Colonels Barteau and Rucker having both been withdrawn from my right flank the Tupelo road was left open, and although Colonel Rucker moved back to his old position that night, he did not feel authorized to act upon his old orders. The results was the enemy moved the next morning (13th) on the Tupelo road, and his advance was ten miles from Pontotoc before any orders were received as to what movement should be made. I supposed that we would fall back to the place selected for battle near Egypt Station, and that the enemy was attempting to get there before us. I therefore took Roddey's and Rucker's brigades and moved at once to the fords on Chauappa Creek, with a view of preceding the enemy and holding him in check until our forces could get into position and receive him. While moving, however, I received from General Lee to attack the enemy vigorously in flank, and did so with Rucker's brigade, leaving General Roddey to take possession of the fords, which I considered important. We came upon the enemy at Bartram's Shop, eight miles WEST of Tupelo, and attacked him at once. We took him by surprise, and got possession of his train at first, and killed the mules, so that he was forced to abandon and burn 7 wagons, 1 caisson, and 2 ambulances, but his i numbers forced us to retire. Not long after this General Forrest, who was in the rear with two brigades, came up, and we went with him to the infantry camp, four miles WEST of Tupelo, where we remained during the night.

Next morning (the 14th) I was ordered to move up my DIVISION dismounted, and did so, marching the men about two miles, and as there was some change in the orders about our position after we came upon the field, there was consequently marching and countermarching, which proved very exhausting to men unaccustomed to marching on foot. We were placed in reserve, and soon after we had obtained our position the line in front advanced to the attack. General Buford's DIVISION was in the center, General Roddey's brigade was on the right, and Colonel Mabry's brigade on the left. As soon as they became well engaged I was ordered to advance, and while moving received three different orders. From General Forrest I received an order to move to the right and support General Roddey; from General Lee to move to the left and support Colonel Mabry, and from General Buford an order stating that I should move, by direction of General Lee, to relieve him on the center. Major- General Forrest being my immediate superior, I obeyed his order and moved to the right, but before I had reached the desired position another order from General Lee in person divided my command, leaving McCulloch's brigade in reserve and moving Rucker's brigade to the left to charge at a double-quick, and with a shout. I moved in person on the left of Rucker's brigade, Colonel Rucker being on the right, and we passed over plowed ground and through a corn- field, in full view of the enemy, for 2,000 yards, under fire of three pieces of artillery and small-arms from the enemy, strongly posted on an elevated and wooded ridge to the left and rear of Harrisburg. Before we reached the position to charge many of the men fainted from exhaustion and the remainder were unable to drive the enemy from his position. After an ineffectual effort to gain the hill we fell back to a position in a lane which afforded some little shelter. Colonel Rucker, with his little brigade, behaved with as much gallantry as men could under similar circumstances, as the heavy list of killed and wounded will prove; yet they were unable to accomplish anything. Colonel Mabry's and Colonel Bell's brigades, on our immediate right, having exhausted their ammunition, were ordered back. Colonel Rucker was then withdrawn. Colonel McCul-