posts, but their commanding officer was gone, while the battle was still raging in their immediate front. I caused the pieces and caissons to be drawn off and repaired. The action lasted some time, but the battery was not under fire more than an hour or an hour and a quarter.

The loss sustained in this engagement was 6 horses killed, 1 man killed (Private James J. Atherton, Company D, Seventeenth Iowa Volunteers, who was on detached service in the battery), and 3 men slightly wounded.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. D. IMMELL,

Second Lieutenant, First Missouri Light Artillery,

Commanding Twelfth Wisconsin Battery.

Captain T. H. HARRIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 31.

Report of Colonel Nicholas Perczel, Tenth Iowa Infantry.

CAMP IN THE FIELD, September 21, 1862.

SIR: Agreeably to orders from General Sullivan, I advanced on September 19, at about 5 p. m., with my regiment and a section of the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery under Lieutenant Immell. After a short survey of our line of battle I took position with seven companies a cheval on the Iuka road about a quarter of a mile ahead of our left wing. Sent three companies to the right into a dense wood; then I put my two pieces into position and threw a few shells in an oblique direction where I discovered the rebel lines. My three companies in the woods reported a full brigade of the rebels advancing on our left wing, on which I withdrew them, and leaving only one company for the observation of the enemy I changed front perpendicular to our line of battle on the Iuka road. I planted my two pieces anew and thus obtained a dominating flanking position. Being on a ridge I could watch the enemy's movements, who had to cross a broken open field in order to attack our forces. They soon emerged from the woods, opened a heavy fire, and advanced on our lines. Their fire was returned, and I too opened with musketry and canister. The rebels wavered, fell back a little, but were soon rallied by an officer on a gray horse, and advanced again, nothing daunted by our fire, which made great havoc in their ranks. They followed our left wing into the woods and for a short while there was no enemy in our sight; but suddenly a full regiment marched out from the woods on their side, offering their right flank to my fire, with the evident intention to advance for the support of their forces already engaged. I opened instantly with canister and musketry, on which they fell back to the woods, formed there parallel to my regiment, advanced to the edge of the woods, and commenced a brisk fire. We replied vividly. They attempted twice to advance, but were driven back each time. We had the advantage of the ground. Our fire told fearfully upon them, while we suffered next to nothing. Their fire, up a steep hill, had been altogether too high. In the mean time the battle, wavering to and for and apparently approaching the Iuka road, which was our only road of retreat, I got a little alarmed lest the pieces under my charge should be cut off in case we should be compelled to fall back. At this time one of General Hamilton's aides-de-camp rode up, inquir-