artillery, and Sears', Palmer's, and Finley's brigades), which I did leisurely, moving off the two remaining brigades by the flank. If the cavalry on either flank was seriously engaged, I was not aware of it.

In this day's fight there were 19 killed, 73 wounded, and 122 missing. Among the former was Lieutenant-Colonel Billopp [Twenty-ninth] Georgia Regiment, who fell gallantly at his post.

I have to regret the loss of two of the guns of that gallant battery, Slocomb's, commanded by Lieutenant Chalaron. The horses being killed, they could not be brought off.

After crossing the creek, about sundown, Smith's brigade was placed in position to resist in case of pursuit, and brought up the rear in good order to the bivouac on the Nashville turnpike.

Next day we engaged again in the destruction of the railroad; but little progress was made, in consequence of the extreme bad weather; the snow fell rapidly and the ground was freezing. In consequence of the recent marches many of the men were barefooted; all were shod, however, when we left Florence. I pressed every pair of shoes which could be found for them, and in many instances the citizens gave them second-hand shoes, which but partially supplied the demand. The country afforded us superabundance of rations. While in this neighborhood I put in operation several mills for the use of the army.

Major-General Forrest gave me an intimation of a probable attack on the main army in front of Nashville, and directed that I be ready to move at short notice. I soon thereafter received an order to move to the right flank of the Army of Tennessee, held by General Cheatham, to take part in the anticipated operations there. The sleet and severe freezes had made the surface of the earth a sheet of ice. Nearly one-fourth of the men were still barefooted, yet plodded "their weary way" under these adverse circumstance (many with bleeding feet), and arrived in good time to the position assigned in Cheatham's corps. I was contiguous to and on the left of the Nolensville turnpike, at a point known as Rains' Hill. I remained here in the entrenched line, with the men uncomfortable from the extreme cold and the scarcity of wood, until the evening of the 15th, when I was ordered by General Cheatham to move to the left, where the fighting was going on, and should he not be there to report to General Hood. When I passed the Franklin turnpike streams of stragglers, and artillerists, and horses, without guns or caissons, the sure indicia of defeat, came hurriedly from the left. I formed my division for battle at once, its right resting near the turnpike, and communicated the situation to General Cheatham, who meantime had come up. It was nearly dark. I received an order from General Hood to move straight forward and take a skirt of woods beyond the field, in the rear of which I had formed my line, and near which the firing was going on. I did so, and made known that fact to my corps commander, and awaited orders. The firing had now slackened. About 8 o'clock Major-General Cheatham came to me and took me with him to find the line I was to occupy. He informed me that he was directed by the general commanding to extend a line of battle from the apex of the hill (now known as Shy's Hill) occupied by Ector's brigade in direction of Mrs. Bradford's house, on the Granny White turnpike, so that a prolongation of the same would strike the line then occupied by General Stewart. We went together and found General Sharp's brigade on left of that corps, in the rear of Mrs. Bradford's house, somewhat parallel to the turnpike, its right resting near the woods, in which we were informed the balance of that corps was. A fire was kindled, by General Cheatham's order, to indicate the direction