of this day, under orders from Brevet Major-General Wilson, I moved with Croxton's brigade for Hurt's house, on the Lewisburg pike, at the same time sending orders to Colonel Harrison, whom I then supposed to be in command of my First Brigade (Capron's), to fall back to that point. The head of my column reached the Lewisburg turnpike just after night-fall in time to find the Seventh Ohio Cavalry and detachments of the other regiments of Capron's brigade retiring in the direction of Franklin. Understanding the enemy to be inn pursuit I directed Colonel Garrard, Seventh Ohio Cavalry, to send out one company to hold them in check, formed Croxton's brigade across the pike and sent orders to Colonel Capron to halt, reorganize, and form his troops. The enemy, however, did not come on, and later in the evening the fifth Iowa Cavalry and the greater part of the Fourteenth and Sixteenth Illinois Cavalry, from whom Colonel Capron had been cut off by the enemy, came into camp, having gallantly charged through the superior force of the enemy, which had interposed itself between them and the rest of the command.

On the 28th [29th] we fell back, contesting the ground with the enemy's cavalry, across Harpeth River to the road from Franklin to Triune, where we camped for the night near Matthews' house, picketing the river at Davis', Henderson's, and Hughes' Fords. On the morning of the 29th [30th] the Fifth Iowa Cavalry was detached pursuant to orders of Major-General Schofield, and sent to picket the right of the army; they did not rejoin me until we reached Nashville. Croxton's brigade was posted on the immediate left of the infantry, covering the Lewisburg turnpike. General Hatch's division was interposed between him and my First Brigade, of which on this day Colonel Thomas J. Harrison, Eighth Indiana Cavalry, under orders from Brevet Major-General Wilson, assumed command. Late in the afternoon of this day occurred the battle of Franklin. For the gallant part taken by General Croxton's brigade I respectfully refer to his report. Colonel Harrison's brigade held the extreme left and was not engaged. On the 30th [December 1] we retired by the dirt road north to Mayfield's house, near Brentwood, thence across the country to the Nolesville pike, and camped for the night on Mill Creek near the Widow Harris'.

On the morning of the 1st [2nd] of December we retired to Nashville, and later in the day crossed the river and encamped in Edgefield. The week of rest allowed us here was assiduously devoted to recuperating and shoeing the horses of the command, pressing new ones from the surrounding country, refitting the command in respect to clothing, camp and garrison equipage, which they stood in great need,and exchanging the infantry arms, with which the regiments of Capron's old brigade had been encumbered, for carbines. In these labors I was efficiently assisted by Colonel Harrison, commanding First Brigade, and by his regimental commanders. In spite of the proverbial inefficiency of the ordnance department, Colonel Harrison, by untiring efforts, succeeded in procuring sabers sufficient to arm all his regiments; Burnside carbines for the Fourteenth and Sixteenth Illinois Regiments, and revolvers for the Eighth Michigan. In the matter of horses we sent to Hapkinsville, Ky., procured a full remount for themselves; the Seventh Ohio Cavalry, which during our stay in Edgefield was stationed at Hyde's Ferry to watch the river in that direction, procured eighteen horses from the country in their rear; the other regiments perhaps twenty horses altogether. By dismounting the Eighth Michigan and Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry, however, pursuant to orders from Brevet Major-General