Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Yours truly,

I was left by General Jones at the house of Mr. William Lyons, where the road from Lowry's Ford crosses the old stage road, in order to see that the brigade under his (General Jones') command took the right road, when I saw that Colonel Giltner's column had arrived. I went to the head of it, and, while there, understood from him that he was going to halt his brigade at Surguinsville until he heard from General Jones.

This was concluded upon, I supposed, since General Jones had crossed the river, at least fourteen miles from and above the ford at which it was intended when the expedition begun, and to have an understanding as to the plan of attack.

When the rear of Jones' brigade had passed the crossing of the roads, I hastened on to inform General Jones of Colonel Giltner's intention. I overtook General Jones about three miles from where he came into Carter's Valley road, going very rapidly, at the head of his column. When I told him that Colonel Giltner was awaiting at Surguinsville to hear from him, he seemed surprised, and ordered me to go immediately and tell Colonel Giltner to move on and attack the enemy in front.

I started back to the first cross-road, and had got about one and a half miles, when I met a courier from Colonel Giltner, who said that his whole brigade had passed down the old stage road in a great hurry, having routed the Yankee pickets at Surguinsville. I then hurried to follow on after General Jones, and had gone on the Carter's Valley road to within five miles of Rogersville, when I learned that Colonel Giltner had not gone on down further than C. C. Miller's, eight miles east of Rogersville. I immediately about-faced and went back to the road leading from the Carter's Valley road to the old stage road, coming out at Mr. C. C. Miller's, where Colonel Giltner was understood to be. When I turned back I was about four miles from C. C. Miller's (or Yellow Store), but when I got there all of the brigade under Giltner had passed along, except the artillery (Lowery's battery) and the rear guard. I went on after Colonel Giltner, passing about half of his column (the rear half) in motion, and overtook him only a few hundred yards east of Mr. John Shields, six miles east of Rogersville. Colonel Giltner was, at the time, with a portion of two companies of Colonel Carter's First Tennessee cavalry, together with Major Goforth and Captain Fulkerson, in a field on the right hand side of the road. The squadron was made the command of Major Goforth, so I soon after learned. I delivered General Jones' orders to Colonel Giltner to attack as soon as possible. The squadron under Goforth went on the right to flank the movement of the main column in its advance to attack the enemy, who were understood to be about a mile distant, on an elevation, in the woods to the left of the road. I think the attack was made about nine A. M., nearly thirty minutes after I delivered General Jones' orders to Colonel Giltner.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,