In this communication I desire to call the attention of the general commanding to the good behavior of Captain Semple's company under fire, and more particularly would I direct his attention to Lieutenant Fitzpatrick, commanding the two sections. This gallant officer brought off one piece that would otherwise have been left, and would have saved the other had the wheel driver not been shot at the critical moment of limbering up. Lieutenant J. Pollard, of this company, behaved with great gallantry,and was severely wounded.

As fast as the pieces came back to the new line they were placed; but the majority, having no ammunition, were ordered back to their caissons to refill their boxes. So soon as our guns were unmasked, fire was opened on the enemy's line and continued until dark, with a very heavy fire of skirmishers upon the artillery. This line had been established,supposing it would be good to rally the broken division, but the hope proved utterly fallacious. Except about 150 fugitives collected in a ravine to my right, I saw no body of troops, and fearing an advance of the enemy, under cover of the darkness I moved to the rear again and established a new line along another skirt of timber. Here I found some few troops of General Breckinridge's division, but many of them had returned to their old places, as I knew from the sound of the cheering and speaking in the rear. Being unable to find General Breckinridge for some time, I proceeded to regulate the artillery according to my own ideas. After a time I met the general; told him what I had done, and he directed me to continue so to act and report to him after I had finished. The contagion of flight had spread to the artillery, and it was with great difficulty that several pieces of artillery were brought away, owing to the drivers being frightened. In more than one instance I found it necessary to cock my revolver and level it in order to bring men to a realizing sense of their duty. I am clearly of the opinion that if there had been no artillery on that field the enemy would have gone into Murfreesborough easily that evening. There was no organization that I could see or hear of until after the enemy had been checked, save in the artillery. I have never seen troops so completely broken in my military experience. I tried myself, and saw many others try, to rally them; but they seemed actuated only by a desire for safety and beyond the reach of other sentiments. I saw the colors of many regiments pass, and though repeated calls were made for men of the different regiments, no attention was paid to them.

I take this opportunity to mention the courage of some man whom I do not know. He carried a stand of colors, and halted frequently, faced the enemy, and called the Sixth Kentucky Regiment; and although he did not receive much attention, he lingered as long as there was any infantry on the field, and then passed to the rear, calling out, "Here's your Sixth Kentucky."

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, &c.,

FELIX H. ROBERTSON,

Captain,&c.

Captain K. FALCONER, Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Supplemental.]

--- --, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following supplementary report of the action of my battery during the battle near Murfreesborough:

The fuses generally operated to my satisfaction. Occasional excep-