taken, viz:  that one leading from Colonel Thayer’s camp (on the Adamsville road from Crump’s Landing), to the Purdy road (from Pittsburg Landing), a distance of about five miles; whereas the distance to the point to which you was to march as designated in the order, via Pittsburg Landing, would have been at least twelve miles.  Perhaps I should here state that this order was not signed by any one, but coming as it did through one of the Staff Officers of the Commanding General, could not be questioned.  I would also state in this connection, that when I met Captain Baxter first, I asked him how things were going.  He replied that Grant was driving the enemy at all points.  Had this been the case, the order as delivered by Captain Baxter would have been all right, as we could then have joined General Sherman as directed therein.  Within ten minutes after the receipt of the order, the troops were on the road.

When we were about one mile from where we expected to join General Sherman, we were overtaken by a messenger from General Grant, Captain (since Colonel) Rowley, I believe, who informed you that our troops had been defeated all along the line, and driven back, till the right was within half a mile of the river, and that the road we were on, would, if followed up, lead us into the rear of the enemy.  This being the case, it became necessary to find some other way to form a junction with the army.  In order to do so, every mounted man attached to your Head-Quarters was dispatched to find, if possible, some way to get round the enemys’ left without going back to the starting point, or to find some resident to guide us by the nearest possible route.  Finally a man was found who was compelled to act as guide.  Nevertheless the march was continued as rapidly as possible, until we joined the right of the army, just after dark, in the position in which it lay when the battle closed for the day.  Badeau also says:  “General Wallace was set right by Captain (afterwards Colonel) Rowley, and Colonel (afterwards Major General) McPherson, both at the time upon General Grant’s staff; that they set him right at 1 o’clock, and it took him till seven to march five miles.”  It was near 1 o’clock when we were overtaken by Rowley, but instead of having but five miles to march, the distance could not have been less than eleven or twelve miles.  The first seen of General McPherson was when we were met by him and General Rawlins, just as the head of the column had reached the river road (from Crump’s Landing to Pittsburg Landing) who had come out to urge you to greater haste.  We had to march over the worst road I ever remember to have seen.  In many places it was almost impossible to get artillery through.  In my judgment the entire distance marched by your command could not have been less than sixteen or seventeen miles.

The above, General, are the facts relative to the movements of your command on the day referred to, which fell under my personal observation.  I am, General, very respectively, your obedient servant,

    JAMES R. ROSS,