as to have gotten out of its line of attack. This causeless and inexcusable movement lost us the few moments in which success from this point could be attained. Although it was getting dark, I decided to try and repeat the intended move on the enemy's next position, or to cut the road upon which they were retiring, and ordered Benning, who was on the right, forward, directing General Law to prolong Benning's line by a flank movement.

Brigadier-General Law on seeing me stated that his brigade had been misled by the mistake of his regiment of direction in closing the interval between it and Anderson's brigade on its left. I do not conceive that a regiment of direction should have been so instructed as to leave such a charge of direction discretionary, and the immediate directing presence of the brigade commander, by whom the position of the enemy to be attacked had been seen and examined, should have corrected the mistake in its inception. General Anderson states that his brigade was partially lapped when the two came together, and I had distinctly and emphatically told General Law, when he spoke of the relative movements of Anderson's brigade, that he would attack independently of Anderson.

Movements by Benning's Law's, and Anderson's brigades to cut the enemy's line of retreat, though promptly and vigorously made, were defeated by the darkness, the difficulties of the ground, and the enemy's movements in retreat, and no other opportunity was presented for attack. The gallantry and dash of our skirmishers during this day has never been surpassed. Attacking fearlessly lines of battle and artillery, Lieutenant-Colonel Logan, Lieutenant-Colonel Wylie, and Captain S. D. Cockrell (the latter of the Ninth Georgia) distinguished themselves among many others. We captured about 200 prisoners, and drove the enemy with heavy loss from every stand they made. The movements of the brigades were prompt and willing.

Our loss during the day was as follows:

Command. Killed. Wounded. Total.

Anderson's brigade. 3 34 37

Jenkins' brigade. 18 106 124

Law's brigade. 1 12 13

Total. 22 152 174

Moving the next morning to Knoxville, nothing of special or momentous interest took place till the attack on the enemy's works on the morning of November 29, the intermediate time being occupied in gaining positions and strengthening them. Handsome skirmishing was done by Anderson's brigade in gaining the hill we occupied as a permanent line. Two brigades (Law's and Robertson's) having been detached for duty across the river, my command was reduced to three brigades (one very small), and being called on to maintain the old line with the reduced force, my picket duty was heavy, and still further reduced the disposable force. The part assigned this command being to follow up the attack by which McLaws' division was expected to carry Fort Loudon by an attack on the enemy's breastworks, and after carrying them to sweep down their lines and gain as much ground as I could advantageously, I directed Ander-