Lingo also got back to the line all right. The enemy was taken on such a surprise, that they massed their forces and struck us at a very weak point, as two companies had not returned to fill up the gap or space between the 15th and 44th regiments. The Texans had not had time to form and fill up the space from our right to the river. We were so near Hooker's camps, he could reinforce very rapidly and quickly. The enemy advancing on our line, ascending the steep bluff, just before getting to our line, those in front would crowd up the steep bluff, our shots pass over them, but those in the rear would catch it as the valley was full of them. I believe it was the most spirited engagement as long as it lasted that I ever participated in. I would not take time to return to my rammer after loading, as I wanted to load and fire as rapidly as possible. While they were advancing up the steep bluff crawling, they would curse us and say they were friends; we would reply we knew it, and send a shower of lead into them. As I had been down there I knew the nature of the ground, would halloo to the men while loading and firing as rapidly as I could, to shoot low, that those in front were crawling on us. Strange to say when I returned to my position in line, put fresh cap on my gun; and fired clear and all right; had it fired at first, I certainly would have killed the colonel. The battle raged for about thirty minutes, our left gave away, (4th Alabama), about the time the two companies came in. There was a boy to my left facing the enemy, by the name of Bethune from Columbus, Ga., who was there to see some relatives that had a curiosity to go into an engagement, who received a surface wound across the back. They had got on our left flank with overwhelming number. We retreated in great confusion, some of the officers lost their swords, some lost hats, etc. The Texans came out before being properly formed, halloing "routed, routed." We had scarcely any killed or wounded, but the enemy lost heavily in killed and wounded. We lost heavily in our men being captured. Major Richardson was captured and a good many of the right of the regiment. I have always reproached myself on account of a mistake that I made that night - should have slipped out without notice. The plan was well arranged, but a slight blunder very often spoils the best of plans. Hooker should have been destroyed that night and his command. We then fell back across the bridge to our former position, just north of Lookout Mountain.