eceived orders to be ready to march at 4 o'clock the following
morning. We were further ordered not to take any extra clothing--not even
our overcoats, nor cooking utensils, and but one blanket to two men.

From these orders, and what had been reported of the enemy, a fight was
certainly expected. On Monday morning, at the break of day, all were
ready, and soon regiment after regiment fell in line. At 5 o'clock, moved
out on the Sparta road. But for some reason, unknown to us soldiers, our
battery, and the Thirty-fifth Indiana Infantry, were ordered to remain in
camp.

For the two succeeding days, nothing of consequence transpired. At the end
of this time the expedition returned, having been unable to meet with the
enemy, and therefore but little of importance was effected by this
movement.

On the morning of August 6th, we moved our camp one-half mile out on the
Sparta road. We were now assigned to the Twenty-third Brigade--Colonel
Stanley Mathews, of the Fifty-first Ohio, acting Brigadier General. The
brigade consisted of the Fifty-first Ohio, Eighth and Twenty-first
Kentucky, and Thirty-fifth Indiana Infantry, together with our battery. On
the 6th instant, being the same day of our removal, seven of our men, with
three six-mule teams, were captured by a party of Secesh Cavalry a few
miles from McMinnville, and on the Chattanooga road. They were, at the
time, out foraging. Thirteen out of fifteen of the Thirty-fifth Indiana,
who went out as guards, were also captured, although they made a strong
resistance. The day previous, Lieutenant Sturges and Sergeant Lewellen
had been out to this place, and had made arrangements to take a lot of
corn on the day following, being the one on which the men were taken
prisoners. The Rebels were either informed by the owners of the grain, or
had got notice of it in some manner, and were lying in wait for our men.
The consequence was, the men were entirely surrounded and taken by
surprise. Those belonging to the battery were without arms, or any means
of defence. It is said that two or three of the Rebels were killed or
wounded, but it lacks confirmation.

The Rebels immediately hurried the men off on double quick, and, after
taking them some twenty-five miles, released them on parole, leaving them
to find their way back to camp on foot. They returned safe on the morning
of the 8th. Shortly after their arrival, they were arrested and put in the
guard house, by order of General Nelso