tunately for the success of our movement, Lieutenant Miller, commanding rear guard, permitted the column to move too far ahead, and got lost in the woods. On being informed of this accident, or blunder, my spirit sank within me, for with the three hours lost in search of him and his command passed away the opportunity of surprising the rebel camp.

It was now day, and being only 5 miles from Lawrenceburg, I determined to test the mettle of the "200 or 300 men," and refresh and feed my men and horses from their stores. When within a mile of the town the "intelligent contraband" volunteered their fears of my destruction, as Cooper had "over 500 men" ready to receive me. He was told [they said] of my coming, and "got ready to lick me." Soon after my guide brought me word from a Union citizen, on whose statement reliance could be placed, that there were over 500 men drawn up in line to welcome me; that Captains Kirk, Scott, Birch, Payne, and Barnes, with their commands, under Colonel Albert Cooper, were determined to hold the town.

My advance guard, under Sergt. William Davis, had become hotly engaged with a group of rebel mounted men who occupied the road in my front, and to secure against defeat, which would be death and destruction to my entire command, I dismounted all but 32 of my men [who were armed with carbines and revolvers I captured a few days previous], had them hitch their horses and form column of companies in front of my position-and close to the rebel first line of battle lay a piece of woods-and having ordered Sergeant Davis to hold the road, surveyed their situation and movements. Masking my movements from the enemy by taking possession of the woods, I ordered Lieutenant William Finn, with parts of Companies B and C, to deploy his force as skirmishers, and giving Lieutenant John M. Clarke the "terrible 32," gave command off the reserve to Captain J. J. Donelly, with directions to hold them well in hand and await orders.

The advance of the skirmishers brought on a brisk fire, but, in spite of the effort of the rebels to stay their march, on, on they went, driving the enemy's vedettes and advance guard before them. Seeing now the material I had to deal with, I placed myself at the head of the 32 and came on the left of, and in line with, my skirmishers. Finn was driving them gallantly, and having come within close range of their first line, which was protected by a long row of cotton bales belonging to a Mr. Porter, pushed toward them at the double-quick, and while Lieutenant Clarke threatened their right, Finn not only occupied their front, but swung round his right and enfiladed them, receiving the deliberate oblique fire of the skirmishers, by which 3 of them were wounded. The first line retired, or rather ran, in haste upon the second. Deeming this the opportunity to strike, I ordered up the reserve. Their right, I saw at a glance, was exposed, and as their whole line ran along the Mount Pleasant road, hemmed in by fences on either side, the center and left would be powerless in rendering the right any assistance. I resolved then to break through their right, swing round their rear, and terrify the whole by badly beating a part. Being vastly outnumbered, my enemy being nearly 500 strong, I dreaded to make known my numbers by an attack upon their whole line.

The reserve, under Captain Donnelly, coming up, the skirmishers advanced and engaged their whole front, receiving two volleys in return. Under the smoke of their guns I ordered Clarke to "charge and smash" their right, and bravely and gloriously did he obey my