enemy, marching by bad dirt roads, made worse by the heavy rains which had recently fallen, I determined to keep my entire force on the Lewisburg pike and hold the enemy as long as possible, hoping by good management to get no farther back that day than to the Ridge Meeting-House. I had previously sent orders for Colonel Stewart to join me on the Lewisburg pike, marching by the way of Spring Hill, and all night, if necessary. Similar orders wee sent at the same time to Byt. Brigadier General J. H. Hammond, then momentarily expected with two regiments of the Seventh Division freshly remounted. On the presumption that no general engagement would be risked till our forces were strengthened, and that the enemy's movement had become sufficiently developed, I directed General Hatch to retire slowly by the pike, following Capron's brigade, and General Croxton to cover the rear, fighting the enemy, and to fall back only went compelled to do so by movements upon his flanks. Soon after daylight [29th] the enemy attacked Croxton's pickets, but finding them strongly posted moved off the road and struck well around his flanks, causing him to withdraw. Heavy skirmishing ensued, the enemy pressing forward with the greatest celerity endeavoring to push around and strike our column in flank, as was anticipated.

At Mount Carmel Meeting-House, five miles from Hurt's Cross-roads, a strong barricade erected by Capron's brigade was occupied by Coon's brigade, of Hatch's division, Croxton's brigade passing through it. The enemy made two determined charges upon it, but were repulsed with severe loss. From this point the enemy ceased to press upon the rear of the column. No news having come from Hammond or Stewart, it was hoped that they had arrived at Spring Hill in time enough to form a junction with the infantry and to resist any movement of the rebels in that direction. I continued to march slowly, and by the middle of the afternoon arrived at Douglass Church, four miles from Franklin. Near this place I found General Hammond, and was joined by a detachment of Stewart's brigade, from whom I learned that the latter and some of our infantry had been skirmishing with the rebel cavalry during the day near Spring Hill. I remained with Hammond's brigade to hold the road near Douglass Church and cover Franklin, while Hatch's division and Johnson's crossed to the north side of the Harpeth, at Hughes' Ford, and went into camp on the road from Franklin to Triune, at Matthews' farm, two miles and a half east of Franklin. After it was dark, a reconnaissance out the Lewisburg pike to the meeting-house revealing no enemy on that road, I withdrew General Hammond's brigade to the north side of the Harpeth, and directed him to march, via Petersburg, to the Nolensville pike at Triune, and from the latter place to watch the movements of the enemy in that direction.

Early on the morning of the 30th, by my direction, Brigadier-General Johnson sent Croxton's brigade to the south side of the river, with order to take position at Douglass Church, cover franklin as long as possible, and if compelled to fall back to recross the Harpeth at a ford a mile and a half above the town. General hammond, having reported by daylight no enemy in the direction of Triune, was ordered by retire by Petersburg to Wilson's Mill, on the Wilson or Brentwood pike. At 10 a. m. the enemy's advance attacked General Croxton's position, but was handsomely repulsed. At 2 p. m. he was again attacked by infantry, but, after repulsing the enemy, the rebel cavalry moved to his left as if to cross at Hughes' Ford. This movement caused him to retire to the north side of the river by McGavock's Ford. He had scarcely reached the north bank