Arkansas Regiment a short distance farther to the right of my line, and then changing front forward on the left company, I placed this regiment against a stone wall lining the Mackville road. This movement placed the Fifteenth Arkansas on the hill-side with its line at right angles to that of General Johnston and the enemy, and so situated as to give me a flank on the enemy's left without being myself exposed at the sme time. General Buckner got a battery into such a position to the of General Johnston's line of battle as to enfilade the stone wall from behind which the enemy were firing. About this time General Johnston's brigade had exhausted their ammunition and fell back into the bed of the creek; at the same time I move forward and occupied the position previously by his brigade. On examination I found the enemy had been driven back from the stone wall near the crest of the ridge and were now sheltering themselves behind the crest. I ordered the Fifteenth Arkansas back to their position on the right of my life and sent forward skirmishers to reconnoiter the enemy's line preparatory to an advance.

In this I received great assistance from Captain Dixon, of the Fifteenth Arkansas. He advanced alone to within thirty steps of the enemy's line, and gave me much information and made some useful suggestion which were afterward turned to good account. (Whether as private or captain I have found this soldier on every battle-field I have engaged in since the war began, skillfully leading the van. I recommend him to the special notice of the general commanding.) I now advanced in line of battle, my skirmishers ten paces in front of the line and carrying the battle-flags of the regiments. As we ascended the hill we were fired into by our own artillery in the rear. Several of our men were killed and wounded, and we had to fall back. I sent an aide to stop this battery. I can only account for this blunder from the fact that most of our men had on blue Federal pants. We again advanced in the same order. The moment our falgs, carried by the line of skirmishers, appeared above the crest of the hill, the enemy, supposing our line of battle was in view, emptied their guns at the line of skirmishers. Before they could reload our true line of battle was upon them; they instantly broke and fled, exposed to a deadly fire. Their brigade commander, Colonel Lytle, rallied about 100, but they were routed in a moment with heavy loss. We continued to advance through a corn-field, and became so scattered in the pursuit I found it necessary to halt the brigade and reform line of battle. This I did, my left resting on the Mackville road, my line at right angless to this road. I again advanced until within seventy-five yeard of the position known as the white house, where a fresh line of the enemy were strongly posted, flanked by artillery. At this juncture I had no artillery and no supporting force upon my left. I sent Captain Carlton, commanding a few sharpshooters, to watch my left. A large regiment posted in the valley to my right gave way, and most of them, in spite of my intreaties, fled to the rear, leaving my small brigade of not over 800 men in the center of the battle, unsupported on either flank. A furious cannonade between our own artillery, posted on the hill we first carried on the right of the Mackville road, and the enemy's artillery, posted on the right of the white house before mentioned, was carried on our own line. This, together with the fact that [we] were almost out of ammunition, prevented us form advancing farther. We held the position we had taken until night closed in, when the enemy, flanked and surprised by Brigadier-General Liddess's brigade, retired altgother from this part of the field. I then collected my wounded and 375 stand of small-arms, and with the permission of Major-General.