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for a stand the whole of the First Tennessee cavalry, whose camp was now plainly in sight.
The open ground, across which the rebels had been driven, narrowed as it approached their present position, until at last its dimensions were reduced to those of a single small field.
Across this they had constructed a barricade of rails, and had posted behind it a considerable force of dismounted cavalry.
On some higher ground to the rear of that, they showed a small body of horsemen, who went galloping back and forth, and seemed to be, each moment, on the point of retreating.
The design was obvious.
They wished us to go dashing after these mounted men; and, when we were near enough, the force behind the rail barricade would, with a volley or two, sweep us away.
But Colonel Harrison was not to be caught in any such trap.
“We shall have to fight a little,” he quietly remarked, after closely examining the rail barricade with his glass; and waited for the infantry.
General Carlin's brigade came up shortly after; the skirmishers of the Ninety-fourth Ohio and Tenth Wisconsin boldly advanced over the open space; the Thirty-ninth, assisted by the Eighty-eighth Indiana and Nineteenth Illinois, moved in line upon the rebel right, through the woods.
The display of force was too formidable; the bullets fired by our skirmishers began to clink against the rail barricade; the rebels could endure the thing no longer; and after delivering a couple of volleys, at so long-range, so scatteringly, and with such insufficient effect, that our boys answered them only with shouts of derision, they jumped upon their horses and ran off as before.
Company K, of the Thirty-ninth Indiana, Lieutenant Jacob Mitchell commanding, had stolen around upon the left flank of the rebels unobserved.
As soon as the latter manifested a disposition to break, company K charged down upon them, precipitated their flight, and pursued them with shout and spur, to the great amusement of the infantry, who set up a perfect yell of delight.
All that Colonel Harrison had of his gallant Thirty-ninth now broke into a gallop and started off to take part in the pursuit.
The town of Tunnel Hill was in sight, with Tunnel Hill Ridge just rising beyond.
Pursuers and pursued put their horses to the very top of their speed, and dust and leaves and dirt and sticks and gravel were sent flying in all directions through the air by the heels of the frantic steeds.
As our boys dashed on toward the town, a whole regiment of rebel cavalry--First Tennessee and part of another, Second Kentucky--were seen filing out of it, along a road which ran over the ridge toward Dalton.
It was a novel sight to see Colonel Harrison's forty or fifty men pursuing, taunting, challenging, and firing at this body of four or five hundred rebels.
Each of our men fought upon his own hook, and each displayed a reckless daring which I have never seen surpassed.
It must be said, too, that the rebels took the whole thing very coolly after they had all got together, and rode out of the town as leisurely as if no parade; making a singular and ludicrous contrast with the frightened and precipitate manner in which a portion of them had entered it.
No sooner had their cavalry disappeared, than they opened upon us with four pieces of artillery placed along the slope of the ridge.
This of course compelled our little cavalry squad to call a halt; and the rebels turned their attention to Colonel Boone, who was coming up on the right, throwing a number of shells at him, but doing no damage.
Colonel Boone speedily rejoined Colonel Harrison near Tunnel Hill.
General Carlin's brigade advanced into the town about nightfall, the rebel artillery meanwhile ceasing to play.
Your correspondent believes that himself and Lieutenant Shaw, of General Palmer's staff, were the first persons to enter the town of Tunnel Hill.
There were houses sufficient for a population of four or five hundred; but for some time it seemed as if there was really not a living soul in it, except myself and the Lieutenant.
Presently, however, a few women and children began to peep out at us here and there, and we ascertained that about nine families still remained in the place.
Some of these were literally upon the verge of starvation, and declared that for months they had not had a mouthful to eat, except a scanty pittance of meal and pork dealt out by the rebel commissaries.
All seemed pleased with our arrival; all had fearful tales to tell of the rapacity and brutality of the rebel soldiers; and all protested, in an earnest, simple way, that carried conviction with it, their entire innocence of ever having done any thing, by word or deed, to bring on or encourage the rebellion.
The enemy still held Tunnel Hill Ridge; and just at dark, as myself and another gentleman were conversing with one of the citizens, the rebel videttes took occasion to hurl at us a half-dozen bullets.
This we took as a gentle hint to retire, and riding through the town rejoined our forces, just as General Johnson, who did not think it prudent to remain there all night with a single brigade, was giving orders to fall back to the main body of our forces, encamped about three miles from Ringgold.
Tunnel Hill, Ga., February 26.
It was somewhat late on Wednesday morning before our column again got in motion; but when it did move, it was with strength which augured well for its success, whatever it might undertake.
Our cavalry, about seven hundred strong, all the detachments now operating together under command of Colonel Harrison, took the advance, immediately supported by General King's brigade.
Other portions of General Johnson's, Davis's, and Baird's divisions, followed.
It was a gallant array, and there was a spirit of buoyant enthusiasm amongst the troops, as they talked of their close proximity to the enemy, and wondered if there would be a battle.
The rebels did not seem inclined to dispute the 