the low ground. We then went to the point near the ford, where the artillery was stationed, and, while examining that, Major-General Rosecrans arrived at the same point. In a few moments a messenger from the front arrived from the front arrived and reported a large force being massed in front of our lines. Colonel Beatty and myself immediately started to our respective positions. I was shortly met by Adjutant Holter, of the Fifty-ninth Ohio, with a report that the enemy were in motion, advancing on our front. Sixteen regimental flags had been counted in one column. Actg. Asst. Adjt. General C. F. King was ordered to make report of the facts to General Rosecrans immediately. Passing on to the Eighty-sixth Regiment, it and Company A were ordered to strengthen their position with rails.

Only a short time elapsed when a tremendous fire indicated that the attack had fallen on Colonel Beatty's right. Another column, it appeared, had crossed Stone's River and participated in the attack, while still another was coming on my left, but for some cause its advance was somewhat delayed. The main column of attack moved diagonally across the front of the wood, striking toward a wooded height on the bank of the river where Captain Drury's battery of artillery had been posted in the morning, under the command of Lieutenant Livingston. The weight of the column of attack fell first on the Eighth Kentucky and Fifty-first Ohio in the front line. They stood gallantly for a few moments, but were swept away. The enemy, still pushing on, received a heavy flank and oblique fire from the Thirty-fifth, Forty-fourth, and Eighty-sixth Indiana,and Thirteenth Ohio. The column next encountered the Ninety-ninth Ohio, Twenty-first Kentucky, and Nineteenth Ohio, which were successively borne backward, as were the Ninth and Eleventh Kentucky.

In the mean time, after the giving way of our second line, and as soon as our infantry had gotten out of the way, Lieutenant Livingston opened upon them with his battery with good effect. The enemy's artillery, following their column took position on the high ground to the right of the wood, which commanded the field of battle, and,as their infantry passed on, driving our right across the river, opened with grape and canister. The Second Brigade, not being exactly in line of their charge, held their ground until the column of attack had passed our second line.

The brigade then fell back through the low ground, as directed (being myself disabled, my horse having thrown and dragged me for a short distance), and took position behind the buildings on the hill.

The artillery,after the giving way of our last line of infantry, recrossed Stone's River. The column of attack, pushing on toward the ford, was exposed to a severe flank fire from Colonel Grose's force, together with those of my brigade who had collected about the buildings upon the hill, and also to our artillery and the infantry that had taken position on the opposite bank of the river; thus extending the fire around their front to the left flank, encircling them on three sides. A cross-fire of artillery and small-arms delivered for a short time with terrible effect, was too much for them, and their broken and discomfited columns turned back upon their path, closely pursued by the troops which had rallied, together with the fresh troops which General Rosecrans had ordered up, taking a portion of the celebrated Washington Battery. This repulse closed the operations in front of Murfreesborough, the Second Brigade going into camp on the field for the night.

I cannot close this report without favorably noticing many of the