and
fearless in battle. Believe me,

"Your friend, O. O. HOWARD.

"'_Major-General Commanding 4th Army Corps._

"'To Col. T.J. Morgan, _Commanding 14th U. S. C. I._"

"General James B. Steadman, who won such imperishable renown
at Chickamauga, was then in command of the District of
Etowah, with headquarters at Chattanooga. I laid my case
before him; he listened with interest to my plea, and
assured me that if there was any fighting to be done in his
district, we should have a hand in it.

"DALTON, GA.--August 15th, 1864, we had our first fight, at
Dalton, Georgia. General Wheeler, with a considerable force
of confederate cavalry, attacked Dalton, which was occupied
by a small detachment of Union troops belonging to the 2nd
Missouri, under command of Colonel Laibold. General Steadman
went to Laibold's aid, and forming line of battle, attacked
and routed the Southern force. My regiment formed on the
left of the 51st Indiana Infantry, under command of Col. A.
D. Streight. The fight was short, and not at all severe. The
regiment was all exposed to fire. One private was killed,
one lost a leg, and one was wounded in the right hand.
Company B, on the skirmish line killed five of the enemy,
and wounded others. To us it was a great battle, and a
glorious victory. The regiment had been recognized as
soldiers; it had taken its place side by side with a white
regiment; it had been under fire. The men had behaved
gallantly. A colored soldier had died for liberty. Others
had shed their blood in the great cause. Two or three
incidents will indicate the significance of the day. Just
before going into the fight, Lieutenant Keinborts said to
his men: 'Boys, some of you may be killed, but remember you
are fighting for liberty.' Henry Prince replied, 'I am ready
to die for liberty.' In fifteen minutes he lay dead,--a
rifle ball through his heart,--a willing martyr.

"During the engagement General Steadman asked his Aide,
Captain Davis, to look especially after the 14th colored.
Captain Davis rode up just as I was quietly rectifying my
line, which in a charge had been disarranged. Putting spurs
to his horse, he dashed back to the General and reassured
him by reporting that 'the regiment was holding dress parade