delivered a volley at short range. We continued to pour a rapid fire
into their ranks, which soon caused them to give way in confusion; but
their reinforcements soon came up, when they dismounted, formed, and
made a determined and vigorous attack. Our skirmishers were soon
driven in, and about the same time the enemy opened upon us with a
battery of artillery.

The enemy soon attempted to carry our lines, but were handsomely
repulsed. During their advance they had run their artillery to within
three hundred yards of our lines, and as soon as they began to waver I
prepared for a charge. I ordered Colonel Hathaway, Seventy-third
Indiana, and Lieutenant-Colonel Sheets, Fifty-first Indiana, on the
left, to make a charge, in order to draw the attention of the battery,
and immediately threw the Third Ohio, Colonel Lawson, and the
Eightieth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Rodgers, forward rapidly,
hoping to capture the battery. The enemy, after a short but stubborn
resistance, fled in confusion, leaving two pieces of artillery, two
caissons, and about forty prisoners, representing seven different
regiments, a larger number of wounded, and about thirty dead on the
field. Among the former was Captain William H. Forrest, a brother of
General Forrest. Our loss was about thirty killed and wounded, among
the latter Lieutenant-Colonel Sheets, Fifty-first Indiana (mortally),
a brave and gallant officer and one that we were illy prepared to
lose, and Lieutenant Pavey, Eightieth Illinois (on my staff),
severely.

It was now about 11 o'clock, fighting having continued since about 6
o'clock in the morning. I had learned, in the meantime, that the enemy
were in heavy force, fully three times our number, with twelve pieces
of artillery, under General Forrest in person; consequently I was
fearful that they were making an effort to get around us and attack in
the rear of our position; hence I decided to resume the march.
Everything was soon in readiness, and we moved out, leaving a strong
guard (dismounted) in the rear, to check any immediate advance the
enemy might make previous to the column getting in motion. We were not
too soon in our movements, for the column had hardly passed a
cross-road some six miles from our first battle-ground when the enemy
were discovered advancing on our left. Sharp skirmishin