I am glad they reversed the order in this instance. I was directed to advance, and told that I would find Company B on their left: the companies having been retired a few paces and closed upon the left, which brought the Ninety-sixth boys in rear of my position. About daylight we were ordered back to the brigade, then more than a mile in our rear. This was our first taste of the great battle of Chickamauga, of which we were destined to draw a full ration a little later. It is significant that the Indian name “Chickamauga” means “river of death.” The next day we moved out in two lines of battle and encountered the enemy at the same point. Our regiment, forming the left wing of the front line, took position behind the fence I have before mentioned, and began a musketry duel with the rebels, who were behind the fence on the opposite side of the field. We fought there for an hour or two: the bullets rattling against the fence, knocking the dust into our eyes and making themselves generally disagreeable. I always like a bullet better when it is lying still, or going the other way. Several of our company were wounded: none I think were killed at this point. Our Captain was wounded in the foot, and removed from the field early in the action, leaving our Second Lieutenant in command of the company, who directed me to take charge of the left flank, he remaining near the right of the company. This gave me the privilege of standing up and overlooking the work, instead of hiding behind the bottom rail of the fence as I felt very much like doing. Our company formed the extreme left of the line and in low ground, and the line passing over a small hill we could not see the right of the regiment. After the fight had been going on for an hour or two, the rebels in our front raised a yell and came tearing over the fence and across the field toward us. This seemed to be our opportunity, and we commenced issuing them rations of lead as fast as possible. When looking to the right we saw our whole line on a regular stampede--disappearing into the woods as if by magic. Four or five of us took trees and gave them another round “for luck,” for we agreed that it was a shame to run just as we had a chance to do some execution. We were rewarded by a withering cross-fire from right and left, and looking around we saw the rebels bearing down upon both sides of us. We were being enclosed as in the jaws of death. The regiment had been flanked upon the right. A movement that was concealed from us by the intervening hill. We _went right away from there_. We went through the Chickamauga with neatness and despatch.