same night orders were received and distributed to prepare three days' cooked rations and to hold the troops in readiness to move at a moment's notice. In order to avoid anything like a surprise along the line, at about 7.30 p. m. I ordered Captain Henry, of the division staff, to visit the chiefs of pickets and direct them to be unusually vigilant in watching the movements of the enemy and to guard against surprise.

About 9 a. m. of the 24th, I received a note from General Walthall to the effect that the enemy were moving in heavy force toward our left; that their tents had nearly all disappeared, and their pontoon bridges been cut away. Shortly afterward I received another note from him to the effect that he was mistaken as to the number of tents that had disappeared, but that many of those which could be seen on previous days were not then visible. The originals of both these notes were immediately dispatched to General Bragg and copies to General Stevenson. I also sent a staff officer to order Generals Moore and Walthall to hold their commands under arms ready for action. I walked out on the road toward the Craven house to a favorable point and could distinguish the enemy's troops in the plain in front of Chattanooga-all quiet, no massing, no movements of any kind. From this point I sent another staff officer to the Craven house to report to me immediately anything of interest, and returned myself to my position at the fork of the road. The demonstrations of the enemy did not, down to this time, indicate the point of attack---whether upon my portion of the line or farther to the left. General Stevenson inquired of me about this time if I needed re-enforcements, to which I replied that I could not tell until there were further developments. I sent orders by a staff officer to Generals Moore and Walthall to place their troops in line as soon as skirmishing commenced, but not unnecessarily to expose them to the fire of the enemy's artillery. I expected, from the rugged nature of the ground, and the fact that the enemy had to ascend the mountain, that the picket fighting would continue for some time before the main body would be engaged.

About this time I received a message from General Moore that he did not know where the line was. I sent back immediately an order that General Walthall would occupy the left, and that he (General Moore) would form on General Walthall's right, prolonging the line in the earth-works below the Craven house as far as his troops would extend.

About 12 m. I received a note from General Moore that the enemy had formed line and commenced skirmishing with our pickets near the railroad bridge crossing Lookout Creek; that he could not then tell their object, and inquiring where he should place his brigade. I sent to General Stevenson to ask for the offered re-enforcements. Information came to me from General Walthall about the same time that the pickets had commenced firing, and a message from General Stevenson by Major Pickett that the enemy was making an attack on my line. I now asked in writing for a brigade from General Stevenson to be sent down at once, and ordered Major John Ingram, assistant adjutant-general, to direct General Walthall to fight back the enemy with his pickets and reserves as long as possible, and finally to take position with his left against the cliff and his right at or in direction of the Craven house, and to direct General Moore to advance and form on the right of General Walthall and prolong the line in the earth-works below the Craven house. Major Ingram re-