casualties which occurred in my regiment: Killed, 9; wounded, 24; missing, 1; total, 34.

I cannot close this report without stating that the officers and men under my command discharged their duties in the action at Baton Rouge in a manner creditable alike to themselves and the cause for which they are battling.

Very respectfully,

J. C. WICKLIFFE,

Major, Commanding Fifth Kentucky Regiment.

Major JOHN A. BUCKNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 31. Report of Major H. E. Topp, Thirty-first Mississippi Infantry.

HDQRS. THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT MISSISSIPPI VOLS.,
August 7, 1862.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to make the following report:

About the time or immediately after the repulse of the Second Division a portion of our brigade, of which the Thirty-first Mississippi Regiment was a part, under the command of Colonel Hunt, of the Fifth Kentucky, was ordered forward through several corn fields, in which the enemy was discovered by my skirmishers, thrown out for that purpose, toward the second encampment, to which we approached within 200 yards or less, driving constantly the enemy before us, when a terrific fire from the enemy in the direction of the second encampment checked our advance, and where well-night all of my casualties occurred. At this point we were ordered to fall back by Colonel Hunt, and the retreat had hardly begun when Colonel Hunt was wounded and taken off the field. Here I attempted to rally my regiment, but the confusion had so general that I found it impossible to do so. We then fell back to the ravine in advance of the first encampment and formed under the cover of the ravine.

General Clark, commanding division, came up at this juncture. I told him that we were without a brigade commander, Colonel Hunt having been wounded, and requested him to assign some one to the command of the brigade. Colonel Edwards, of the Thirty-first Alabama, having lost his horse and expressing an unwillingness to assume the command, General Clark then left, and very soon Major Buckner, so I was informed, took the command, and ordered us to march by the left flank in the direction of enemy's second encampment, and having fairly gotten us in a position to advance ordered us forward. The command was instantly obeyed, and the brigade, with the exception of the two regiments on the right, was soon engaged with the enemy. My regiment was lying down firing, with very little injury to themselves, and gradually approaching the encampment, when to our surprise we observed the right of our brigade falling back in disorder. I have no idea who gave the command, as I was on the extreme left. I then ordered my regiment to fall back, which it did in confusion, to the cut in the road. At this time the two regiments to fall back, which it did in confusion, to the cut in the road. At this time the two regiments held in reserve were carried forward by General Clark, and we rallied again in the road, under the direction of Major Buckner. We were a second time ordered