Shy and nearly half of his brave men had fallen, together with the largest part of the three right companies of the Thirty-seventh Georgia, which regiment constituted my extreme left. When the breach was made, this command-the consolidated fragments of the Second, Tenth, Fifteenth, Twentieth, Thirtieth, and Thirty-seventh Tennessee Regiments-still contested the ground, under Major Lucas, and, finally, when overwhelming numbers pressed them back, only sixty-five of the command escaped, and they not as a command, but individuals. The command was nearly annihilated, as the official reports of casualties show. Whether the yielding of gallant and well-tried troops to such pressure is reprehensible or not, is for a brave and generous country to decide. The breach once made, the lines lifted from either side as far as I could see almost instantly and fled in confusion. Two regiments, the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Georgia, then my extreme right, commanded by Colonel Mitchell (Jackson's brigade), and adjoining Walthall's division, did not break, but remained fighting until surrounded. The section of artillery under Lieutenant Alston was turned on the enemy and fired after being completely flanked and our lines vanishing. I mention it in compliment to this gallant lieutenant. I first sought to rally the men and form line in the wooded bottom in rear of Strahl's brigade, Lowrey's right, but found it yielding to the example on its right (there being no pressure of consequence either on its front or that of my extreme left), and hence it was impossible to do so. I was then directed by General Cheatham to form a line at Lea's house, on opposite side of Granny White turnpike, but found on getting there that our lines on that flank had also given way, and the enemy already commanding it with his small-arms. The men then, one by one, climbed over the rugged hills in our rear and passed down a short valley which debouched into the Franklin turnpike. The whole army on this thoroughfare seemed to be one heterogeneous mass, and moving back without organization or government. Strenuous efforts were made by officers of all grades to rally and form line of battle, but in vain. The disorganized masses swept in confusion down the Franklin turnpike, amid the approaching darkness and drenching rain, until beyond Brentwood, when the fragments of commands were, in some measure, united, and bivouacked in groups for the night.

At daylight [17th] I moved my command across Harpeth River, through Franklin, to Spring Hill, and next day crossed Rutherford's Creek, formed line of battle, and bivouacked for the night.

The enemy's advance appearing on the morning of the 19th slight skirmishing ensued. I retired with my command, in conjunction with Cheatham's corps, across Duck River, at Columbia, that evening. My division moved without separation from its corps and crossed the Tennessee River, at Bainbridge, on the evening of the 25th of December.

To my senior brigade commander, General H. R. Jackson, I am especially indebted, not only for the prompt and willing execution of orders, but for many practical suggestions based upon his large experience, for his conspicuous gallantry and resistless energy. General T. B. Smith, commanding Tyler's brigade, and Colonel Robert Bullock (Finley's), bore themselves with heroic courage both through good and evil fortune, always executing orders with zeal and alacrity, and bearing themselves in the face of the enemy as became reputations which each had heretofore bravely won. The latter was severely wounded on the 4th of December, near Murfreesborough, and was succeeded by Major Lash, whose coolness and gallantry was marked. He, together with Brigadier-Generals Jackson and Smith, was captured at