Rogersville, when the enemy were discovered upon the right of the road and in front, having previously killed a part of our pickets and driven the remainder in. I here, in accordance with your direction, formed my front company-Company C, Captain [Abner E.] Purcell-into sections and moved them a short distance down the road as an advance guard, when the first section fired upon a squad of cavalry upon our right. I then formed my command upon the left of the road and caused them to lay down under cover of a hill, and deployed Company B, Captain [Carter L.] Vigus, upon the extreme left as skirmishers. This company had been out but a few minutes until they found the enemy in heavy force upon the left and threatening a flank movement, which you discovered, and placed the Sixteenth Indiana, under Colonel Lucas, upon our left. I caused the Fifty-fifth Regiment to fall back to the fence a few paces in our rear and to form a line there and to support the battery which you had caused to be placed there. At this point the Fifty-fifth Regiment became engaged, as did also the Sixteenth, upon our left. The enemy opened their artillery upon us with a fierce and constant firing, their second ball killing two corporals in Company G, Captain [David H.] Hamilton's company. My command remained here for about two two hours and a half under a heavy fire and returned it like old soldiers until the enemy had turned our left flank and the Sixteenth Indiana was compelled to give way. The Fifty-fifth Regiment became somewhat confused in the retreat, having been divided previously for skirmishers, but they rallied again in good order and formed at the place designated by you, about 1 mile north of Rogersville. Having fired their 40 rounds, some little time was spent in procuring a new supply of ammunition; but in due time I placed the five companies upon the extreme left and held our position until almost entirely surrounded by the enemy's cavalry, when I again moved them back to a point on the left of our camp 2 miles south of Richmond, where we again formed and were ready for the contest, when I was ordered to fall back to a point just south of Richmond, in the suburbs of the town. In this movement I experienced some embarrassment from the confusion which had reached my own command to some extent. The field officers and many of the company officers of the Seventy-first Regiment having been killed or disabled left that regiment without a commander and unavoidably confused. But I found the men all willing to fight, and with pleasure saw many of them fall in with other regiments and do good service. At this last stand the Fifty-fifth Regiment stood and held their position until they had been entirely surrounded by the enemy's cavalry and the force upon our right gave way, when I moved the Fifty-fifth Regiment on the east of the town of Richmond and forced our way through the line of the enemy, killing many of them, and passed over the Kentucky River that night, skirmishing with the enemy at intervals, who were to be found in every field in the country. Having learned that no stand would be made at the river I moved the regiment on to Lexington, where, in accordance with the order of General Nelson, we turned our arms over to another regiment, our term of service having expired.

I am under obligations to my company officers for the valuable aid they rendered me in commanding our little command. Adjt. [Frank A.] Rose also rendered me efficient aid until the artillery firing commenced on the 30th, when his horse fell with him and disabled him so much that he had to be carried from the field, and is now among the wounded at the hospital. It pains me to record the death of Lieutenant [William L.] Thompson, of Company E. He fell about 11 o'clock on the 30th. In the midst of danger he acted nobly and fell with his face toward the foe,