General Wood's division the previous night, our regiment and the Thirty-sixth Illinois forming the first line, and the Eighty-eighth Illinois and the Twenty-first Michigan the second line.

In accordance with orders from Brigadier-General Lytle, we here sent 1 commissioned officer and 10 men to deploy as skirmishers along the edge of the creek to watch the movements of the enemy. We had not remained long in this position before the enemy opened on us with one piece of artillery. but which fortunately did us no harm. We remained in this position until shortly after dark, when we received orders from General Lytle to move abut 200 paces to the rear in the edge of a piece of timber,where we bivouacked for the night.

At 3 a.m. on the morning of the 20th the regiment assembled under arms, and shortly after were marched directly in the rear of the Eleventh Indiana Battery down the Chattanooga road to Lee's Hill, where we formed in line to the right and rear of Widow Crane's house (General Rosecrans' former headquarters), the Eighty-eighth Illinois and the Twenty-first Michigan forming the first line, and the Twenty-fourth Wisconsin and Thirty-sixth Illinois the second line. We remained in this position until half past 10 a.m., when we were moved about one-fourth of a mile farther down the Chattanooga road at a double-quick, where we formed line on the right of the road facing the Chickamauga Creek, under a terrific fire from the enemy, our right resting on the Twenty-first Michigan and our left on the Thirty-sixth Illinois;; here we fought the enemy for nearly half an hour, driving him entirely from our front.

We here lost our brave and gallant Brigadier General W. H. Lytle, who was shot down while in the rear of the center of our regiment encouraging the men. About that time the enemy moved a heavy column upon our left flank, and the regiment on our left having given way, we were exposed to a severe enfilading fire. Our two left companies were swung to the rear and poured an effective fire into their ranks, but they still moving up in overwhelming numbers we were at last forced to give way. We retreated in some disorder, but quickly reformed on a hill some 400 yards to our rear. Our brave and gallant young commander, Lieutenant Colonel T. S. West, being among the missing, I here assumed command, and in accordance with orders received from Colonel S. Miller, I moved my regiment with the rest of the brigade down the Chattanooga and La Fayette road, and thence up the Chattanooga and Ringgold road about 5 miles, where we halted for a short time, and then marched back to Rossville, where we bivouacked for the night.

On the morning of the 21st, in obedience to orders, I marched my regiment to the front and took my position in line. We her threw up some breastworks and occupied them until about 1 a.m. of the 22nd, when I marched with the rest of the brigade to sour present

position near Chattanooga.

I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of both officers and men; they advanced and formed into line under a terrific fire from the enemy with a coolness and celerity that was most admirable, and when driven from their position by overwhelming numbers quickly reformed and were as eager as ever to be led on again.

Where all did so well it is hard to discriminate, but I would make especial mention of Lieutenant Thomas E. Balding, acting adjutant, for his gallant conduct and efficient aid as acting field officer after I as-