front of the Federal camp. Wolford's cavalry slowly fell back,
reporting the enemy's advance to Manson, who immediately formed
his regiment--the Tenth Indiana--and took position on the road to
await the attack. Manson then ordered the Fourth Kentucky, Colonel
Speed S. Fry, to support him; and reported to Thomas, in person,
the advance of the rebels in force, and the disposition he had made
of his troops to meet the attack. General Thomas directed him to
return to his brigade immediately, with orders to hold the enemy
in check until the other troops could be brought up. Orders were
given to the other commanders to form immediately, and in ten minutes
they were all marching to the battle-field, except the battalion
of Michigan Engineers and a company of the Thirty-eighth Ohio,
detailed to guard the camp.

The rebels, in their advance, opened the attack with Walthall's
Mississippi and Battle's Tennessee regiments, which as they moved
forward, forming the right of the rebel line, encountered the Fourth
Kentucky and the Tenth Indiana, formed on the first line to resist
their attack in the edge of the woods to their front. The Tennessee
regiment endeavored to flank the Fourth Kentucky on the left, while
the latter regiment was resisting the rebel attack on the front in
a most obstinate manner. Carter's Tennessee brigade was ordered
up in position to meet this flanking movement with a section of
Kinney's battery; and the attempt of Battle's regiment was checked.

Orders were sent to Colonel McCook to advance with the Ninth Ohio
and the Second Minnesota regiments. These regiments coming up
occupied the position of the Fourth Kentucky and Tenth Indiana, who
by that time were out of ammunition. As soon as this disposition
of these troops had been made the enemy opened a most determined and