ery day.

Leaving this point, we moved back and went into camp near Decatur, which
is six miles east of Atlanta on the railroad leading to Augusta.

During our campaign in Georgia, we subsisted chiefly upon the country,
which was gathered in by foraging parties, detached for that purpose, and
under the command of an officer.

As a general thing, some of the parties would be skirmishing with the
enemy while the remainder would be gathering forage.

Skirmishing, while in Georgia, was more of an every day business than
otherwise.

When General Hood set his flank machine in operation and was followed by a
portion of General Sherman's command, the Seventh remained at Atlanta with
the 23rd corps, and was engaged in those mammoth foraging expeditions of
which you have read the newspaper accounts.

We continued in this business until Gen. Sherman returned to Atlanta and
commenced his "masterly retreat" on Richmond, via Savanna, Ga., Charleston
and Columbia, S. C., when we turned over our horses and arms to complete
the mounting and arming of Gen. Kilpatrick's cavalry, and returned to
Nashville, arriving there on the 15th of November, 1864.

On the 25th, Col. Garrard was put in command of two regiments, the Seventh
O. V. C. and Tenth Tennessee.

The brigade formerly commanded by Col. Garrard, the Seventh excepted, it
having been assigned to Gen. Kirkpatrick's command prior to our leaving
Atlanta, and accompanied him on the Sherman expedition.

Lt. Col. Minor was put in command of a dismounted cavalry camp near
Nashville, and Capt. Rankin in command of the regiment, by order of Gen.
Wilson, commanding cavalry corps, C. C. M. D. M.

The regiment was mounted, armed and equipped, under the superintendent of
Captain Rankin, and started for Columbia, Tenn.

On reaching Spring Hill, it was ordered to take the left-hand road to
Hardison's Ford, on Duck river, to support Col. Capron, and on reaching
there, found him engaging the enemy at the ford.

The Seventh was formed in columns of squadrons in the rear of two
brigades.

Company A, Captain Ketterman, was sent to watch a crossing a little down
ways the river from where we were.

Companies B and C were ordered to make a scout of three miles on the road
leading to Columbia, under Lieuts. Burton and Shuler.

Company E was ordered to make a scout up the river five miles, under
Lieut. Srofe.

Soon after this, the brigade train was ordered to move out on the road
leading