[CHAP. XXXII.

that position we had several men wounded. The command was here ordered to lie down, in order to protect themselves as much as possible against a heavy enfilading fire from the right by one of the enemy's batteries. The regiment then commanded by Colonel C. S. Hurt, was ordered from this place by General Maney to move off by the left flank to the left and front, on an angle of about 35 from the original parallel, in rear of a thicket and down a ravine, so as to gain the right of the woods. We were then ordered by the left flank into the woods, and there formed a line of battle perpendicular to the original line. We were then ordered forward. After having gone about 400 yards, we were halted in an open cotton-field near some out-buildings. Our lines were raked here most terrifically by shot and shell from one battery on our right and another situated a little to the left of our right. Here we were ordered to lie down. Believing the battery on our right to be ours, the colors of the regiment were ordered forward to attract their attention, whereupon Sergt. M. C. Hooks, Company E, Ninth Tennessee Regiment, advanced to the front and placed, his colors on the top of a crib, whereupon the battery on the right fired at it and struck the crib near the color-sergeant. We were then convinced as to the character of the battery, which still kept pouring a heavy fire upon us. Here we lost 3 killed and several wounded. Among the killed was Lieutenant [W. D.] Irby, then commanding Company D, Ninth Tennessee Regiment. We were then ordered forward, bearing slightly to the right. After proceeding about 600 yards to the fence of a third field, beyond which the enemy were strongly massed in the cedars, with their batteries playing upon us continually, we were halted, and fired one round at the enemy, they returning the fire, killing and wounding several of our men, among whom were Lieutenant [A. J.] Bucey, of Company A, Ninth Tennessee Regiment, and Lieutenant [T. J.] Gilliam, also of Company A, but then commanding Company D, Ninth Tennessee Regiment, killed, and Captain [E. B.] McClanahan, Company G, Sixth Tennessee Regiment, wounded. We were then ordered by Colonel C. S. Hurt to our former position, and there formed on a line with Smith's battery, 100 yards in rear of our first line. After Smith's battery had driven the enemy from the woods we were again ordered forward, and continued to the from the woods we were again ordered forward, and continued to the front, bearing to the right, until we reached a cedar glade beyond the Wilkinson pike. Here we were halted, being partially sheltered by the trees from the most terrific fire of shot and shell I ever saw, completely riddling the forest in every direction. We were again ordered forward amid the thunder of artillery and the crash of falling timber, and continued to march to the front until we arrived at the south side of a field, the north side of which rested upon the Nashville pike, and there halted, it then being between 2 and 3 o'clock in the evening, and the enemy being heavily massed both in men and artillery on the opposite side of the field. We remained here until the following morning about 7 o'clock, when we were ordered to fall back 100 yards into the cedar glade and hold our position.

We remained here until the evening of January 2, 1863, keeping up a continued skirmishing with the enemy all the time, both day and night. We were then ordered to the right, and placed in a field near Cowan's dwelling. The next morning before day we were ordered back to our original line in the cedar glade, where we remained until the evacuation, and then assisted in bringing up the rear of General Cheatham's division.

During all the exposure both officers and men behaved with that becoming coolness and courage that has ever made Tennessee troops