tance toward them. At this time a force appeared on our right, advancing down the valley. I was ordered to fall back behind the fence in our rear, which was executed in good ordered, under fire. I then threw out Companies A and F, under the command of Captain [E. N.] Bates and [N. M.] Hubbard, from the right wing, as skirmishers.

Shortly after, a cavalry force appeared upon our right and rear. The skirmishers were directed to assemble on the battalion, and, by order of Colonel Dye, I changed front toward the force approaching, which was done in good order in the rear of the fence running perpendicular to the one from which we moved. It having been ascertained that the forces approaching were re-enforcements,under command of General Blunt, I was directed and did immediately move the regiment to the position behind the fence from which we had changed our front. General Blunt having taken position on our right in the middle of the field, I was ordered to move forward in support of his Indians. Skirmishing, I moved forward in line of battle rapidly across the field, obliquing to the left, across the orchard fence, at the foot of the hill; drove the enemy's skirmishers through the orchard, and advanced beyond the fence, through the wood, a short distance. The left wing being more severely engaged, the right had passed farther in advance, through the wood, where some of the Indians came running back through the wood to the right, gesticulating violently and pointing toward the direction whence they came.

At this moment an officer shouted to me that we were firing on friends. I gave the order to cease firing, and rode toward the left, fearing that the troops on our left might have ascended the hill and advanced to our front, when I saw directly in front of us a mass of troops moving down upon us. At almost the same instant they fired a volley, under which the left wing recoiled to nearly the orchard fence, where they promptly rallied at my command and renewed the firing with great rapidity and, I think, effect.

At this moment I received orders to retire behind the fence at the foot of the hill, and hold it, which movement was promptly executed by the regiment in good order, climbing the fence under a galling fire and lying down under it, continuing the fire between the fence-rails.

The movement we crossed the fence the orchard was shelled by the battery of General Blunt's forces on the right, in the field, and that under command of Captain Murphy and Lieutenant Marr, in position at the point from which we entered the action, from the combined efforts of which, and our own firing, the enemy were driven from the orchard. They remained in large force about the house and stone wall, firing from under their protection upon our extreme left wing. It was here our heaviest loss occurred.

As soon as the enemy were driven from the orchard, I was ordered to retire in good order from the fence and form in the middle of the field. As we commenced to retire, Major Thompson was wounded, and the left wing, not receiving the order promptly, remained a little too long, and retired precipitately nearly to the fence from which we advanced. I rode down, and at the command they returned and formed at the place designated.

In the mean time the right wing, being much exposed, had moved into the adjoining field, under the protection of the battery on the right, and at this time, receiving the order to retire to the fence again, I formed the line behind the fence, in order to retire to the fence again, I formed the line behind the fence,in rear of the battery, and moved by the left flank along it to our original position. This ended our active participation in the contest.

We remained on our arms at the fence during the night, and the