Major-General Breckinridge, who had position on the left of our line of battle. At about 11 or 12 m. the command was ordered around to the extreme right, and wading the Chickamauga, took position near Underwood's steam saw-mill a little before sunset. Shortly after this the command was ordered forward, and after having advanced about 400 yards, passing the line formed by General Liddell's command and other troops, we encountered the enemy in strong position, one for which the opposing forces had been contending throughout almost the entire day. I ordered Captain Newboy, of Company a, to throw forward his company as skirmishers, thus leaving Captain Mitchell on the right and Captain Alley on the left. Here the left and center of our brigade became engaged, the firing from both artillery and small-arms becoming general and heavy. The engagement was fierce, lasting for about one hour. My command being on the right of the brigade did not fire but a few shots for the first half hour.

About this time General Hill and staff came riding by, and complimented my command for the uniform and steady advance they were making, and their cool and manly conduct, he remarking at the same time that a battery would soon open upon the enemy from our rear with shell, grape, and canister; that he had ordered it for its moral effect. General Hill had not passed on more than 200 yards to our right when the battery did open, but instead of reaching the enemy they threw their missiles into my command, which was very annoying. I immediately galloped back and soon had the firing stopped. A cavalry force here also fired upon us through mistake, but fortunately, however, doing us little damage. This error, too, I speedily corrected, and moving on forward met and routed the Sixth Indiana Regiment, taking some few prisoners, one of them being an orderly to Major Campbell, commanding Sixth Indiana, and also 2 horses belonging to the major. The engagement lasted about one hour, resulting in the dislodgment of the enemy, who fell back in confusion about three-quarters of a mile to the position in which we attacked them on Sunday morning. We bivouacked upon the ground for which the contest had been so hotly waged during the day, the men suffering considerably during the night from cold, their clothing being yet wet from wading Chickamauga Creek, and no fires being allowed, owing to the close proximity of the enemy.

My loss was slight, having but 2 men slightly wounded.

I cannot close my report of this engagement without remarking that, from what I myself saw and from reports from others of the brigade, General Polk and staff acted with great coolness, discretion, and gallantry.

On the next morning (20th), the command was awakened very early, I anticipating that the battle would be renewed by daylight. We, however, waited in suspense until about 9.30 or 10 a..m., when we were called to attention and ordered forward. We very soon found the enemy in a position strong by nature, and rendered doubly so by breastworks of logs, rocks, and rails, erected during the night. In fact, the position was almost impregnable. While here Brigadier-General Polk rode up to me through a shower of shot and shell, and ordered me to hold this position and the day was ours, and right gallantly did my little command, already reduced nearly one-half, comply with the orders given, subjected as they were to a terrific fire from the front and a fire enfilading us from the fortifications on our right. We held the position as directed for about 2 1/2 hours, when