During this engagement, one of my 20-pounder Parrott rifles burst in front of the trunnions, and the efficiency of all our rifles was much impaired by the tumbling of the shell and their frequent explosions in the guns, or failure to explode at all. And I may say here that the same trouble preceded this campaign and followed us through it to a greater degree than ever before. The ammunition was procured from the depots of the Army of Tennessee.

I should have stated above also that one battery of Major Leyden's battalion was left at Loudon on the 15th for lack of horses, thus reducing that battalion to eight guns and our entire strength to thirty. On the retreat of the enemy, we followed, skirmishing until dark, during which time Major Leyden gallantly engaged a heavy 6-gun battery of the enemy's with but three of his own, and inflicted on them a severer loss than he suffered.

At dawn the next morning (November 17), the pursuit was renewed with Parker's battery, of my battalion, in front, and the enemy in front was driven under cover of the works surrounding Knoxville by 11 a.m., and our lines were at once formed, investing the city on the north side, the artillery being divided among the two divisions of infantry.

On the 18th, an attack was made on the enemy's advanced line, which was gallantly carried. Captain Taylor's battery, of my battalion,