on Sunday evening. A battery of artillery on my left leaving under the fire of the enemy, the regiments both on my right and left fell back, but my line did not waver under the fire of the enemy, and the other regiments were again rallied, and, stopping the advance of the enemy, we lay in this position on our arms all night.

After breakfast on Monday morning, still retaining my position on the right of Colonel Marsh's brigade, I moved with him until I reached and went beyond the ground of our last engagement of Sunday, when our pickets were driven in, and some confusion arising on the left of our brigade, Colonel Marsh ordered the brigade to fall back, and changing the whole front of his line to the left he again moved the brigade forward. The enemy soon drove in our pickets, and we found the enemy in strength along the whole line of our front, and when within 200 yards the fire, opened upon both sides. My men loaded an fired with the coolness of veterans, and I had another horse shot under men in the midst of the engagement, and while raging with the utmost fury my men determined that they had fallen back for the last time, and while they were receiving the fire of the enemy and delivering their own with the utmost coolness I was wounded and carried off the field. Lieutenant-Colonel Jones reports that my men still stood firm, holding their ground, although outflanked, with the colors of the Forty-sixth and the rebels planted within 30 yards of each other, until re-enforced and the enemy driven back for the last time, when the Forty-sixth was ordered by General Hurlbut in person to its quarters.

I ought not to close this communication without bearing tribute to the gallantry and bravery of my command. Lieutenant-Colonel Jones was with the regiment during all of its engagements,and did his duty manfully. Major Dornblaser, seriously wounded in the army in the early part of the action, remained with me until the men were brought off from the field and reformed,and did not leave until after a peremptory order from myself to go to his quarters. Captain Musser, of Company A, while his brave company was assailed by overwhelming numbers to the front and right flank, still kept his fire pouring upon the enemy and his ranks dressed until himself wounded and carried from the field, 7 of his men being killed and 20 wounded in the action, the company holding its ground, as did all the others,until ordered to retreat. Captain Stevens, of Company H, while bravely keeping his men in line to bring them off the field, fell fatally wounded, the nearest man in his company to the rebel lines. Captain Marble, of Company E, fell while brandishing his sword, and, calling on the major, begged him to take it, saying if the rebels got him they should not have his sword. Captain McCracken received a severe contusion in the first engagement, but kept on duty with his men during the whole of the two days. Lieutenants Hood, Barr, Arnold, Ingraham, and Howell were all wounded in the first engagement of Sunday,while manfully doing their duty at their posts. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the gallant officers and men of the Forty-sixth, who helped to win our signal victory.*

All of which is respectfully submitted.

JOHN A. DAVIS.

Colonel Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry.

Captain FOX,

Acting Adjutant-General, Second Brig., Fourth Div.

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*Nominal list omitted; but see revised statement, p. 103

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