seize the rebel couriers on the McMinnville and Shelbyville road, and reconnoiter the country for 3 or 4 miles in all directions.

The other two regiments of Colonel Long's brigade, with the artillery, followed General Palmer's division. When the head of General Palmer's column reached Hollow Springs, Colonel Long occupied Lumley's Stand, 4 miles in advance, a very barren country, but an important strategic point in our movement. From it we could strike to the rear of Beech Grove, on the Murfreesborough and Manchester pike, and facilitate the advance of General Thomas' corps against the rebel position there, or move at once on Manchester. Either of these movements my command could have made the same day, because the distance already passed (from Bradyville to Lumley's Stand) was only 10 miles, and the distances from Lumley's Stand to Beech Grove and Manchester were, respectively, 8 and 11 miles. But no order was given for a forward movement. On the contrary, my command was ordered to encamp at Hollow Springs with General Palmer's division, except one regiment, left at Lumley's Stand to occupy that point. During the whole day we heard heavy cannonading from time to time in the direction of Beech Grove.

On the morning of the 26th [June], I was ordered to move to Lumley's Stand, send out scouting parties, and stay there. During the whole day we heard cannonading on our right, on the Manchester pike.

We remained at Lumley's Stand until 2 p. m. June 27, when I received orders to move to Pocahontas, 5 miles from Lumley's Stand, toward McMinnville, and to remain there until both divisions and trains of General Crittenden's corps should pass Lumley's Stand, thus protecting the left of his column from rebel cavalry, supposed to be at McMinneville, or in the direction of Woodbury.

But while at Pocahontas, at 1.30 a. m. June 28, I received orders from the general commanding the department to move at once to Manchester, where I arrived at 9 o'clock the same morning, and found the whole corps of General Thomas there.

The road between Cripple Creek and Hollow Springs being very hilly, and it being rainy weather all the time, my command remained without trains until we moved to Pocahontas, and these to Manchester. Thus the left column of the army to which I was attached, instead of being first in Manchester, on account of different causes, arrived there one day later than the central column.

On the same day, after my arrival in Manchester, by order of the general commanding the department, I sent two battalions-eight companies-of the Second Kentucky Cavalry on picket duty, on of these battalions being sent to Hillsborough. I was ordered to send two battalions more, which I did from the Fourth Ohio Cavalry.

The next day I sent two battalions-eight companies of the First Ohio Cavalry-to relieve the pickets, instead of which these battalions were retained on the front also.

The next day General Garfield telegraphed to Generals Brannon and Thomas to send back to camp half of the cavalry force that was on the front, and ordered me to send one battalion forward to re-enforce the remaining half. I sent one battalion of the Third Ohio Cavalry to the front, which, like the others, was accepted, but no cavalry was sent back to camp. In this manner the whole brigade was scattered by battalions, under command of majors and lieutenant-colonels, on the front of the two army corps, the regimental commanders and the brigade commanders remaining in camp with twelve companies of different regiments, and at the head of all was the division commander himself.