day while the battle of Nashville was progressing their front. No demonstration was made upon the line held by us, nor were any of my troops engaged, though the artillery in my line opened somewhat effectively.

On the morning of the 19th the brigade was, in obedience to orders from General Cruft, withdrawn from this position and put in march for Murfreesborough. The weather and roads were of the very worst description, the mud being shoe-top, deep, and the ran pouring in torrents upon the knapsacks and blankets gave them an additional weight, which greatly burdened the men, and not a few were left along the roadside, there not being a single ambulance for the entire command. We were encamped about dark at La Vergne, having made a distance of sixteen miles. The next day at 10 o'clock the command was comfortably encamped at Murfreesborough, on a portion of the old battle-field of Stone's River. At 8 a.m. of the following day (December 21) orders were received to put the men upon the cars, and by 10 a.m. the brigade was loaded in box-cars, about sixty men inside and twenty on top of each car. Soon after the cars were loaded the weather turned suddenly and severely cold, accompanied by a piercing wind. Those on top soon found the cold unbearable, and many became so benumbed with cold that it was with great difficulty they could be got off the cars. Added to this cause of suffering and complaint the men were without rations, and none could be procured until we could reach Stevenson. I had great difficulty in keeping the men to their duty, but most of them endured their suffering with as much fortitude as could have been expected. Rations were issued at Stevenson on the evening of the 23rd, and, without unloading, the train proceeded on the road toward Huntsville.

December 25 we arrived at Limestone Creek, fifteen miles from Decatur, where the troops were unloaded, and on the morning of the 26th we took up the march for the Tennessee River at the mouth of the creek. On the march this day the troops were compelled to wade a creek three feet deep, and on the following morning were called upon to wade a bayou much deeper and forty-five yards wide. This unusual exposure was endured by the men with even greater cheerfulness than could have been expected, as it was a severe trial of the physical constitution and of the patriotism of the men to require them to wade such streams in midwinter.

On the morning of the 7th of December the Provisional Division had arrived at a point on the north bank of the Tennessee River about two miles above Decatur. About this time the transports bearing the colored troops and the gun-boats came down and landed in fine style on the south bank opposite. After the disembarkation of those troops my brigade was ferried over by the transports and landed on the south side. Soon after landing the enemy opened with a section of artillery and dropped some shells near us, but without damage. When the whole command had crossed we were moved over the mouth of a bayou which completely surrounded the place of landing and put in position on a ridge beyond. Very soon after and while preparing to issue rations received an order to move my brigade forward and form on the right of Colonel Salm's brigade, which was advancing toward Decatur. This order was promptly executed, and having deployed a skirmish line my command advanced in line of battle through a very dense wood and underbrush toward Decatur. While forming the enemy burst a few shells over my lines, but, as it appeared afterward, the enemy on our advance immediately withdrew the artillery and evacuated the place. We moved from Decatur