held in reserve with a battery and was not in the fight. The men behaved well and obeyed the commands I gave them.

Respectfully submitted.

T. B. SMITH,

Colonel, Commanding Fourth Brigade.

Major-General BRECKINRIDGE.

No. 33. Report of Brigadier General Daniel Ruggles, C. S. Army, commanding Second Division, with Return of Casualties.

HDQRS. 2ND DIV., 1ST DIST., ARMY EAST OF THE MISS.,
Camp Breckinridge, August 9, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the for the consideration of the major-general commanding the forces the following report of the part taken by my division in the action of the 5th instant at Baton Rouge:

The Second Division was composed of two brigades, the first consisting of the Third Kentucky Regiment, Captain Bowman; Sixth Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel Cofer; Seventh Kentucky, Colonel Crossland, and Thirty-fifth Alabama, Colonel Robertson. The Second Brigade, of the Fourth Louisiana Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Hunter; battalion Thirtieth Louisiana Regiment, Col. G. A. Breaux; battalion of Stewart's Legion, Lieutenant-Colonel Boyd, and Confederate Light Battery, Captain O. J. Semmes, with two companies mounted men and some 250 Partisan Rangers, detached on scouting and outpost service.

On the night of August 4 this division proceeded form Comite Bridge, marching left in front; Semmes' light battery in the rear of left battalion (Fourth Louisiana Volunteers). A detachment commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Shields, Thirtieth Louisiana Volunteers, consisting of one company from his regiment, commanded by Captain R. T. Boyle; one company Partisan Rangers, commanded by Captain Amacker; one company mounted rangers, and a section of Semmes' battery, under Lieutenant Fauntleroy, had preceded the march of the division, having left camp at 4.30 p.m., to operate on the plank road leading from Baton Rouge to Clinton, on our extreme right.

The head of the division column, preceded by a company of mounted rangers and advanced guard, reached Ward's Creek Bridge, on the Greenwell Springs and Baton Rouge roads, about 3 a.m., where a temporary halt was called preparatory to the formation of the division line of battle. During this halt, while the advance was driving in the enemy's pickets, some stragglers from the column were mistaken for enemy's picket and fired on; the mistake being mutual in the darkness, a few shots were exchanged, unfortunately disabling General Helm and killing Lieutenant Todd. This necessarily caused some confusion. Order, however, was soon restored and the column marched to the point whence the deployment was to commence.

The line was formed a little before daylight, Colonel Thompson' brigade (the First) with the right resting near the Greenwell Springs road; Colonel Allen's brigade (the Second) on the left, his left extending through a wood and resting on a large field; Semmes' battery (four pieces) in the center, occupying the space between the two brigades. A squadron of cavalry, under command of Captain Augustus Scott, was