brush, from which they kept up a constant fire at our men in the trenches and upon our artillerists.

My acting assistant adjutant-general, Captain James Deshler, of the artillery, whilst behaving most gallantly, was shot down in the trenches by a wound through both thighs. He refused to leave the field, and remained in the trenches until the day was over. Captain Miller opened upon the enemy with his guns and behaved with great gallantry, exposing himself at his guns to the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters. After the enemy's force on the right had been repulsed and driven from the field, I ordered all of our men who had been engaged in that quarter to join the troops in the trenches on the left. they took post with the other troops, and opened fire on the enemy as occasion offered. The enemy, under the fire of artillery and infantry, soon retreated from the left, leaving their dead and wounded.

The enemy's force on the left was larger, if anything, than the force on the right. They numbered in all about 5,000 men, who had been drawn from Belington, Beverly, Huttonsville, Elk Water, and Cheat Mountain. My force did not exceed 1,200 effective men of all arms. General Reynolds, U. S. Army, commanded the whole of the enemy's forces, and General Milroy the attack on our right. General Milroy is reported by prisoners captured to have been wounded. The enemy left upon the field 35 dead and 13 wounded. They carried from the field large numbers of dead and wounded. This I get from citizens who reside upon the roads along which they retreated. Ten or twelve ambulances wee seen conveying their wounded. We captured 3 prisoners and about 100 stand of arms, which the enemy had thrown away in his flight.

Although we have reason to be thankful to God for the victory achieved over our enemies on this occasion, we can but lament the loss of many valuable lives. Our casualties amount to 20 killed, 96 wounded, and 28 missing. Many of the missing have returned since the day of the battle. I am much indebted to Surgs. H. R. Green, of the Twelfth Georgia Regiment, and W. T. Blanc, of the Thirty-first Virginia Volunteers, for their attention to our own wounded as well as those of the enemy. They have been untiring in their efforts to alleviate their sufferings. Dr. Green was slightly wounded in the hand by a spent ball while attending to the wounded.

Herewith I submit a list of casualties; also the reports of commanders of regiments and corps.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. JOHNSON,

Colonel Twelfth Georgia Regiment, Commanding Monterey Line.

Colonel C. L. STEVENSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army Northwest, Staunton.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Richmond, December 23, 1861.

SIR: The report of the engagement of the 13th instant, in which your gallant command met and repulsed a vastly superior force with a steady valor worthy of the highest admiration, has been communicated by me to the President, and I rejoice to be made the medium of communicating to you and to your officers and men the expression of his thanks and of the great gratification he has experienced at your success.

I am happy to add that the President readily and cheerfully assented to my suggestion that you should be promoted to the rank of brigadier-