the great mortality on both sides. Soon after this, the regiment on our left changed position to our rear, leaving our regiment completely isolated and battling against great odds, with the danger of being surrounded. We were ordered to retire for about 150 yards, and then march to the right, in order, if possible, to reattach ourselves to the balance of our brigade, which had been driven from its first position. While doing this we fell in with a portion of General Davis' division, and were advised that we had better co-operate with that division for the present, as our brigade had by this time retired so far that it would consume much valuable time in finding it that could be used at this particular juncture to great advantage by re-enforcing one of his [Davis'] brigades. We posted ourselves on the right of Davis' division, in front of which was a rebel battery, at a distance of about 400 yards. A little to the right and in front of this was Edgarton's battery, which had been previously captured by the rebels in the onset, and was still in their possession.

It was here that our regiment charged alone, recapturing Edgarton's battery, and up to the guns of the rebel battery, through a hurricane of grape and canister, until we were confronted by several thousand of the rebel infantry, when, as we were unsupported, we were obliged to retire to the line from which we started on the charge, leaving our much-loved battery in the hands of the rebels, as we had no means of moving it off. Yet we were repaid for this desperate charge as much s for any we made during the day in damaging the enemy and holding him in check.

We retired in good order, and halted and formed in our previous position, on the right of Davis' division. Here Colonel Housum fell. The battle was here hotly contested for some time, when our forces began to give way, fiercely pursued by the enemy, who came near taking a battery of ours at this place.

As soon as the battery was safely off, we retired to the fence, on the opposite side of the field, where we stood alone for some time contending with the rebels, until they commenced scaling the fence on our right and left, when we retired to the woods, and again made a stand. We thus continued for some time, taking advantage of everything that came in our way, moving slowly, and our line never broke once throughout the day; but we fought every time we could find a line to rest on, or wherever we could gain a position in which we could for a minute successfully make a stand.

When we came near the Nashville and Murfreesborough turnpike we fell in with a portion of the Twenty-ninth Indiana Volunteers, under the gallant Major Collins; also a portion of the Thirtieth Indiana Volunteers. These, with our regiment, were now joined together as the remnant of the old Fifth Brigade, under Colonel Dodge, as brigade commander. We were posted on the edge of the woods by General Johnson, on the right of General Van Cleve's division, which had just come up. The rebels were now coming on with tenfold more impetuosity, and our men were ordered to lie down quietly behind a fence, which partly protected us. We waited here until the rebels were within a short distance, when we up and delivered our fire with such great effect that the rebels began to give way.

We now pitched into them with whoop and yell, all the time delivering a most destructive fire, and soon the whole rebel column was in full retreat. We drove them half a mile, when our ammunition gave out and we were relieved, when we retired to the railroad to obtain a fresh supply. This was the first check of importance that the rebels received,