withdraw the whole line. I then inquired why the line of the Eighth

Michigan Volunteers had fallen back without orders from me, and was told by Lieutenant-Colonel Ely, commanding that regiment, that orders had come from the left to fall back, and that the line on his left had fallen back some time previously. I told him he had committed a very great error by falling back without orders from me. I then formed the brigade on the railroad, when we fell back, taking the road, to Campbell's Station, and falling slowly back till we reached the junction of the Kingston and Loudon roads, when an officer of General Potter's staff asked me if I knew where General Ferrero was, and said he could not find him, but that he had orders for Colonel Morrison's brigade to form in a field at that place and await the enemy, who were driving the Third Brigade.

I immediately filed off the road, formed line of battle with skirmishers in front, joining the skirmishers of the Second Division, who were facing the Kingston road and expecting the enemy. This line extended from the Loudon to the Kingston roads and formed junction with the Second Michigan Volunteers, which was the left of the Third Brigade. I fell back slowly with that brigade until I came to a good rail fence, where I determined to make a stand and fifth the enemy. They charged our lines several times, but were handsomely repulsed. We held this position about thirty minutes, the men behaving in the most gallant manner. At this time a heavy fire was opened in our rear, which I supposed was protected by a part of the Second Division, but found that they had fallen back while I was engaging the enemy in front, thus exposing our rear to attack from the enemy, on the road toward Kingston. Finding myself between two fires, and not being hard pressed in front, I faced about and opened a heavy fire on the forces in our rear, which broke their line and threw them into confusion. At this juncture an aide arrived and ordered well into the woods, the enemy from Loudon on the right of the road and almost on a parallel line with me. He was first uncovered by coming upon a large open space, where he displayed three different lines, each about 100 yards apart. I could have fought him at this point to advantage, but was ordered to fall back about a mile farther and take up a position in support of Edwards' and Roemer's batteries, where I remained till between 3 and 4 p.m.

These batteries being ordered to fall back, I followed and took up a position in support of Benjamin's battery, advancing two regiments to the front about 200 yards, where I remained till dusk. I was then ordered to move in rear of the Third Brigade, toward Knoxville, arriving at the fortifications near there on the morning of the 17th, from which time to this date I have occupied the defenses on the left of the line from the Loudon road to the river. The Seventy-ninth New York Volunteers, garrisoning Fort Sanders, have been engaged daily, skirmishing with the enemy in front. On the 29th ultimo, the enemy assaulted Fort Sanders, but were repulsed with great loss.*

On the afternoon of the 4th instant, I was ordered to feel the enemy's lines, and found them still there in force. At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 5th, Captain E. T. Raymond, acting assistant inspector-general, of my staff, reported that the enemy's front had been exceedingly quiet for the last half hour. I immediately repaired to

---------------

*A medal of honor was awarded to Sergt. Francis W. Judge,

Seventy-ninth New York Infantry, for capturing the flag of the Fifty-first Georgia Infantry in this assault.

---------------