Two of the four regiments of my command opposed to the enemy at this point (the Twenty-third and Thirty-seventh Tennessee Regiments) were very small, averaging only about 230 effective strength. Three of these regiments now, at about 5 p.m., reported their ammunition exhausted, and not knowing what fresh troops we might encounter by advancing beyond the stone wall and seeing Brigadier-General Cleburne advancing to our support, I directed them to wait until their cartridges could be replenished and reported to General Cleburne the condition of my command, suggesting the propriety of an advance upon the enemy. I immediately sent to the rear to have some ammunition brought up. About this time Colonel Lytle, the commander of the enemy's forces opposed to my brigade, was reported to me as prisoner by a soldier in charge of him and by whom Colonel Lytle was brought back from the field. The colonel was wounded in the head, and I sent him to my brigade surgeon, under charge of Private Perkins, a clerk in the office of my assistant adjutant-general.

My attention was now called to the fire of the left section of Captain Darden's battery, which had twice changed its position, advancing both times and opening from each position upon the enemy in front of the brigade. I now found it posted to the right of the Perryville and Mackville road, still on the western slope of the hill and supported by the Forty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Tennessee Regiments. Finding the fire of this section likely to damage my own men I caused its fire to cease, and an order having arrived to move this artillery to the height beyond the Doctor's Fork, to the right of the Mackville road, I ordered these regiments to move forward and to advance up the hill to the west of Doctor's Fork and on the left of the farm-house. Returning immediately to the four regiments in advance I found the Seventeenth and Thirty-seventh Tennessee Regiments had been ordered to advance up to the eminence above and to the right of the farm-house and support the artillery just ordered to that position. I also was directed by Major-General Buckner to go to that eminence in order to give my personal attention to the action at that point. On this eminence was now posted the whole of Captains Darden's and [C. H.] Slocomb's batteries, each four pieces, and one section of Calvert's battery, all of which were actively engaged, while they were exposed to a direct and enfilading fire from the enemy's batteries. Balls and shells here continued to fall thick and fast from the enemy's guns, while our own batteries replied with great rapidity until after dark and the ammunition of our batteries was exhausted, when they were withdrawn, and the Thirty-seventh and Forty-fourth Tennessee Regiments rested on the eminence until ordered to withdraw, at about 12 o'clock at night.

The Forty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Tennessee Regiments, which I had ordered to advance and pass the Doctor's Creek on the left of the farm-house report to me that they advanced about 250 yards to the left and front of the burnt house to the foot of a small hill, where they remained under a heavy fire of the enemy's artillery and small-arms until General Adams' brigade fell back behind them and suggested that they had better fall back also. They then took post at a rail fence, where they received orders from General Hardee to advance and hold their former position, which they did, supported for a time by General Adams' command. They remained in this position until the firing ceased, at 12 o'clock. They fell back with the brigade.

[. B. R. JOHNSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel GEORGE B. COSBY, Chief of Staff.