in like manner, and in rear of the Eighty-fourth Illinois, deployed in line of battle. We rested here, I should think, over half an hour, when we were moved to the left and formed at nearly right angles with our former position, and facing a little east of north, in a corn-field just east of the Rossville road; we were on the extreme left of the brigade, with the Twenty-fourth Ohio on our right. The enemy were attempting to turn our left and were delivering a hot fire in front of our position, when our batteries in the field opened upon the rebels (I suppose, though I then thought I then thought the mistook my regiment for the enemy), but firing too low they killed and wounded numbers of my men and officers, among them Captain Bense, senior captain and acting major, and Lieutenant Cormany. It was a trying position, the enemy's fire in our front and our own in the rear, and more danger in retiring than in remaining. At length the fire of the battery ceased, and I moved my regiment by the right flank to a little hollow, near where we reformed, and were then placed on the right of the Twenty-fourth Ohio, and between that regiment and the regular brigade, my left a little retired from my former direction, and a part of my front covered by one of the regiments of our brigade. WE here mat the full force of the enemy's advancing column and were forced back in some confusion, but rallied and drove the enemy. The pursuit was broken and irregular on the part of all our troops, who, however, inflicted severe punishment on the flying rebels. My regiment became divided and in retiring a portion, with some of my officers, got to eh west side of the Rossville road and were for some time separated from me.

When I returned from the pursuit, I reformed on the right of a portion of the Sixteenth Regulars at the breastworks to the right of my last position and was joined by a portion of the Eighty-fourth Illinois, under Captain Ervin, and a few of the Twenty-fourth Ohio, with Lieutenant Kies and the colors of their regiment. WE remained there until the brigade was reformed under your direction and moved to the right in support of Reynolds' troops, and, though under fire more or less all the time until we were retired from the field, were not again actively engaged. WE retired in good order under a heavy cross-fire of the enemy's artillery, losing but 1 man, and camped with the brigade at Rossville.

Witch a single exception the behavior of my officers was all that could be desired. I would especially mention Captain Bense, acting major; Captains Thatcher and Russell, and Lieutenants Choate, Irwin, Lewis, Meline, and Glisan, whose gallantry was conspicuous. Lieutenant McLean, after behaving badly on the field, absented himself on Sunday morning and did not return until Monday afternoon.

I placed him in arrest, and have preferred charges against him.

Among the non-commissioned officers and privates, instance of gallant conduct were numerous, but space prevents their mention. During the whole of the two days' fight the men suffered severely from the want of water.

I am happy to be able to report my regiment in fine condition and good spirits.

I annex herewith a statement in detail of all casualties* in my command.

Very respectfully,

S. C. ERWIN,

Major 6th Ohio Vol. Inf. Comdg. Regt.

Colonel W. GROSE, Commanding Third Brigade.

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*Embodied in revised statement, p. 176.

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