Shortly after this an order was received from General Bragg to withdraw the troops in good order and form line of battle on the crest of the hill on the right branch of the Bark road. This was done, and the command slowly and in good order retired through two of the enemy's camps, not a gun being fired, and formed line of battle as ordered, the advanced line under Colonel Wheeler, the reserve under Colonel Martin, with Colonel Moore, of the Second Texas, to support a battery commanding a road running to our right and rear. The cavalry was thrown to our front. Thus we remained until dark, the entire army, with the exception of the cavalry, having retired from the field, when we received an order from General Bragg that, holding the command in readiness to form line of battle at any moment, we would fall back to Mickey's. This order was obeyed. Chalmers' worn brigade and the Crescent Regiment were permitted to pass to the rear, and the remainder of the troops marched to within about a mile of Mickey's, where they were placed under the command of Colonel Wheeler, who, throughout the fight, had proved himself worthy of all trust and confidence, a gallant commander and an accomplished soldier, and there bivouacked for the night.

After 11 o'clock at night we arrived at Mickey's, where we found that General Breckinridge was in command of what has been called the rear guard. With him Colonel Wheeler, with his regiment, the Nineteenth Alabama, was left on Tuesday morning, and the remainder of the command marched back to Corinth. Though temporarily detached, the reports from Gladden's brigade were forwarded to division headquarters. From these, and the proximity of the brigade during the fight, abundant evidences of the ability and gallantry of its commanders are furnished.

The true and tried Gladden fell early on the morning of the 6th; the fearless Adams about 11.30 o'clock. From that hour, during that and the next day, the brigade was ably commanded by Colonel Deas, of the Twenty-second Alabama, who, though without a staff officer to aid him, proved himself equal to the occasion and worthy of the gallant command to which he had succeeded, and which, although severely wounded, he continued to hold through the fight.

The division entered the fight 6,482 strong, and came out with an aggregate loss of 1,918,* apportioned among the several brigades as follows:

Command Killed Wounded Missing

Gladden's 129 597 103

Chalmer's 82 343 -

Jackson's 865 365 213

This furnishing stern but sad evidence of the manner in which the command discharged its duty.

In the fight on Sunday Capt. D. E. Huger, assistant adjutant-general, Provisional Army; Lieutenant B. M. Thomas, C. S. Army, acting inspector-general; Lieutenant. D. F. Withers, aide-de-camp, and Volunteer Aides R. W. Withers, S. B. Howe, William Williamson, and L. E. Smith discharged the duties of their respective positions with active zeal and gallantry.

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*But see tabular statement on p.395.

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