sters of
the situation. We had sustained ourselves _and held the only portion
of the original line of battle that was held throughout by any
portion of our army_. To have lost this position would have been to
lose everything, as our left would then have been turned also, and
utter rout or capture inevitable.

During the evening of the 31st, I was officially notified that in
consequence of the indisposition of Gen. Wood, and a wound received
by him during the forenoon of that day, he was relieved of the
command of the division, and that the same would devolve upon myself.
I therefore turned over the command of the brigade to Col. Geo. P.
Buell, of the 58th Indiana, and assumed command of the division. All
of which is respectfully submitted.

MILO S. HASCALL, Brig. Gen. Vols., Com's Brigade.

ED. R. KERSTETTER, Capt. & A.A.G. (Official.)

* * * * *

After the battle was over, during the evening, Colonel Harker's brigade
that had gone to the assistance of the right, returned to where we had
been in action during the day, and thus the division was once more
together, and on this ground we did the best we could towards getting
something to eat, and prepared to bivouac on the same ground for the
night. About eleven o'clock that night, I was visited by Capt. John
Mendenhall, Chief of Artillery on Gen. Crittenden's staff, and who
belonged to the Regular Army of the United States, and a gentleman of
first-class intelligence, and purity of character, and informed that
since the cessation of hostilities for the night, a council of war had
been held at Gen. Rosecrans' headquarters, by himself and his Grand
Division Commanders, and that a general retreat to Nashville had been
decided upon, and that all except Gen. Crittenden concurred in the
advisability of such movement, and he was overruled by the others, and
that in pursuance of such determination, I was forthwith to send all the
transportation of my division, except one wagon for each brigade, to the
rear, and when the transportation was all under way, this was to be
followed by a general retreat of our army to Nashville. Mendenhall said
that Crittenden was very much incensed at the proposition for retreat;
said his army was in position and on hand, and that if he were overruled
and if a retreat was decided upon, that he would cross the river and
retreat by way of Gallatin to Nashville. However, the