Wednesday, October 28, cloudy, and heavy rain in morning; cleared at 12 m. Marched at 5 a.m., and reached Wauhatchie. Halted on the left of the railroad and about 2 1/2 miles from the knob of Lookout Mountain, on the road leading to Kelley's Ferry; distance about 20 miles. The regiment was ordered on picket, and I officer of the day. I immediately made arrangements to post them to the best advantage. General Geary thought Wauhatchie Junction the most important point, and I sent three companies, K, E, and B, to that post with orders to throw up such defenses as would project them from the enemy's shot. Captain Rickards, Company K, had command of the post. Companies I and H, under command of Captain Stork, I sent on the Kelley's Ferry road three-quarters of a miles. Companies A and F, under Lieutenant Coursault, I sent to cover the ground between the camp and Lookout Creek, and Companies C and G on the Brown's Ferry road one-half of a mile, and Company D to our left, between Stork and Rickards. From all these posts small posts and sentinels were sent out, making a continuous line around our camp.

I had made inquiries of men in the neighborhood and been informed there was no enemy between us and Lookout Mountain. General Geary also received the same information. The man most relied on for the correctness of this report was a Mr. Rowan [or Rowden], a magistrate who lived at the junction of the Kelly's Ford road and the railroad. After posting the pickets I went to his house, and, in conversation with a woman, learned that Longstreet's corps had been here yesterday, and were now lying just the other side of Lookout Creek, at the foot of the mountain. I took the man of the house to General Geary, and, after threats, succeeded in getting the information that there was a bridge across over the creek, and that Longstreet's men lay just beyond it, not more that 1 1/4 miles from our camp. I hurried to the pickets, and found the road leading to the bridge and posted my men on it, near three-quarters of a miles from camp, with instructions to be very watchful, and directed Captain Millison, in charge of the reserve, to hold them in readiness to deploy as skirmishers on the least alarm.

I then proceeded on my rounds, and had visited the post at the junction, and was returning, when I heard firing which seemed to proceed from the picket on the bridge road. I rode as fast as I could, but found the firing was beyond my pickets. The firing having ceased, I returned to General Geary to report, and found the command under arms and in line. All remained quiet, and after half an hour the men were sent to quarters. They had just turned in when firing again commenced. I rode quietly to the outpost and met my men retiring, but in good order, contesting the ground with the enemy, who were advancing in line without skirmishers. We retreated slowly toward camp, and found our troops rapidly getting into line, the One hundred and thirty-seventh New York on the extreme left, next One hundred and ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers. One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers on right, and One hundred and forty-ninth on the railroad bank at right angles with the right of the One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers. Companies C and G, who had been driven in with me, I posted to support the battery, and afterward, when the enemy had made a strong demonstration on our right, I moved them to the railroad bank. The enemy were attacking us on our right, front, and left. Our men were falling rapidly, especially those of the battery.