their necessary repose. However, I am proud to say that both officers and men bore their hardships without a murmur, and obeyed orders with willingness and alacrity.

Very respectfully,

J. H. KELLY,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain G. A. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Liddell's Brigade.

Numbers 97. Report of Colonel J. E. Josey, Fifteenth Arkansas Infantry, commanding Thirteenth and Fifteenth Arkansas Regiments in the series of skirmishes on June 24 and 25, near Liberty Gap, Tenn.:

My command, consisting of 365 enlisted men, was stationed at Liberty Gap, on outpost duty with Fifth Arkansas Regiment, Colonel L. Featherston, of the Fifth Arkansas Regiment, commanding detachment.

About noon on June 24, Colonel Featherston notified me that the enemy was advancing rapidly, and ordered my regiment to move to position previously designated. With the greatest possible dispatch the regiment was posted at the southern extremity of the gap, supporting a section of artillery. On leaving encampment, however, one company was detached as as skirmishers and thrown to the east of the gap overlooking same, and prolonging to the left line of skirmishers of Colonel Featherston's regiment, formerly his pickets. Soon after assuming the position above mentioned, Colonel Featherston appeared in person and ordered the disposition on the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Arkansas Regiments, which resulted in three companies being sent, under command of Major C. H. Carlton, west of Liberty Gap, to support a line of skirmishers of the Fifth Arkansas Regiment, and two additional companies sent east of the gap, to support the two companies previously mentioned. Lieutenant Colonel R. A. Duncan was ordered to take command of the skirmishers on the right; the remaining company was left to the support of the artillery, the eighth company (consisting of 50 men) being absent on picket 1 1\2 miles east of Liberty Gap.

These dispositions had not been completed before heavy firing began along almost the entire line. Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan informed me when he arrived and took command of the skirmishers east of Liberty Gap that the enemy had moved by the left flank (Fifth Regiment of Infantry), passing the skirmishers posted for the immediate defense of Liberty Gap, ascending and taking possession of the hill overlooking the northern extremity of the gap. This made it necessary that our skirmishers should take another position. Some time after this was done, I arrived, and found our skirmishers hotly engaged with the enemy, and, in addition to the heavy infantry force pressing them in front, a cavalry force (supposed to be a regiment) was discovered to have advanced through a narrow gap or pass 3 1\4 miles east of Liberty Gap, forcing a picket of 10 men posted at that point.

Thus affairs continued for considerable length of time, fighting hard all the time and at short range. Owing to exposed position of my flank from cavalry (there being nothing to prevent it from making a sweep