long his line to the left. My column was at once turned in that direction, and I rode forward along the intrenchments which Brigadier-General Carlin's men had thrown up to find the point at which my right would rest. Finding this point I also found that division just put in motion, marching toward the right and front, and I followed a short distance to discover the direction which I would have to take, and the best route for getting into position. My column followed closely in rear of the First Division and by the time that it had become stationary, and was formed was lost by this division, for at the very moment that the point where it was to rest became determined it was on the spot. Brigadier-General Carlin's left reached just to column, the Fourth Corps, which had

arrived. I accordingly caused my troops to be massed in rear of Brigadier-General Carlin's left. Having seen Major-General Stanley, and finding that he was willing to make way for me, and understanding it to be the intention of Major-General Thomas' order that our line should be prolonged beyond the railroad in case it should reach that far, I rode forward to examine the ground. I passed along the east side of the road some distance, beyond our lines without meeting with opposition, and, having discovered an advantageous position, was about to bring my division up to it. I had given the order, and the troops were about to march, when I received contrary instructions requiring me to hold my division west of the road as a reserve to support the other two. soon after that, at near 4 o'clock, Brigadier-General Carlin's line moved forward and, by direction of General Davis, I moved Colonel Este's brigade in line of battle behind General Carlin's left brigade, the left flank of both keeping along the railroad. My other two brigades moved in column on the road leading along the right of the railway. The deployed lines of my Third Brigade had to work their way through a thick wood, nearly a third of a mile in width, before reaching the open ground stretching in front of the wood in which were the rebel works, and having put this brigade in motion, I moved forward with the other two. On reaching a cabin beyond the woods, marked on the accompanying map, *I met General Davis, who informed me that he had sent Colonel Este's brigade, which came up in advance of me, to support the right brigade of Brigadier-General Carlin, which had been severely handled in an attempt to advance upon the rebel works. A staff officer arriving at the same moment with a message from Brigadier-General Carlin created the impression that there was some misunderstanding of their respective relations between that officer and Colonel Este, whereupon General Davis sent word to Colonel Este that he was to report to General Carlin and be subject to his orders. Fearful that some ill result might arise should the orders still not be understood, and notwithstanding that the brigade was thus placed under the control of another division commander, I volunteered to go myself and give personal supervision to the execution of all orders. General Davis told me as I started that he wished Colonel Este to replace the right brigade of Brigadier-General Carlin, the regular brigade, and then to advance upon the enemy along with the other troops on the right and left when they advanced. As I passed to the right I had an opportunity for a hasty glance at the ground constituting the field of fight, and the rough map which is attached to this report,

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*See p. 756.

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