CHAP. XXXII.

right of the line and the road, it being on the extreme left, to move in line with the brigade. Accordingly, Captain M. W. Cluskey, assistant adjutant-general, moved it and rested it on the right of Wood's brigade. Moving the balance of my brigade obliquely across the open field to the rear and right of Smith's house under a tremendous artillery and infantry fire, I soon occupied the front of our line, on the left of Manigault's brigade, and engaged a largely superior force of the enemy in a most hotly contested fight, driving him away from two of his guns, which had been prominent in contesting our advance.

About the same time my assistant adjutant-general gave Colonel [W. H.] Young, of the Ninth Texas Infantry, orders to move forward from the position in which he had placed it, on the right of Wood's brigade, and attack the enemy sheltered in the woods in front of him, which he did in most gallant style, and succeeded in driving him, though with great loss, through the woods and open field on the other side. On the right, after driving the enemy from the guns mentioned, Manigault's brigade, not being supported by its reserve, gave way, and my brigade, having none either in reserve or on my immediate left, was forced by the enemy, heavily re-enforced, to withdraw, which it did, after being commanded by me so to do, in good order, rallying on their colors on their original line. I again advanced my command, this time through the woods and to the left of my former line of advance, and reached the large open fields between the Wilkinson and Triune pikes under a heavy fire of artillery. Forming on the left of Maney's brigade, I placed the Ninth Texas Infantry, which had again united with my command, on my right, and rested my men, to shelter them from the severe artillery fire of the enemy, which was being unremittingly hailed upon them. Ordered by Major-General Cheatham, I moved forward, with Maney on my right and unsupported on my left. Reaching the woods near the Wilkinson pike, I encountered Brigadier General Bushrod R. Johnson's brigade on a line of battle perpendicular to my own. After a delay on this account, I received the order to advance and engage the enemy. Moving through Johnson's line of battle, I changed front and advanced on the enemy, thickly posted in the woods on my right, from which they had been shelling our lines. Upon our near approach, he fled through the skirt of woods across the Wilkinson toward the Nashville pike. I again changed front, and, crossing the Wilkinson pike, moved through the same woods on their left flank with a view of cutting them off. When about half through these woods, engaging the enemy on my right flank as I went along, I met a line of battle somewhat lapping my left, which I found to be Wood's brigade, engaging another force of the enemy in his front. General S. A. M. Wood desired my support to save him from being flanked on the right. Accordingly, I moved forward and engaged this force, driving him across the open field and dirt road into the only remaining field between us and the Nashville pike, where a large wagon train of the enemy was distinctly visible. At this point I found myself about to be flanked on my right by a strong force of the enemy posted in the woods to the right of the field. Seeing no signs of any support on my right, which I had supposed was following me to continue my alignment on the right, I concluded to rapidly continue my advance upon the enemy, which had been driven toward the pike and which had again rallied, and formed in line, and, by driving him, to force the troops threatening my flank to retire. Such was the spirit and vigor with which my men pursued this object that the troops on my left did not keep up with them, and before I could effect the purpose I had in view, my right flank was so severely enfiladed that I was