[CHAP. XXXII.

Sixteenth Tennessee. The battery accordingly took position on the right of the Nashville road, about three-fourths of a mile in advance of its former position, and near the river. Here we halted about an hour, during which we lost 1 man killed and 2 horses without opening fire. The battery was then ordered to advance, in order the batter to return the enemy's fire. We therefore proceeded up the road about 200 yards, when we were met by our forces, making a slight retrograde movement, and the battery was compelled to take its former position, nearly. Here we immediately went into battery and fired a few rounds, by order of General Breckinridge, to assist in steadying our own troops, though not having a very fair shot at the enemy. Late in the evening the battery was ordered to cross over to the Wilkinson road, and finally to its old position near the railroad bridge for the night.

On the next day, the 1st instant, we were ordered to occupy a position in line with four or five other batteries on the high ground to the left of the Nashville road, and about the same distance in front as our position the day before. We here fortified our guns as well as circumstances permitted, but did not return the few shots the enemy gave us in this position.

During the evening Captain Carnes, by order, took our two howitzers over to the bluff, on the right of the railroad and pike, near the river, and opened what we afterward learned to be a very destructive fire upon the enemy, compelling them to retire and change their position. The enemy did not reply with artillery, and our immediate front was cleared of his sharpshooters.

The next day, the 2nd instant, our whole battery (also [Captain T. J.] Stanford's and [M.] Smith's) took position in line on the same bluff. To our left, across the Nashville road, were [W. L.] Scott's and [F. H.] Robertson's batteries. We all opened simultaneously to clear our front of the enemy's sharpshooters, who had reoccupied the woods along our front during the night. The enemy replied by several batteries, two of which were composed of rifled guns. The firing continued about twenty minutes. Our caissons, under command of Lieutenant [James M.] Cockrill, were then ordered up to replenish our ammunition chests. Two similar artillery conflict took place during the day, our caissons being brought up each time to supply our limbers. The caissons were held under such cover as the ground allowed, about 300 yards in the rear.

During the evening, Captain Carness took our two howitzers to the right of our line of batteries, very near the river, and effectually cleared the woods of the enemy in front of our right. At night the battery was ordered back to the rifle-trench running across field, 200 or 300 yards in rear of the burnt brick house, and supported by General Maney's brigade.

At daylight on the morning of the 3rd instant our battery took the same position by itself on the bluff, instructed not to reply to the enemy's artillery, but to repel any advance of the enemy's infantry or sharpshooters. We immediately opened a brisk fire upon the enemy's skirmishers, who had again occupied the woods in our front. We soon cleared the woods of the enemy, though supported, as usual, by their artillery.

Late in the evening the enemy opened a powerful fire of his artillery upon our position, attracted, probably, by the appearance of a regiment going to relieve our pickets in the woods. We lost at this time 1 man killed and 4 wounded. About 7 p.m. we were ordered to return to our old camp, near town.

Our battery had thus stood at strict attention for seven days, during which the harness had not been taken from the horses. Our men be-