On May 8, in accordance with orders received the previous evening, we took up our line of march toward Corinth. Upon arriving at Farmington we formed in line of battle and advanced to a piece of woods lying on the easterly side of the Corinth. When we came writhing about 80 rods of the enemy's outer works a battery of artillery was opened upon our line. Grape, canister, and shell fell near us and all around us, but no one in the regiment was injured. We then fell back with the balance of General Paine's division to our old camping grounds.

On the morning of May 9, at an early hour, we were ordered to advance toward Farmington. The enemy had already driven in our pickets and were reported to be advancing in large force. We formed in line of battle in the edge of the woods southerly from our camp. The enemy threw a large number of shell directly over our line. A number fell into our camp, causing an immediate retreat of all our sick and some of our camp guard. We remained in line of battle all day and slept our arms at night.

On the morning of the following day, it being ascertained that the enemy had fallen back, we were ordered to our camp. There we remained until May 17, when we advanced to Farmington. Arriving there about sundown, we were formed in line of battle, and in accordance with orders previously received threw up a strong earthwork along our entire front.

The next morning the regiment was ordered upon grand-guard duty in front of Farmington. During the day constant skirmishing was going on between our pickets and those of the enemy. Private William Newton, Company B, received a wound in the left hand, in consequence of which he has since been unfit for duty, but is now rapidly recovering.

On May 26 our regiment was ordered a second time upon grandguard duty in front of Farmington. The enemy in our front were particularly annoying, keeping up a constant fire upon our line of pickets. In accordance with order previously received from General Paine, I positively forbade any firing by our pickets. About 12 o'clock of that day I received intelligence from a lieutenant in General Buell's command, on our right, that two or more rebel brigades were passing along the front our line toward our left. Major James J. Scarritt any myself immediately went to a point of woods in which were stationed our most advanced pickets, and by observations through a glass discovered a rebel force on our left cutting timber and making such preparations as indicated to us that they might be planting a battery, which would not only completely command our line of pickets, but our camp at Farmington. I immediately sent a messenger to Colonel Lum and General Paine, and instructions to communicate to them the information I had received and the observations we had made. In the course of an hour a battery of artillery, the Yates Sharpshooters, and a regiment of infantry were sent forward. As the battery of artillery was getting into position at the point of woods where we had made the observations Adjt. S. D. Cowles accompanied them, and while pointing out the spot where it was believed they were concentrating a force or planting a battery, he received from one of the enemy's rifles a ball in his breast. Putting his hand upon his breast he remarked, "I have got that in here." He immediately dropped upon the ground and was dead.

The regiment being relieved the next morning at 8 o'clock, repaired to our camp at Farmington, where we remained until the morning of May 28, when we advanced to within view of the enemy's outer works