bringing a vastly superior force against the left wing of the First Brigade, had driven in the regiments, flanking Sands' battery and occupied a position commanding the battery, and were moving down the road with the intention of attacking the First Brigade in the rear. Forming a portion of the Eightieth Ohio and Seventeenth Iowa, which had been halted in the orad, two volleys, rapidly delivered, checked the enemy's advance and drove them back to the brow of the hill. By this time portions of the Twenty-sixth Missouri Volunteers, Forty-eighth Indiana Volunteers, and Sixteenth Iowa Volunteers, whose colonels had all been seriously wounded, with a few of the Fourth Minnesota Volunteers, joined my command and fought bravely though the remainder of the action. General Hamilton at this time desired me to save Sands' battery, which was entirely disabled, every officer and cannoneer being either killed or wounded and all the horses killed. At the order to advance the men gave three cheers, and with a rush drove the enemy back out of the enemy back out of the battery down the hill and were yet advancing, when a murderous fire was opened on my flank by a regiment of sharpshooters, which lay concealed on my left in the woods. Ordering my men to fall back I reformed my line, which had become somewhat disorder. The rebels, taking heart at our supposed retreat, advanced with loud cheers, but were soon undeceived by a volley, followed by an order to charge, which again drove them below the brow of the hill. Receiving re-enforcements the rebels again advanced, but were held in check, when the Thirty-ninth Ohio, through a mistake, and without orders, fired a volley into the rear of my line, killing and wounding more than my whole loss prior to that time. By this time it was so dark that friends could not be distinguished from foes. The enemy improved this occasion to remove the guns from their position, but were not able to take them entirely off, and were compelled to leave the caissons in their original position. At 8 o'clock the firing ceased and the field of battle was ours. The position in which the battery was planted and which was so hotly contested was held by our troops.

Lieutenant-Colonel Bartilson, of the Eightieth Ohio, together with his Adjutant, Joseph E. Philpott, were wounded early in the fight, when Major Lanning took command. The Seventeenth Iowa Regiment was without a field officer, and Captain Archer, the senior captain, soon fell, severely wounded, when Captain Young assumed command and did his duty nobly.

Our troops labored under a great disadvantage, from want of knowledge of the ground, by being compelled to fight in the dense underbrush and in a position chosen by the enemy. The enemy attacked my position in vastly superior force, a fresh brigade of the rebels having been sent to relieve the troops first repulsed.

Lieutenant Immell, of the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery, is especially mentioned by Colonel Perczel, and I desire to recommend him to the favorable notice of the general commanding. I am also indebted to Captain T. H. Harris, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant Jacobson, acting assistant commissary of subsistence, and Lieutenants Delahoyde and Buchanan, of my staff, for efficient service rendered on the field. They displayed a coolness under fire worthy of older soldiers. Lieutenant White, of the Forty-eighth Indiana and the assistant adjutant-general White, of the Forty-eighth Indiana and the assistant adjutant-general of Colonel Mower's brigade, who joined me, rendered valuable assistance.

The victory gained is sufficient evidence of the bravery of the men. The number of the dead and wounded is sufficient evidence of their devotion to our glorious cause. They are justly entitled to the highest