mitted. It is necessarily an imperfect report, being made at the request of the commanding general without the aid of the reports of subordinate commanders.*

On Tuesday, November 29, following Cheatham's corps, we crossed Duck River above Columbia and arrived near sunset at Rutherford's Creek. Crossing it I moved to the right of Cheatham's corps, them in line near the pike from Columbia to Franklin, and about 11 p. m. bivouacked in rear of his right.

The next morning (30th) we moved at daylight, taking the advance, in pursuit of the retreating enemy. About midday we came in sight of his line, formed on a commanding ridge some two miles from Franklin. In compliance with the instructions of the commanding general I moved to the right toward Harpeth River, and formed to attack the enemy, who fell back to an entrenched line around the town. Loring's division was on the right, Walthall's in the center, French's on the left. Ector's brigade, of the last-named division, marched from Florence as guard to the pontoon train, and had not rejoined. Buford's division of cavalry covered the space between Loring's right and the river, while another was thrown across to the other bank. In the meantime Cheatham's corps was also formed for attack, and the two corps were to move forward simultaneously. I had one battery only, the pieces of which were distributed to the three divisions. About 4 p. m. a staff-officer from the commanding general brought me the order to advance, and the word forward was given. A body of the enemy's cavalry in front of Loring and the division on his right was soon routed, and the cavalry division (Buford's) ceased to operate with us. The line moved forward in fine order, the men in high spirits, drove the enemy from his outer line and fiercely assailed the second. The ground over which Loring's division advanced was obstructed by a deep railroad cut and an abatis and hedge of Osage orange. With these exceptions the space in front of the enemy's position on our side was perfectly open and swept by a terrible and destructive cross-fire of artillery from the works and from the opposite bank of the narrow stream--the Harpeth. The men, however, pressed forward again and again, with dauntless courage, to the ditch around the inner line of works, which they failed to carry, but where many of them remained, separated from the enemy only by the parapet, until the Federal Army withdrew.

A return of casualties had heretofore been made, the number reported amounting to something over 2,000 in killed, wounded, and missing. Among them were many of our best officers and bravest men. Brigadier General John Adams was killed, his horse being found lying across the inner line of the enemy's works. Brigadier-General Scott was paralyzed by the explosion near him of a shell. Brigadier-Generals Quarles and Cockrell were wounded severely, the former subsequently becoming a prisoner. Major-General Walthall had two horses killed, and was himself severely bruised. Many field and staff and company officers were either killed or severely wounded; they deserve special mention; but not having yet received reports from divisions, brigades, and regiments, it is not in my power to give al their names or to do justice to their heroic conduct.

On Friday, December 2, we moved to the vicinity of Nashville, finally taking a position on the left of the army extending across the Granny White (or middle Franklin) pike to a hill near the Hillsborough pike. This line was entrenched, was just a mile in length, and occupied

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*For portion of report here omitted, see Vol. XXXIX, Part I, p. 812.

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