions of war showed that his retreat had been both hasty and irregular. I received orders about 8 a. m. to move forward, conforming to the order for movements of the day previous, and press the enemy vigorously. A heavy rain had set in during the night, and continued during the day, making it impossible to move through fields on the l;eft of the road and continue the pursuit with speed and vigor desirable. I therefore, in accordance with instructions from the corps commander, withdrew my command to the turnpike, and moving in rear of the First Division, reached Franklin about 4 p. m., and went into camp. I brought my supply train during the night and distributed rations to my command, and had everything in readiness to continue the pursuit at daylight next morning. I received orders at 8 a. m. on the morning of the 18th that the bridge across Little Harpeth was completed and the corps would move forward immediately, my division marching in the rear. The rain continued falling heavily, but we reached Spring Hill before dark, and went into camp some two miles or two miles and a half south of that village. December 19, received orders at 8 a. m. to move forward, following the Second Division, the cavalry to precede that division and clear up the road. On arriving at Rutherford's Creek found the enemy had destroyed the bridge, and the stream was so swollen by the rain as to be unfortable, and in accordance with orders I put my command in camp to await the completion of a bridge across the stream. December 20, received notice about 12 m. that the bridge was completed, and orders to cross. Moved forward to the vicinity of Duck River, and went into camp near the position occupied by the division on November 28, to await the arrival of pontoons, sending Colonel Streight with his brigade to the river to assist in effecting a crossing. The crossing was not secured and the bridge laid until the evening of the 22nd, when I crossed over with my division and, passing through Columbia, went into camp about one mile from the town on the Pulaski road. On the morning of the 21st [22nd] Colonel Streight, commanding First Brigade, acting under orders from the corps commander, threw one regiment of his command (the Forty-first Indiana)