to retire to Rogersville and to order General Bragg's cavalry back to Georgia.

We accordingly marched for Rogersville on the 8th, ordering all of our cavalry except Giltner's brigade across the Holston, near Bean's Station. Martin's cavalry, belonging to General Bragg's army, was ordered to return to that army through the mountains of North Carolina and Georgia, and Jones' brigade, of General Ransom's command, to cover the movements of our troops and trains on the south side of the Holston.

The column reached Rogersville on the 9th. The accounts that we got of the resources of the country were favorable, and we halted and put our trains out getting provisions, &c. As there were not enough mills to grind more than flour to feed the command from day to day, we were obliged to reduce the bread ration one-half in order to accumulate a few day's rations.

On the 10th, I received a telegram from the President which seemed to give me discretionary power with regard to the troops and their movement. The order for General Martin's cavalry to return to General Bragg was countermanded at once, and it was held in position between our main force and the enemy.

On the 12th, I received information that I thought reliable that a part of the enemy's re-enforcements from Chattanooga had returned to that place, and that the enemy had a forage consisting of three brigades of cavalry and one of infantry at Bean's Station, his main force being between Rutledge and Blain's Cross-Roads.

Orders were issued for the troops to be in readiness to march on the 14th, with the hope of being able to surprise and capture the enemy's force at Bean's Station, our main force to move directly down from Rogersville to Bean's Station. General Martin,with four brigades of cavalry, was to move down on the south side and across the Holston opposite Bean's Station, or below, and General W. E. Jones, with two brigades of cavalry, was to pass down on the north side of Clinch Mountain and prevent the enemy's escape by Bean's Station Gap.

On the 13th, and that night we had heavy rains, which retarded our march and made a slight rise in the Holston. The infantry column, however, reached Bean's Station in good time and surprised the enemy completely. General W. E. Jones also got his position in good time and captured a number of the enemy's wagons. His information with regard to our movements, however, was not correct, and he retired from the gap after securing his captured wagons. General Martin was not heard at his crossing till about night. He then only crossed a part of his command, and afterward withdrew it. As our column was composed of infantry and artillery only, we could only drive the enemy back. Brig. General B. R. Johnson, commanding Buckner's division, advanced directly against the enemy and drove him steadily to the buildings at Bean's Station, where he met with a strong resistance.

General Kershaw, at the head of General McLaws' division, was ordered in upon the right of Johnson to push forward and cut off the force that was occupying the gap, and then to pass down upon the left flank of the force in the valley. General Kershaw executed his orders literally and most promptly; but we could not catch the enemy's cavalry. The night was dark and General Kershaw halted after he had executed his orders. Our cavalry was not up, and the enemy escaped to a strong position 3 miles from us. During the