guns in front, and the line being much broken, owing to unevenness of the ground and the thick fallen timber, I halted my command to place men in the best position to advance, it being impossible to advance in line of battle; also to protect them as much as possible from the cross-fire from my right. I perceived at this time that the forces on my left, under the immediate command of Colonel Lauman, had halted. I waited to see by their movements whether we were to advance on the guns or the rifle pits, the latter being the direction pointed out to me by Colonel Lauman when I was ordered to advance on the guns. After waiting about an hour, and seeing no movement on my left, except from two advanced companies of skirmishers, who were retiring behind the main line, I withdrew my left wing, which was most exposed, out of range of the enemy's guns, and remained there until night, keeping a few of my best marksmen sufficiently advanced to keep the enemy from coming outside their entrenchments to annoy my men by their marksmen.

About dark I received an order from Colonel Lauman to fall back and take my old position for the night, but by a subsequent order from General Smith I took a position one-half mile nearer the enemy.

My loss during the day was light, being but 2 killed and 14 wounded.

On Friday, the 14th instant, we remained in front of the enemy without changing our position.

Saturday, the 15th, I remained in same position until after noon, we being on the right of our brigade. Towards night the attack on the enemy's works was made by a flank movement of the brigade, commencing on the left. Arriving in front of the enemy's works, I deployed my left wing and marched them up the hill in line of battle. The right wing, owing to the nature of the ground, moved up by the left flank and formed inside the entrenchments. After remaining some time under a scattering fire of musketry and rather sharp fire of grape and shell, I formed my men behind the entrenchments on each side of two pieces of artillery, which had been placed in position after our entrance into the entrenchments, where we remained until morning, when the enemy surrendered.

My men behaved themselves well during both engagements, holding their fire till ordered and then delivering it with regularity and precision. I have never seen men behave themselves better, whether under fire or bearing with patience and fortitude the fatigue and hard-ships necessarily incident to so long an engagement in such weather.

My loss this day was 1 killed and 7 wounded.

Where all behaved so well it is difficult to mention individuals without doing seeming injustice to others, but may mention the valuable services rendered by Sergt. Major S. H. Smith, who was shot dead by my side while encouraging the men on to enter the breastworks of the enemy; also First Lieutenant William W. Kirkwood, commanding Company K, rendered very valuable assistance in forming the line in front of the enemy's breastworks.

Captain Warren C. Jones, of Company I, also rendered valuable service in directing the fire of my marksmen, especially protecting the retiring of the skirmishers on the 13th instant.

WM. T. SHAW,

Colonel Fourteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteers.

Colonel J. G. LAUMAN,

Commanding Fourth Brigade, Second Division.