instructed that in case one man was killed or wounded he should at once shoot the mayor and his party. Joining the retreating skirmishers with the forty flankers we speedily dispersed the rebel cavalry, having no more trouble in gaining the city. I proceeded to the state-house with Captain Pratt and planted the first U. S. flag on that building.

During the engagement the regimental commanders did their duty well, Major Abernathy and Lieutenant-Colonel Jenkison on the left and center, and Lieutenant-Colonel Roberts on the right. Lieutenant-Colonel Palmer, with the Twenty-fifth Iowa, followed by Lieutenant-Colonel Nichols, of the Fourth Iowa, supported the assault in a handsome manner. Lieutenant-Colonel Roberts and his adjutant, First Lieutenant James M. Smith, deserve notice for the gallant manner in which they pushed their lines forward. Captain A. B. Smith, of General Wood's staff, accompanied me in the assault and also deserves notice for his gallant conduct. My thanks are due all my staff officers-Captain Bell, Captain Bowman, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General Snow, and Lieutenant Crane, for doing their duty well.

I was absent from the brigade about an hour in placing the flag on the state-house, and when I rejoined my command found a great number of the men drunk. It was discovered that this was caused by hundreds of negroes who swarmed the steels on the approach of the troops and gave them all kinds of liquors from buckets, bottles, demijohns, &c. The men had slept none the night before, and but little the night before that, and many of them had no supper the night before, and none of them breakfast that morning, hence the speedy effect of the liquor. I forthwith ordered all the liquor destroyed, and saw fifteen barrels destroyed within five minutes after the order had been given.

Brevet Major-General Woods now sent me word to guard the private property of the citizens and take possession of all the public buildings. I did so immediately upon receipt of the order, distributing my five regiments throughout the city and appointing Lieutenant-Colonel Jenkins, Thirty-first Iowa, provost-marshal. A number of buildings were fired during the early part of the evening, but the fire was promptly put out before it had gained much headway. A great many drunken men were now showing themselves in the streets from, I should think, every regiment of our corps, the Seventeenth Corps, and some even from General Kilpatrick's cavalry. My command was so scattered throughout the city I found it necessary to have a stronger guard, and therefore applied through my acting assistant adjutant-general to Brevet Major-General Woods twice, once in writing, for one or two more regiments for patrolling the city, but received nor re-enforcements. About 8 o'clock the city was fired in a number of places by some of our escaped prisoners and citizens (I am satisfied I can prove this), and as some of the fire originated in basements stored full of cotton it was impossible to extinguish it. The fire engines were ordered out, but the flames could not be stopped; the buildings were old, nearly all wooden ones, and the wind blowing almost a gale. At 8 p.m. I received orders that I was relieved by Brevet Brigadier-General Woods and I sent the brigade to camp about one mile out of town, remained in the city myself, working all night to assist in extinguishing the fire.

Very respectfully, captain, your obedient servant,

GEO. A. STONE,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain FRED. H. WILSON,

Acting. Asst. Adjt. General, First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps.