your order. After silencing the enemy's battery on the hill in front of us. I advanced 200 yards, flanked on the left by the Twentieth Wisconsin Volunteers and by the Ninety-fourth Illinois on the right, and sustained an effectual artillery fire at the enemy's position (which they moved several times) for three hours. In the same time you made a charge with your infantry on the hill and through the woods surrounding; meanwhile the shells of my battery did great execution amongst the enemy. After the great loss of your regiment in a charge on the hill and the pursuit of the enemy, having given them a few rounds of canister, and being without support, we were unable to hold our position, and retreated to the first position, two of our pieces being disabled; but the infantry having rallied again, we advance about 100 yards from our first position and kept it.

Our loss was 1 man killed and 2 wounded; 8 horses killed, and 1 piece and 1 caisson disabled.

It is my duty to mention on this occasion the good behavior of my men, and especially of the chiefs of sections and pieces; and I return my sincerest thanks to you, colonel, for the effectual support of your command.

I am, colonel, very respectfully,

F. BACKOF,

Commanding Battery L, First Missouri Light Artillery.

Colonel BERTRAM,

Twentieth Wisconsin Volunteers.

Numbers 31. Report of Colonel William W. Orme, Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry, commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. 2nd Brigadier, 3rd DIV., ARMY OF THE FRONTIER, Camp, Prairie Grove, Ark., December 10, 1862.

CAPTAIN: In compliance with General Orders, Numbers 35, issued from the headquarters of the general commanding the Second and Third Divisions, Army of the Frontier, I have the honor to report that in the late action at Prairie Grove, on December 7, I had under my command the Nineteenth Iowa and the Ninety-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiments and Battery E, First Missouri Light Artillery. The Eighth Missouri Cavalry, having been detached from my command and sent forward to General Blunt the day before the engagement, was not with me during the fight.

The Nineteenth Iowa was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel McFarland. The Ninety-fourth Illinois was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John McNulta. Battery E, First Missouri Light Artillery, was commanded by First Lieutenant Joseph Foust.

When I reached Illinois Creek, under orders from General Herron, I advanced the infantry across the creek, the Ninety-fourth Illinois on the left of the road and the Nineteenth Iowa on the right of the road, placing both regiments under cover of the bluffs of the steam. Immediately afterward the battery was ordered across the creek, and placed in position on the high ground to the left of the road.

At the ford of the creek the enemy's batteries were in full view, about half a mile distant in the road, on a rising ground, at the foot of a hill.

9 R-VOL XXII, PT I