During this operations arrives Major-General Hooker and staff. His question, addressed to me in person, was, "What troops are these?" "Third Brigade, Third Division, Eleventh Corps, sir," was my answer. "Where is Major-General Schurz?" he further asked. "In front, sir; one of his aides-de-camp was just carried along here wounded," was my reply. He asked then where the Second Brigade was, and as it had formed to my left at a short distance in an open field, I pointed it out to Major-General Hooker, showing him where the commander of the brigade had halted.

Major-General Hooker ended this conversation with the following words: "You stay here." "All right, sir," was my answer. Then he rode over to the Second Brigade (Krzyzanowski's), and I remained, according to orders, until, a considerable time afterward, called off by Major-General Schurz, who came back from the front. Marching up to the road, at the foot of the hill near the gap, the troops were halted a moment, where we met General Tyndale. I was ordered to bring one regiment, the Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, to the foot of the hill, at the entrance of the gap, and to march then to form, at all hazards, a junction with General Geary.

The Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers was ordered in its position, and without losing a single moment I marched forward to Wauhatchie, the Sixty-eighth New York Volunteers, with advanced guards, flankers, and skirmishers in front, on the right and left, so that under all emergencies the enemy could not escape my attention, and I could meet him in all directions. I marched at the head of the troops [sic] the only regiment of my brigade, the Eightieth Illinois, and beside the One hundred and forty-first New York Volunteers, detached to me for that expedition by Major-General Schurz (the Eighty-second Illinois Volunteers being left at Russell's Mines to guard the gap.) It did not take twenty-five minutes' marching, since I received the order to join General Geary, and I had formed the junction with him, reported to him, and he "was very glad to see me." At this time it was so dark that at 50 yards you could not easily ditinguish the objects. I must observe that I was, during all this time, accompanied by Captain Stinson, aide-de-camp of Major-General Howard. As we marched on the main road no swamps were met, nor the road lost. From the moment I received the orders, I marched straight ahead, without interruption, to lose no time.

There was no terrific infantry fire at the time when I received the marching orders, and during the whole march to General Geary, from the moment I received the order, there was no firing at all in the direction we were marching to.

I never in my whole military life failed to do my duty, and so far as courage an valor are concerned, nobody has doubted it or shall doubt it. As I have been reproached without foundation, in a public document, all transactions in this case, of course, are of public character; I therefore most respectfully pray,

Whereas, the official report of Major-General Hooker of the battle of Wauhatchie, just published, implies that my brigade was delaying in proceeding to the relief of General Geary, wanting courage and valor, unless he will publicly retract it, and fully exonerate me, I most respectfully demand a court of inquiry.

Your most obedient servant,

F. HECKER,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.