my presented quite a
respectable appearance, and would have been able to
accomplish an orderly retreat from that point but for the
unfortunate circumstances that the cartridge boxes were
well nigh exhausted. At 7 o'clock the column was again put
in motion on the Salem road, the cavalry in advance,
followed by the infantry. The enemy pressed heavily on the
rear, and there was now nothing left but to keep in motion
so as to prevent the banking up of the rear, and to pass all
cross-roads before the enemy could reach them, as the
command was in no condition to offer determined resistance,
whether attacked in the front or the rear. At 8 o'clock a.
m. on the 12th, the column reached Colliersville, worn out
and exhausted by the fatigues of fighting and marching for
two days and two nights without rest and without eating.
About noon of the same day a train arrived from Memphis,
bringing some 2,000 infantry, commanded by Colonel Wolf, and
supplies for my suffering men, and I determined to remain
here until next day for the purpose of resting and affording
protection to many who had dropped by the wayside, through
fatigue and other causes. Learning, however, toward evening,
that the commander at White's Station had information of a
large force of the enemy approaching that place from the
southeast, and knowing that my men were in no condition to
offer serious resistance to an enemy presenting himself
across my line of march, I informed the general commanding
the district, by telegraph, that I deemed it prudent to
continue my march to White's Station. Accordingly, at 9 p.
m., the column marched again, and arrived at White's Station
at daylight next morning. This report having already become
more circumstantial than was anticipated, I have purposely
omitted the details of our march from Ripley to White's
Station, as they would extend it to a tiresome length, but
would respectfully refer you for these to the sub-reports
herewith enclosed. Casualties are as follows:

"Killed, 223, wounded, 394; missing, 1623; total, 2240. That
our loss was great, is true; yet that it was not much
greater is due in an eminent degree to the personal
exertions of that model soldier, Col. W. L. McMillen, of the
95th Ohio Infantry, who commanded the infantry, a