church about 8 1/2 miles from Murfreesborough, I met the enemy's cavalry in considerable force, which were soon routed by skirmishers from the Twenty-first Illinois and Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteers.

At the house of Captain Newman, near the brick church, the enemy's cavalry dismounted and endeavored to hold us in check, but the steady advance of our skirmishers drove them from their hiding-places. Falling back upon their reserve, they again made a stand along the crest of a high rocky bluff, well covered with timber, at a point where the pike runs through a gap of this bluff. It was evident the enemy were trying to post their artillery, it being for them a very strong position. I doubled the strength of the skirmish line by details from the Fifteenth Wisconsin and Twenty-first Illinois Volunteers, and gave orders to take and occupy the bluff. In the mean time Lieutenant [A.] Woodbury, commanding Second Minnesota Battery, brought up a section of his Parrot guns, and got them in position on the crest of the hill. The enemy, failing to obtain for his artillery the position he sought, planted two guns three-quarters of a mile farther back on the pike, and opened a lively fire on our lines. Woodbury replied with his Parrotts, and soon forced the enemy's artillery to retire.

My orders were to remain at this point, and, if possible, open communication with Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, commanding an expedition moving toward Middleton, on the Shelbyville dirt road. The communication was opened by a small detachment of the Third Indiana Cavalry, ordered out with me as an escort.

The enemy's force consisted of cavalry, who dismounted and fought as infantry.

I held the position indicated above until 3 a. m., March 7, when I received orders from Major-General McCook, commanding corps, to return to camp.

We captured a few guns and killed some of the enemy's horses. There was also some evidence of our artillery having played on them with effect.

Private Elijah Milan, of Company F, Twenty-first Illinois Volunteers, was mortally wounded during the skirmish. No other casualties.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HANS C. HEG,

Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant T. W. MORRISON, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 4. Report of R. R. Gaines, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Hagan's Cavalry Brigade (Confederate).

HEADQUARTERS HAGAN'S CAVALRY BRIGADE,
March 6, 1863-4 p. m.

MAJOR: Lieutenant-Colonel [James D.] Webb, commanding the regiment picketing this road (the Shelbyville and Murfreesborough turnpike), instructs me to inform you that, about 10.30 o'clock this morning, the enemy engaged his pickets along his whole left from the turnpike. He moved up his grand guard with one piece of artillery, when he opened upon them with his artillery. They replied, shot for shot, for fourteen shots-the firing at intervals which covered about one hour. They pursued the same course with small-arms, their skirmishers merely replying to ours.