as a support, advanced under the personal direction of General Hardee and staff, who generally gave orders directly and not through myself as commander of the brigade.

I beg permission to state here that General Bragg, who did me to honor to recommend me for promotion, perhaps feels [as I am told] some little doubt of the propriety of the recommendation since hearing the remarks referred to at the beginning of this report. If, as commander of the brigade, I had taken upon myself the responsibility of advancing upon the enemy without first feeling his position with skirmishers, then I might justly be held responsible for the result; but such was not the case.

Before the advance was ordered we were told that the brigade was to act as a support to General Breckinridge, who was engaging the enemy in front, and while advancing we were warned again and again by one or more staff officers not to fire on our friends in front. the greater part of the Second Texas passed over an open field and the enemy allowed them to approach near their lines before firing. Even after the enemy opened fire the officers of the Second Texas report the order was still given not to fire on our friends, and in one instance, after a private returned the fire of the enemy, a staff officer rode up and drew his pistol, threatening to blow off the man's head if he fire again.

Major Runnels reports that while the order not to fire was being reported to the regiment he saw that the force in front were not friends, and ordered the men to fire and charge them; but just at that time a most galling cross-fire was poured into the regiment, and the cry "Fall back" being heard in a voice unfamiliar to him, he countermanded the order; but it was too late to be effective. The men fell back in great confusion with the result detailed in my former report.

I doubt not that our failure to drive back the enemy at this time and place may be attributed wholly to the mistake regarding the character of the force in front, the multiplicity of commands, and the consequent confusion of the men not knowing whom to obey.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers C. MOORE,

Colonel Second Texas Regiment, Commanding Brigade.

Capt. D. E. HUGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Withers' Division.

No. 205 Report of Capt. Isadore P. Girardey, Washington [Georgia] Light Artillery.

CAMP JACKSON, NEAR CORINTH, MISS., April 12, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that on Sunday morning, the 6th instant, the battery under my command became engaged for the first time about 9 o'clock with a battery of the enemy, which I observed to be contending with one of our own batteries. The battery of the enemy, being thus exposed to two fires, was soon silenced.

In this engagement we sustained no loss, notwithstanding the enemy's fire was skillfully directed toward us. The enemy's battery was posted