the brigade was halted, the right resting near a cedar thicket. Here a severe fire was opened upon us by the sharpshooters of the enemy, wounding several of our men and creating some little confusion. We here deployed a company as skirmishers, who soon drove back the enemy's sharpshooters, not, however, until they had wounded several field officers and many men. We then advanced and crossed the Old Franklin road into a cedar thicket, where we had a very severe engagement, fighting some twenty minutes before the enemy gave way. Here our color-bearer was shot down, and Major Ewin was shot from his horse, and 8 company officers fell-1 killed and the others wounded. We then charged and drove the enemy through a woodland, they offering a stubborn resistance, until they approached a large corn-field. Here the enemy were routed, some going through the field and others on either side thereof. The Forty-fourth Regiment passed into the corn-field several hundred yards, then moved by the left flank and entered a woodland.

When the brigade reformed, and was resupplied with ammunition, it continued to move forward under the fire of the enemy's battery to our right, which firing was very heavy. After marching until we reached the cotton-field, we made a right half-wheel, facing toward the enemy's battery, advancing through the field in its direction. Having sent forward sharpshooters, the battery retired, our skirmishers doing good service, killing and wounding both horses and men. We pressed forward then through the woods, crossing the Nolensville road, moving by the left flank, and, passing through a small field, entered another woodland. Here the brigade, marching in line of battle, engage the enemy in a cedar bough [brake]. The enemy fell back. We took 21 prisoners and pressed the enemy. We found that we were in advance of our line of battle, and that we were about to be flanked by them on our right in heavy force. One of the prisoners taken said that had we advanced 100 yards farther we would have been surrounded by an entire division in ambush and thus cut off. The Forty-fourth and Thirty-seventh were marched by the left flank and reunited with the balance of the brigade, which fell back, to avoid a flank movement of the enemy, to our own lines.

Under the direction of the general, the brigade was reformed and ordered forward to support a portion of what I supposed was McCown's division, already engaging the enemy. We marched through a long piece of woods, entering a large corn-field, where we found that the enemy had checked that portion of McCown's division, which division was much scattered and disordered. Their officers were endeavoring to rally and carry them forward. At this moment we reached and passed them, passing a small house, and, crossing two fences, we entered a cedar thicket, which was the strongest natural position we encountered through the day, it being one of large ledges of rock of very rugged formation, protected by a heavy growth of cedar. Here we engaged the enemy, driving him back over a fence. A portion of the Forty-fourth crossed over the fence. It was at this juncture-the enemy gradually falling back, stubbornly resisting our advance, and taking advantage of the ground-that the troops on our right were found suddenly to have broken and given back in confusion, without any apparent cause. A mounted officer of that command, passing Lieutenant-Colonel [John L.] McEwen, [jr.] said that we were under a heavy cross-fire and must retire. Consequently, being without support, and the men witnessing the flight on our right, fell back in disorder, in spite of the efforts of the officers present.