of my left wing, which line I afterward adopted as my line of defense.

When I first occupied the ridge under order, I found Major Woodram, of the Twenty-sixth Virginia Battalion, with one company and parts of two companies of said battalion. I placed this detachment, with two companies of my regiment, on a ridge upon my right, and left them in charge of Major Woodram.

The company which had advanced to the front of the left wing being heavily pressed by the enemy, another company was placed in position upon its left. These two companies, under Lieutenant-Colonel Harman, repelled four successive charges of the enemy. During this time the enemy were skirmishing in front of my center and right flank, but was promptly driven back, and Lieutenant-Colonel Harman re-enforced by two companies and a half from my first line.

Ascertaining the enemy was preparing to attack me in greater force, I found it necessary to strengthen my line of defense, and Colonel Dunn's battalion was ordered forward to my right, which was promptly done under direction of Major Davis, and in time to assist me in resisting two furious attacks of the enemy re-enforced. This battalion was under command of Major Claiborne. I take pleasure in attesting the gallant bearing of the officers and men of that command while these events were transpiring. Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar requested re-enforcements, and I sent him about 40 men.

During the night Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar's men, under Major Woodram, were sent to him, and my re-enforcement to Colonel Edgar withdrawn. My line extended to the right by the addition of the companies withdrawn from Major Woodram, and Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar was strengthened by rails and logs forming a barricade. My day on the morning of the 27th, I repulsed another attack of the enemy, after which there was no more fighting upon my front, except an occasional shot from the tree-tops.

During the engagement I kept a line of skirmishers from my left wing along the ridge in the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar's right, who, in connection with my left wing, gave a cross-fire to any advance upon Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar's front.

During the engagement I repulsed eight separate and distinct charges of the enemy, besides frequent engagement with his skirmishers. In a majority of these charges the enemy came within the distance of fifteen or twenty paces of my line, and I am well satisfied I did him great damage, capturing some, killing and wounding large numbers. Notwithstanding the long marches my men had made (having marched about 100 miles during the four days preceding the engagement), I had no stragglers or skulkers. I have never on any battle-field seen men act cooler and braver; they fought with a determination to do or die.

I hope it will not be invidious to particularize Company F, commanded by Lieutenant Crockett, and Company c, commanded by Captain Cox, until he was wounded, afterwards by Lieutenant Blevins. Men never acted better, having alone repulsed four attacks of the enemy in vastly superior force.

The assistance rendered by me field-officers and adjutant was inestimable. It is scarcely necessary to say that they behaved with marked gallantry.