Jacinto road and cross-roads leading from it to the Fulton road. Here we found their infantry and a battery, which gave our advance guard a volley. Hamilton, pushing his First Brigade rapidly forward up the narrow road on the right hand, leading from the church at the forks, formed them astride it, amid the brush ont eh rough, wooded knoll (see accompanying map), placing Sands' battery ont he only available 111. The action opened immediately with grape and canister from the enemy's battery directed at ours, and sharp musketry fire from his skirmishers. Having inspected General Hamilton's dispositions on the front and found them good, I ordered Colonel Mizner to send a battalion of the Third Michigan Cavalry to reconnoiter our right, and Colonel Perczel, with the Tenth Iowa Infantry and a section of artillery, to take position or our left, on the road leading north. The remainder of hamilton's division formed in rear of the first line, and the head of Stanley's division stood in column below the hospital awaiting the developments on the front before being moved into line. The position of the troops at this time, say 5 p. m., is shown very nearly on the map. The enemy's line of infantry now moved forward on the battery, coming up from the woods on our right on the Fifth Iowa, while a brigade showed itself on our left and attempted to cross the road toward Colonel Perczel. The battle became furious. Our battery poured in a deadly fire upon the enemy's column advancing up the road while their musketry, concentrated upon it, soon killed or wounded most of our horses. When within 100 yards they received a volley from our entire line, and from that time the battle raged furiously. The enemy penetrated the battery, were repulsed; again returned, were again repulsed, and finally bore down upon it with a column of three regiments and this time carried the battery. The cannoneers were many of them bayoneted at their pieces. Three of the guns ere spiked. In this last charge the brigade of Texas which had attempted to turn our left, having been repulsed by Perczel, turned upon the battery and co-operated in the charge. The Forty-eighth Indiana, which lay in its track, was obliged to yield about 100 yards, where it was supported by the Fourth Minnesota, and held its position until relieved at he close of the fight by the Forty-seventh Illinois. The Fifth Iowa maintained its position on the right against a storm of fire from the rebel left and center,a nd even when the battery was carried its left yielded but slightly, when Boomer with a part of the Twenty-sixth Missouri came up to its support, and maintained its position to the close of the fight. About this time it was deemed prudent to order up the First Brigade of Stanley's, division, which went forward with a shout. The Eleventh Missouri, filing into the woods, took its position on the right of the Fifth Iowa, slightly in its rear. Here the rebels made a last desperate attempt with two Mississippi brigades. As the first came bearing down upon the Eleventh Missouri, and when within 20 paces, an officer of the rebel ranks sprang forward and shouted, "Don't fire upon your friends, the Thirty-seventh Mississippi." He was answered by a volley which drove them back in confusion. The Second Brigade followed, and in the dusk of evening and the smoke of battle reached the very front of the Eleventh Missouri. The roar of musketry was terrific, but Mower met the shock and stood firm. The rebels recoiled and the firing ceased throughout the line. The troops rested on their arms. The Thirty-ninth Ohio and the Forty-seventh Illinois held the front, slightly in rear of the position of the advance regiments, which were withdrawn to replenish their ammunition. The Eleventh and Twenty-sixth missouri took position in a depression of the ground in the open field in rear of the woods in which