was impossible to see more than fifty or sixty yards in front), when, much to my astonishment, I received a terrific fire from the enemy, and the brigade was halted and ordered to lie down, in which position we remained till ordered to retire, which was done in perfect order and in line battle.

In this affair my casualties were 2 men killed and 5 wounded, my total strength being 60 men.

My command retired from Resaca with the brigade on the night of the 15th, bringing up the rear of the division. At Cassville I had a slight skirmish with the enemy, but sustained no loss. His cavalry and infantry skirmishers turned my left flank, which was supported by a portion of General Clayton's brigade deployed as skirmishers, and in command of Captain Derby. This officer I urged to move forward his line on my left after it had been driven back, as I thought and now think, unnecessarily, but he failed to do so, and the enemy with but very little fighting was permitted to gain a position 300 yards in my rear and in the direct line of my retreat, and it was with great difficulty, owing to the force of the enemy (infantry and horse), that I extricated my command without loss. I witnessed in this affair the disgraceful surrender of a number of men belonging to a company of the Eighteenth Alabama Regiment.

Retiring from Cassville on the morning of the 19th instant, I rejoined the brigade on the Etowah River, near Cartersville. After remaining two days in repose on the south side of the Etowah, line of march was taken up in direction of Lost Mountain, or, rather, New Hope Church. At this latter place, on the 25th instant, I was detached from the brigade and ordered with my command to support the cavalry moving toward Pumpkin Vine Creek. This I did, moving promptly and co-operating with Colonel Jones, of Clayton's brigade, who had been ordered on the same duty with a regiment of infantry, deployed as skirmishers on his left at this request. I encountered a heavy force of the enemy and sent to Colonel Jones, my adjutant, to inform him that my line was too weak to successfully resist the enemy. Colonel Jones, however, charged the enemy before my adjutant reached him and drove him about fifty or seventy-five yards. The enemy ascertaining that we were in small force, charged in line and occupied the crest of the hill. I was in the mean time ordered to rejoin my brigade, which was moving forward. I was re-enforce with two companies and ordered forward to drive in the enemy's skirmishers and envelop his force. I drove the enemy's skirmishes back 400 yards to their works and ascertained that there was a strong force in my front, which was reported. One prisoner captured disclosed the fact that Hooker's corps was in my front. This prisoner I ordered taken to Major-General Stewart and Lieutenant-General Hood. Having pressed within short 200 yards of the enemy's line, I could easily ascertain any movement in my front. I ascertained that this force, or a part of it, was moving toward the left. This I promptly reported to Major-General Stewart. A battery was placed in position and commenced shelling the woods in my rear. Shortly after the shelling a line of battle advanced from the works and charged my skirmishers. They fell back in good order for fifty yards, when I halted them and again opened fire. The enemy's line of battle halted, and directions and alignment were given to it, as could be plainly heard by us. He now attempted to thrown forward skirmishers, but they