The two exposed regiments fell into temporary disorder; but, running among them myself and bravely seconded by their officers they were soon rallied and charged the enemy together. At the same instant the Eleventh Missouri and the Twenty-seventh Ohio rushed upon the enemy at a run without firing, and the hill was cleared in an instant, the enemy leaving the ditch and grounds covered with his dead and wounded. Many threw down their arms and called for quarter. The old soldiers of the First Infantry quit their cannon and picked up their old trusty muskets and prevented the enemy crossing the parapet with the bayonet. The enemy was repulsed an the fight was over. The acting brigadier-general (Rogers), who led the charge of the enemy, was dead near the ditch. Instant measures were taken to receive another attack of the enemy should he be disposed to renew it; but, excepting an occasional displey of skirmishers advancing on us, nothing was seen of the enemy until his blowing up ammunition showed great disadvantage, as the enemy had it in his power to deploy a long line of battle upon the crest opposite, having a concentric fire upon the very key of my position. Yet I could not form upon the occupy the ridge, since by so doing I would have been in the way of my own artillery fire, and if pushed back must have passed through single defile.

My men needed respite. For two days they had but a very scant allowance of water, and when the excitement of battle was over they lay down exhausted on the ground.

I fell it a duty here to go outside my proper official report to pay a last tribute to the gallant dead of my division. Among the first to fall in the battle of the 3rd was Colonel Thrush, of the Forty-seventh Illinois, gallantly cheering on his men. Called from civil lief to the battle-field, he had by his industry and intelligence mastered his new profession, and had formed a fine and gallant regiment. Personally he was endeared to all who knew him. Soon in the battle of the 4th Colonel J. L. Kirby Smith fell with a mortal wound. I have not woads to describe the qualities of this model soldier or to express the loss we have sustained in his death. The best testimony I can give to his memory is the spectacle I witnessed myself, in the very moment of battle, of stern, brave men weeping as children as the wood passed "Kirby Smith is deadly" by his did fell his constant companion and adjutant, accomplished young Heyl.

In my military family I suffered an irreparable loss in the death of Captain W. D. Colman, assistant adjutant-general, a soldier by nature, a man of rare habits of industry and application, having one thought highly prized beyond all else, viz, duty. He had gone through all the battles from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico to fall at last by the hands of his false countrymen.

Inclosed please find lists of killed, wounded, and missing.*

A special report will be made of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers specially commended to the general commanding. A report of the pursuit of the enemy will also be forwarded. In my main report I take occasion to thank my brigade commanders, Colonel Fuller and Mower; Colonel Sprague, Sixty-third Ohio; Colonel Swayne, Forty-third Ohio; Colonel Noyes, Thirty-ninth Ohio; Colonel Hubbard, Fifty Minnesota; Major Spaulding, Twenty-seventh Ohio, and Major Weber, young and gallant; Major Gillmore, Twenty-sixth Illinois, and Colonel Robbins and Major Jefferson, Eighth Wisconsin; Captains Maurice and Spoor, and Lieutenant Lamberg, commanding batteries.

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*Embodied in revised statement, p. 173.

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