to act effectively and support one another. Otherwise I am inclined to believe the battery would have been captured.

After rallying the regiment I moved off to the left and took position opposite the enemy's lines, distant about 300 yards, which were covered by infantry and artillery. Throwing out pickets to protect my line, I bivouacked for the night.

By this time my men were completely exhausted, as they had neither slept nor eaten since the evening of the 4th and had been continually on the march.

On the night of the 6th it rained almost constantly, and, being without cover, by the morning of the 7th they were thoroughly drenched and worn out from lack of food and rest.

At about 6.30 a.m. on the 7th the enemy in large force opened on us with cannon and musket. My troops being in full view of the battery, I fell back under cover from their shells.

While in this position orders were received at about 8 a.m. to move to the right of the line. From this hour until 1.30 p.m. we were constantly marching and counter-marching; the Orleans Guards in the mean time having been attached to my command.

About 2 p.m. we were ordered to move on the enemy, which was done, without energy or life by the troops, twice in succession, notwithstanding the noble and daring efforts of Generals Beauregard and Bragg to lead them on in the face of the enemy. The fact is the men were completely exhausted from inanition and physical fatigue, many dropping in the attempt to move onward.

Here I was wounded in the face and 3 privates remained on the field, either killed or wounded. I was then compelled, by reason of my wound, to abandon the field.

Thence, by order, my troops fell back about 3.30 p.m. to a line a little beyond Shiloh Church, and about 4.30 p.m. they moved by the left flank to the rear and reached Corinth on the 8th at about 3 p.m., as I have been informed by the lieutenant-colonel then in command.

A complete field return has already been forwarded, and i beg leave to call attention to the number of killed and wounded officers. Allow me to add further that my report of this morning exhibits only 10 officers for duty, viz: 1 captain, 4 first lieutenants, and 5 second lieutenants.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ALF. MOUTON,

Colonel Eighteenth Regiment Louisiana Volunteers.

Lieutenant. O. O. COBB,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, C. S. Forces.

No. 183. Report of Col. Marshall J. Smith, Crescent [Louisiana] Infantry.

HDQRS. CRESCENT REGIMENT, THIRD BRIG., RUGGLES' DIV., Camp McPheeters, April 14, 1862.

COLONEL: I submit herewith a report of the operations of my regiment on the 6th and 7th instant in the battle of Shiloh, near Pittsburg:

In obedience to your order, on the morning of the 6th I took position, with my regiment on the right of Colonel Looney's [Thirty-eighth Tennessee]