at which point the enemy, making a strong attack, had already gained some advantage. The distance marched was about four miles through fields and woods. Being delayed by the time occupied in taking position by the division preceding me, it was after dark when my command reached the position assigned it. The two brigades were placed in line on the left of Williams' division, covering the Dalton road; Ireland's brigade, being the extreme left flank of the army, was refused in line. These dispositions were completed and a connected picket-line established before midnight. The enemy (Stevenson's division) had been met in their successful onset by the advance of our corps, and driven back quickly in confusion to their main lines. We passed the night in quiet, having hastily erected breast-works of rails and logs. May 15, at 3 a.m. Buschbeck's brigade, which had been left behind by orders from the major-general commanding the corps, arrived and formed on Ireland's left, and in his rear. My artillery and trains also came up during the night. At 7 a.m. I received orders to send a strong reconnoitering party, with a staff officer, to explore eastward toward the railroad. The Sixtieth New York Volunteers, Colonel Godard, and Seventy-eighth New York Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Chatfield, were detailed for the purpose, and accompanied by Captain Forbes, inspector on my staff, performed the duty, striking the railroad Isaac Adams' house, where they ascertained the enemy's cavalry to be posted, and also found our outposts from McCook's cavalry command. By 11 a.m. they had returned, and in accordance with orders by which our entire corps was directed to attack the enemy at that hour, my division moved to the right about three-fourths of a mile, and there formed column for attack. Owing to the extremely rough and hilly nature of the ground, and the small compass within which the entire corps was to operate in the first charge, the only formation by which my command could be handled to advantage was that of column by regiments. Ireland's brigade was formed in advance; next Buschbeck; last Candy's.

The position occupied by the enemy was one strongly intrenched on an irregular conglomerate of hills, with spurs running in every direction. The general direction of their main lines of intrenchments on these hills inclined northeastward toward a bend in the Connesauga River, forming a refused right flank to their army. On most of the elevations they had batteries protected by earth-works of various descriptions, and so disposed as to sweep in every direction the lines of approach. The very irregular formation of the ground gave the enemy unusual facilities for cross-firing and enfilading the ground to be passed over, and they, in posting both their artillery and infantry, availed themselves fully of these advantages. The hills, steep and rough, were thickly wooded; the narrow ravines between, generally cleared. Immediately in front of the position on which my command formed for the attack a small road passed down a narrow ravine running from the enemy's main line to the Dalton road. Everything being in readiness the advance was ordered. Ireland's brigade crossed a ravine and a hill swept by the enemy's artillery and musketry fire, and drove the enemy impetuously from another hill, and, turning a little to the right, charged with wild, ringing cheers for the capture of a battery, which from a key position was dealing death on every side. At the same moment on Ireland's left a portion of Butterfield's division was racing with him for the same prize. The advance of both commands reached