r of
the cavalry as it would take the cavalry a full hour and a
half to clear their camp. The habitual order of march was as
follows, viz: Cavalry with its artillery in advance;
infantry with its artillery; next, and lastly, the supply
train, guarded by the rear brigade with one of its regiments
at the head, one near the middle and one with a section of
artillery in the rear. A company of pioneers preceded the
infantry for the purpose of repairing the roads, building
bridges, &c., &c.

"On this morning, I had preceded the head of the infantry
column and arrived at a point some five miles from camp,
when I found an unusually bad place in the road and one that
would require considerable time and labor to render
practicable. While halted here to await the head of the
column, I received a message from General Grierson that he
had encountered a portion of the enemy's cavalry. In a few
minutes more I received another message from him, saying the
enemy numbered some 600 and were on the Baldwyn road. That
he was himself at Brice's Cross-Roads and that his position
was a good one and he would hold it. He was then directed to
leave 600 or 700 men at the cross-roads, to precede the
infantry on its arrival, on its march towards Guntown, and
with the remainder of his forces to drive the enemy toward
Baldwyn and there rejoin the main body by way of the line of
the railroad, as I did not intend being drawn from my main
purpose. Colonel McMillen arrived at this time and I rode
forward toward the cross-roads. Before proceeding far,
however, I sent a staff officer back directing Colonel
McMillen to move up his advance brigade as rapidly as
possible without distressing his troops. When I reached the
cross-roads, found nearly all the cavalry engaged and the
battle growing warm, but no artillery had yet opened on
either side. We had four pieces of artillery at the
cross-roads, but they had not been placed in position, owing
to the dense woods on all sides and the apparent
impossibility of using them to advantage. Finding, however,
that our troops were being hotly pressed, I ordered one
section to open on the enemy's reserves. The enemy's
artillery soon replied, and with great accuracy, every shell
bursting over and in the immediate vicinity