support of the batteries having come up and discovered the enemy again prepared to make a stand, having taken a strong position on a cedar hill, with rock so placed by nature as to afford great protection. The enemy in this place made a most obstinate stand, and it was only after a bloody fight and one repulse we succeeded in moving them. Here Lieutenant Col. Don McGregor, First Arkansas, was mortally wounded. General Johnson at this time was on my right.

Moving from that position, I found several batteries of the enemy posted on the railroad, near Nashville turnpike. Thinking I might succeed by going to the left in capturing them, I moved from here, Generals Johnson's and Preston Smith's brigades on my left, and General Liddell's brigade to the left of Johnson's. We did not go far before we discovered the enemy half advanced across an open field in our front in good and strong line of battle. It required the work of only a few moments to break this line and drive them back in cedar brakes to the right of a small dirt road running parallel to the railroad, we pushing on after them, and had reached the cedars, and got almost in rear of their batteries posted on the railroad, when in turn we were driven back in great confusion, and with the heaviest loss we had sustained during the day, their batteries near the railroad and infantry making fearful havoc in our ranks as we retreated. Here Adjutant [F. T.] Smith, of the Fifth Confederate Regiment, fell, badly if not mortally wounded, cheering his men and bearing the colors of his regiment in advance.

Most of my brigade were rallied on the slope of a hill in a cedar grove near the place. We remained for two days in line of battle; others could not be stopped until they reached the turnpike. My men at the time they were repulsed were much jaded, having been fighting since early in the morning, without any rest, and had nearly exhausted their ammunition. As soon as ammunition could be furnished, I gave the men a full supply, and moved my brigade in the woods and took position, en echelon, on the left from General Preston's brigade. In this position I received orders from General Cleburne to take my position on the right of his line of battle [I hope it will not be out of place for me to remark here that I believe if between the hours of 12 and 2 o'clock we could have been re-enforced and rested by another line of battle, that we would have succeeded in getting possession of the railroad and Nashville turnpike, thereby cutting their lines of communication and getting directly in their rear], where I remained until the night of January 2, my advanced sentinels being engaged in skirmishing with the enemy night and day.

About 10 o'clock of this night the enemy made a sudden dash in heavy line of skirmishers, supported by a line of battle, upon my advanced line of sentinels.

In this attack I would fail in my duty if I did not mention the gallant behavior of Captain Osborne, Fifteenth Arkansas, and Major [R. J.] Person, Fifth Confederate Regiments. He was repulsed with considerable loss; how great I cannot say, as before morning I was ordered to move my brigade to its old position, back across Stone's River, to the place I occupied on the morning of December 30, [1862.]

My brigade was not again under fire, and on Saturday night, January 3, I moved on the Manchester pike.

I with pleasure refer to the bearing of officers and men of my brigade. Colonel [J. W.] Colquitt, First Arkansas; Colonel [W. D.] Robison and Lieutenant-Colonel [W. J.] Hale, Second Tennessee Regiments, were conspicuous among those who distinguished themselves Colonel [B. J.] Hill, Fifth Tennessee, and Colonel [J. A.] Smith, Fifth