ordered to advance, preceded by skirmishers, maintaining the same order for a mile, when, after halting a short time, I was directed to move in column of platoons through the woods in a direction parallel with the Farmington road and near it. When within half a mile of the village the enemy was discovered in and beyond it.

I formed in line immediately on the left of the road,the artillery occupying the road and firing on the enemy. Soon afterward I was directed to move across the road and take position in a field opposite with a battalion and another regiment on my right. Thence I moved up in column with the other commands to a point near the edge of the village, where our artillery had taken position to resume the fire upon the enemy. After remaining at a halt an hour or more I deployed my command into line on the right of the road, threw out a part of Company F, under Lieutenant John H. Morgan, as skirmishers, and advanced with the forces on my right. Our route was across a deep ravine, through a skirt of woods, and across a portion of an adjoining field. After entering the latter we had a skirt of woods on our left extending around to our front. When near it the skirmishers opened fire on a party of the enemy posted in it. About the same time heavy firing was heard on the opposite hill to our left, indicating that the other division of our forces had encountered the main body of the enemy's advance. Turning northward to join our comrades in the onset, we had to cross an abrupt and swampy ravine, passable with difficulty by horse or man. The men hurried through the mud and thick growth, however, keeping together as much as it was possible to do, and advanced in line up the opposite hill to the position occupied by our artillery. Some little confusion occurred in the left wing, owing to the fact that part of it was crowded our of line by the want of space as we moved up and joined the line on our left, but it lasted only a short time, when they were able to get in order again. In front was an open space descending into a ravine with timber, on the opposite side from which, as well as from a point farther back on the right, a portion of the enemy were firing. When the order to charge was given my command rushed rapidly and steadily forward, especially on the right, exposed to this fire.

While descending into the ravine Lieutenant John H. Morgan, of Company F, received a painful flesh wound in the hand.

We pushed forward through the woods, the enemy retreating from it before our combined forces, and advanced to the field in which the main body of the foe were posted some distance back, taking position at the fence. The farther advance of our forces was now prevented for a time by the shells from our own artillery, directed at the enemy beyond us. When the firing ceased we advanced in line with the brigade through the field, the enemy seeking safety in the adjoining woods and swamp. Subsequently my command followed the trail of a portion of the refugees through the swamp, under the direction of the commanding general. In a little field beyond it a prisoner was taken by members of Companies A and F, who was apparently on picket duty, and represented himself as one of the Illinois regiment. It was now late in the afternoon. We were considerably in advance of the rest of our forces, and there were unmistakable indications that we were nearing a stronghold of the foe; it was therefore deemed advisable to pursue no farther, and were directed to fall back, which we did, joining our comrades on the battle-field.

I ought not to close this report without more special notice of those, under my command. A new regiment recently mustered into service, employed in outpost duty the whole of the preceding night and scantily