below, and move toward the Carter Creek turnpike, until, in a direct advance on the town of Franklin, my left would strike the house of Mrs. Rebecca Bostick. I lost no time in starting and moved rapidly. This gave me the are, while the divisions on my right moved on the chord of the circle. I was informed that General Chalmers' cavalry was ordered to form and advance in conjunction with me on my left. My line was formed with Jackson's brigade and Tyler's, commanded by Brigadier General T. B. Smith, in the front, the former on the right, and Finley's brigade, commanded by Colonel Robert Bullock, supporting. Major Caswell had charge of the skirmish line in front. With these dispositions I moved forward through the open plain in good order. My skirmish line drove back that of the enemy, which was located on a line with Mrs. Bostick's house. The center of my line swept by this house, my left, which I had extended, reaching near the Carter Creek turnpike. The line moved steadily on, not waiting for the cavalry, driving the enemy from his outer works, which covered the right but not the left of my line. The cavalry (dismounted) not touching my left, nor being on a line with it, exposed that flank to a furious fire. I moved the Florida brigade to the left and advanced it, two regiments extending beyond the left of the turnpike. My line, now a single one, without support, charged the works of the enemy. My right got to the works (the second line) and remained there until morning; the left was driven back. The enemy's [works] were strong and defiant, constructed on a slight elevation, with few obstructions in front for several hundred yards. The works to the left of Carter Creek turnpike were not strong, and with a vigorous assault should have been carried; a fact, however, not known until next day. A battery was located just to the right of this turnpike, which kept up the fire until late at night. The left of my line was reformed on the branch between the works of the enemy and Mrs. Bostick's house, but not in sufficient numbers to justify another effort to carry the works, as the command on my left had not come up. A battery, under the conduct of Colonel Presstman, participated most gallantly in the fight, first occupying a position near the house of Mrs. Bostick, and then was run up the turnpike close to the enemy's works and engaged that battery of the enemy on our immediate front. Many of our men who had gone into the interior works held their positions until morning, when the enemy had evacuated the town. General Ed. Johnson's division came in my rear just after dark, passing over that part of my line which had been reformed near the branch fronting Mrs. Bostick's.

My loss in this engagement was 47 killed, 253 wounded, and 19 missing. Among the killed was Colonel Smith, of the First [Georgia] Confederate Regiment, Jackson's brigade, who fell most gallantly while putting his regiment into the interior works of the enemy. Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton was badly wounded while pressing forward in handsome style. Lieutenant-Colonel Badger, commanding First [Florida (dismounted) Cavalry] and Fourth Florida Regiments was wounded three times before he left the field. Captain Carter, on staff duty with Tyler's brigade, fell mortally wounded near the works of the enemy and almost at the door of his father's house. His gallantry I witnessed with much pride, as I had done on other fields, and here take pleasure in mentioning it especially.