Fifty-eighth Indiana left rear, and Thirteenth Michigan right rear battalions.

At this time the enemy was making bold demonstrations in my front, so much so that whenever one of my skirmishers moved or rose to his feet he was shot at. Now that my right flank was protected I felt confident that we could hold our position.

About this time I received notice from a staff officer that the One hundredth Illinois, Colonel F. A. Bartleson, had charged to the front, and that the colonel asked to be supported. Thinking perhaps a general charge had been ordered by General Wood and that the left of my brigade was moving to the front with Colonel Harker's, and that the officer bearing me the order might have fallen (I then being at the extreme right of my brigade), I ordered the Twenty-sixth Ohio to charge as far as the crest of the low ridge or bench in front, but to go no farther without further order until I could investigate the cause of the One hundredth Illinois being in front of the position assigned it by me. The Twenty-sixth Ohio had hardly gotten to the front as ordered when the One hundredth Illinois came back without its colonel and resumed its former position. Colonel Bartleson leading his regiment had run into a masked battery and heavy line of the enemy, and is supposed was himself wounded and captured. In him we lost a most gallant and efficient officer and gentleman; his brigade and regiment will ever mourn his loss.

About half past 11 a.m. of the 20th instant I received orders to move my brigade by the left flank at the double-quick following Colonel Harker's brigade, for the purpose of supporting some portion of the line to our left. The orders for this purpose were immediately issued; before moving the brigade, however, orders were issued for the skirmishers to remain and hold their position until relieved by the command still on my right, and to be certain that this would be done without a doubt I sent two staff officers to attend personally to it. Orders were also issued to my battery commander, Captain Estep, to move his battery around on my left flank, which would be in my rear when facing the enemy. I was fearful of making the movement, with the enemy not over 200 yards distant, closely watching every maneuver.

Two brigades on my left had already moved off, and of course my command must move by the gap left by them. Having my line of skirmishers secure, and, as I thought, my battery safe, the movement was commenced, myself leading the direction.

We had scarcely moved one brigade front when the shock came like an avalanche on my right flank. The attack seemed to have been simultaneous throughout the enemy's lines, for the entire right and part of the center gave way before the overpowering numbers of the foe. My own little brigade seemed as if it were swept from the field. Captain Estep with all speed moved his battery about 400 yards to the rear, on the crest of a hill, where he opened on the enemy with great effect. The greater portion of my brigade was cut off from me and driven to the rear. My staff, who were executing orders at this time, were also cut off; the orderly carrying my headquarters flag, who was in the rear at the time, was captured. That portion of my command that was near me, the Fifty-eighth Indiana and some stragglers of other regiments that were rallied, remained on the field, and while we were still in front of an to the left of the battery the enemy came around my right flank and shot down 35 horses of my battery, thus capturing the same. I retreated with a