On this day, the Seventh Regiment of Kansas Cavalry reported at my headquarters for duty.

Tuesday and Wednesday, the 21st and 22nd, we remained in camp awaiting orders. On Tuesday, the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry was taken from our command.

On Thursday, the 23rd, this brigade, with the whole of the command, moved from our camp at Great Bear Creek, and marched toward Tuscumbia, taking the advance, and driving small squads of the enemy before us, until about 1 p. m., when we went into camp, by order, about 2 miles west of Little Bear Creek, where we lay all night.

On Friday, the 24th, still taking the lead of the main force, we moved off toward Tuscumbia, until within about a half a mile from the ford on Little Bear Creek, when, by order of General Sweeny, we moved off to the right and south of the main road, and took a by-road, which led across an upper ford and into the Frankfort road, with instructions to march by that route on Tuscumbia, the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry and two squadrons of the Seventh Kansas proceeding, by the main route, in advance of the main column. Owing to the difficult nature of the road and the greater distance traveled, my command did not reach Tuscumbia until after the infantry and the main body of our force. Here I received instructions to move on through the town, taking with me the two squadrons of the Seventh Kansas that had preceded the command, and pursue the enemy toward the east, the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry having gone, with the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, toward Florence. I was also instructed to destroy as much of the railroad as possible, and return by night. In pursuance of the above orders, with my command, consisting at this time of the Seventh Kansas and tenth Missouri Cavalry, numbering in all about 800 men, I moved out toward Leighton, on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. About 1 mile from Tuscumbia we came upon the enemy's trail, and distinctly saw traces of artillery. Moving on rapidly in pursuit, following the trail across several plantations until about 4 miles east of Tuscumbia, we struck the enemy himself. He rapidly retired, we pursuing. I here deployed the Seventh Kansas, under Lieutenant-Colonel Herrick, to the left of the road, dismounting his revolving-rifle squadrons as skirmishers, and the Tenth Missouri, with the exception of the howitzer and three other squadrons, to the right, in line of battle, under Lieutenant-Colonel Bowen. These last-named squadrons I kept in the center, under my own immediate command, to use, when occasion required, as chargers.

The enemy retired a distance of about a mile, toward Leighton, and here, on the edge of a wood, to the right of the road, he had placed a piece of artillery, which opened on us the moment we got in range, his line of battle extending some distance to the right and left. At this juncture I ordered my left to move on through and around the woods on the left of the road that lay between it and the enemy, which was obeyed with alacrity; perceiving which, the rebels, after a few rounds of musketry from us, retired. About a mile from this point, they reformed across the road, and opened on us with musketry and several pieces of artillery. I moved up the mountain howitzers close enough to give them range, and opened with shell and case-shot upon their battery, my right and left wings steadily advancing all the time. I soon had the satisfaction of seeing them draw off their artillery, just previous to which, however, a charge was made by a squadron on my left, belonging to the Seventh Kansas, around a clump of woods that partially concealed them from the enemy. The success of this charge was frustrated by the commanding officer, Captain L. H. Utt, receiving a severe wound in his foot from a shrapnel from one of the enemy's