ence 256 non-commissioned officers and privates for duty, 23 company officers, 2 field officers, and 4 on the regimental staff. Lieutenant Alfred Holmes, adjutant, having gone to the rear sick, Lieutenant W. M. Beckham, Company G, was detailed to act as adjutant of the regiment, and efficiently discharged his duties.

On the 21st of November we marched from the bivouac in a storm of snow, and continued the march for ten miles on the Waynesborough road. The roads were in such a terrible condition that the men marched in the woods and fields to escape the mud. The march was conducted through Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant to Columbia, reaching Columbia on the 26th, just after the enemy, retreating from Decatur, had entered that place. The brigade was bivouacked in line east of the Bigbyville pike. The march from Florence to Columbia was forced all the way, the weather and roads bad, and rations very short, three biscuits only on the 24th and 25th to each man. Except to furnish picket details, the Twenty-fourth had no duty to perform at Columbia and had no casualties.

Early on the 29th we left the bivouac and marched to Davis' Ford, on Duck River, crossing on a pontoon and continuing the march toward Spring Hill, immediately on the rear of the enemy's position at Columbia. The march was rapid and over bad roads, and part of the way over the open plantations. We arrived before Spring Hill about sunset, and were formed in line of battle, facing the town and apparently about a mile distant. The enemy seemed to be in confusion, as we could hear the noise of pulling down fences and houses and the rattling of wheels on the pike. Our troops were fighting on our right and we were expecting momentarily to be ordered forward. No order came, however, and as dark came on the general, Gist, and myself rode out toward the enemy within pistol-shot. This state of affairs was, and still is, inexplicable to me, and gave us a great disappointment. Later on in the night we could hear the rolling of wheels over the pike, as the enemy's artillery and wagons moved on to Franklin. After an anxious night of waiting and watching we moved next morning onto the pike and marched, after Stewart's corps, toward Franklin. Burnt wagons and dead mules were passed on the pike and other evidences of a hasty retreat of the enemy. About 2 p. m. the head of our corps reached a line of high hills crossing the Franklin pike, on which the enemy had a force. Stewart drove this force back, and we formed line of battle at the foot of the hills. In the order of formation Stewart's corps was on the right of the pike, and Hardee's, commanded by Cheatham, was deployed on the left. The divisions were formed in two lines, from right to left, as follows: Cleburne's, Brown's, and Bate's. In our division (Brown's), Gist's and Gordon's brigades occupied the front and Carter's and Strahl's the rear line; Gist was on the left of Gordon, and the Twenty-fourth on the left of Gist's brigade, so that we occupied the left of the division. In this order the two corps moved forward to the top of the hills. The enemy was entrenched in a semicircle in front of Franklin, with his flanks refused and resting on the Harpeth River in his rear; there was also a short line of troops, apparently a division, about 500 yards in front of the main force. The distance from our position to this advanced force seemed to be about a mile and a quarter. About 4 o'clock the two corps moved down the hills, our division marching by the right flank of regiments until we descended the slopes, then forming forward into line. As we advanced the force in front opened fire on us, and our line moved steadily on, the enemy retreating as we pressed for-