fantry (this brigade was a detachment from the Seventeenth Army Corps, temporarily assigned to my command); Second Iowa Battery, Lieutenant Reed commanding; First Illinois, Company E (one section), Lieutenant Cram, and a battery (four Rodman') belonging to Company M, First Missouri, but manned by Captain Mueller's company, Sixth Indiana Battery. We arrived at Pontotoc on the 12th instant, and on the morning of the 13th moved toward Tupelo. The colonel commanding brigade of colored troops, which was in rear of my DIVISION, about nine miles of Tupelo, sent word to me that he was threatened by a large force of the enemy. I directed Colonel Ward, whose brigade had been marching on the right flank of the train, to place one regiment in the rear so that he might be better able to render assistance to the negro brigade. At the same time I ordered Colonel Woods to place two of his largest regiments on the right flank of the train. The column proceeded in this manner some three miles, when an attack was suddenly made on the train for nearly its entire length. The attacking force, as I have since learned, consisted of four brigades of cavalry. This attack was soon repulsed, Colonel Ward's brigade taking the chief part in the fight and capturing a rebel flag. As soon as the enemy was repulsed I again started the column on, keeping the wagons ahead of the main column, when, finding that the enemy were moving rapidly at some distance on my right flank toward my front, I proceed toward the head of the column for the purpose of making arrangements to protect the wagon train. I had just arrived at the head of the Ninth Minnesota, which had been sent forward to protect the train, when a furious attack was made on the column a short distance to the rear. I immediately halted that regiment and faced it toward the enemy, and directed skirmishers to be deployed. At the same time the balance of the brigade was halted by Colonel McMillen and faced toward the enee. The enemy was driven in confusion. I then brought up the Eleventh Missouri to Colonel McMillen's support, but before they arrived in position the rebels had disappeared and the fight was over. Colonel McMillen and his command displayed great gallantry in so quickly repulsing this attack. As soon as our wounded had been picked up I again moved on and arrived at the camp about dark.

The next morning the general commanding the expedition indicated to me the position he wished my DIVISION to occupy, and I placed the troops of my command as follows: Colonel Woods' brigade on the left, its left resting on the Pontotoc road and connecting with the right of the THIRD DIVISION; Colonel Ward's brigade on the right of Colonel Woods'; Colonel McMillen's brigade on the right of Ward's, and Colonel Wilkin's brigade in reserve. The Second Iowa Battery was placed on the left of Colonel Ward's brigade, and commanded the Pontotoc road and the open field on the right of that road. Captain Ward's brigade and the section of Company E, First Illinois Battery, on the right of Colonel McMillen's brigade. The enemy commenced the attack at about 7. 30 o'clock ion the morning, coming down in line of battle along our front and opposite our left, moving in an irregular mass. I directed the fire to be retained until they approached quite near, and then opened on them with shell, canister, and musketry. The fight continued for about two hours and a half, when, finding that they would not approach any nearer our lines, I ordered the THIRD Brigade to charge on them. This was very gallantly done, and the enemy driven from the field with heavy loss. I had two field officers and several men sunstruck during the charge, and the enemy, having fallen back to their led horses, dis-

17 R R - VOL XXXIX, PT I