n this affair eight men of the infantry were wounded; and Captain
Bridges had two men killed, nine wounded, and lost twelve horses.

About five o'clock in the afternoon I was directed to withdraw my picket
line--which had been greatly extended in order to connect with troops on
the left--as silently and carefully as possible, and return to Crawfish
Springs. Arriving at the springs, the boys were allowed time to fill
their canteens with water, when we pushed forward on the Chattanooga
road to a ridge near Osbern's, where we bivouacked for the night.

There had been heavy fighting on our left during the whole afternoon;
and while the boys were preparing supper, a very considerable engagement
was occurring not far distant to the east and south of us. Elsewhere an
occasional volley of musketry, and boom of artillery, with scattered
firing along an extended line indicated that the two grand armies were
concentrating for battle, and that the morrow would give us hot and
dangerous work.

20. (Sunday.) At an early hour in the morning I was directed to move
northward on the Chattanooga road and report to General Thomas. He
ordered me to go to the extreme left of our line, form perpendicularly
to the rear of Baird's division, connecting with his left. I disposed of
my brigade as directed. Baird's line appeared to run parallel with the
road, and mine running to the rear crossed the road. On this road and
near it I posted my artillery, and advanced my skirmishers to the edge
of the open field in front of the left and center of my line. The
position was a good one, and my brigade and the one on Baird's left
could have co-operated and assisted each other in maintaining it.
Fifteen minutes after this line was formed, Captain Gaw, of General
Thomas' staff, brought me a verbal order to advance my line to a ridge
or low hill (McDaniel's house), fully one-fourth of a mile distant. I
represented to him that in advancing I would necessarily leave a long
interval between my right and Baird's left, and also that I was already
in the position which General Thomas himself told me to occupy. He
replied that the order to move forward was imperative, and that I
was to be supported by Negley with the other two brigades of his
division. I could object no further, although the movement seemed
exceedingly unwise, and, therefore, pushed forward my men as rapidly
as possible to the point indicated. The Eighty-eighth Indiana (Colonel
Humphreys), on the