General Cruft, who had ascended the southern slope of Missionary Ridge from the gap, and had by this time engaged the rebels. The attack of this general was most opportune, as it concentrated the whole attention of the enemy in that direction and gave me a chance to prepare a decisive blow in his flank and rear.

The men of my division advanced splendidly, overcoming all the obstacles which nature and the enemy had prepared to dispute our ascent. They went up in double-quick time, and the skirmishers in front of my extreme left, Fourth Iowa Infantry, pushed up to within 50 yards of the enemy before opening on him. The forward echelon (Second Brigade) fired a salvo into the terrified rebels, who at once fell back, hoping to make good their escape. They would have succeeded in this, but for the funnel which my oblique line formed. They left of the second echelon (First Brigade) had at this moment just reached the crest of the hill, but, of course, far in advance of the Second Brigade.

Major Warner, the very able commander of the Seventy-sixth Ohio Infantry, understood the maneuver completely. He wheeled his regiment to the right, while the two regiments in reserve did the same, and advancing in one line with the Seventy-sixth Ohio Infantry across the whole slope of the hill, captured a very large number of the enemy.

Finding their escape impossible, they obeyed my order to lay down their arms almost instantly, and my division took over 2,000 prisoners, a large number of small-arms, one piece of artillery (brass 6-pounder).

Major James F. How, of the Twenty-seventh Missouri Infantry, who advanced with the skirmishers in the valley on the right of our line of attack, intercepted and burned a rebel wagon train.

While we advanced in the manner described, my front line of three battalions was supported by the remaining battalions of my division, formed in column of divisions. General Cruft, who had meanwhile come up, formed behind this column.

I cannot close the account of this very successful day without giving proper credit to Captain Landgraeber's battery of howitzers. The artillery, delayed at Chattanooga bridge, came up in time to assist in the assault, and Captain Landgraeber threw shell and shrapnel most accurately among the enemy's column from his position at the foot of the ridge (western slope), considerably accelerating the surrender of the rebels. The division encamped for the night around the late headquarters of Generals Bragg and Breckinridge, who barely escaped the fate of so many of their officers and men by hasty flight.

A division of the Fourth Army Corps occupied a camp in our immediate front. This division formed part of the army of General Thomas, who had come from Chattanooga.

The order of march for the 26th assigned my division to bring up the rear of your column. We soon left camp, with the exception of the Thirty-second Missouri Infantry, which had been detailed, in pursuance of orders received, to collect all arms and prisoners, and to remain in their present camp until further orders. The marching on this day was exceedingly slow, so much so, indeed, that it was almost night when my division reached Chickamauga Creek (not over 6 miles distant from our last camp). Here I made a short halt, until I could ascertain your wishes in regard to the artillery which was with me, and which could not cross the creek on the