cut about feet in depth, the bank of which formed a good shelter, their balls passing over our heads, many of them lodging in the opposite bank, so closely had they raked the ground. Seeing an attempt on the part of the enemy to move forward one of their batteries to a point on the railroad on our right from which they could open upon us an enfilading fire, I ordered the regiment to file into the dense woods in our rear by the flank, having cleared the attack in time to avoid a raking fire. I again formed a line of battle and marched to the rear under the incessant fire of their battery, whose firing had now become too high to do much damage. On arriving at the road we followed it to the left until our left arrived at a white house, situated on a road leading directly to the front. On this road the pickets of the enemy were posted in full view about 150 yards in front of us. In this position I deployed the regiment as skirmishers to the right and remained till morning.

On the morning of the 4th I marched to the left rear about 1 mile, and formed a line of battle immediately of the right of the Sixth Wisconsin Battery. At about 10 a. m. the firing of the skirmishers in front of us became rapid, and the advancing columns of the enemy soon drove them back; but they rallied to a point directly in front of our line, and until they had again retired to our rear I could not order my regiment to fire; but as soon as the space in front was cleared I gave the order to commence firing, which was kept up with spirit, but without very materially checking the advance of the enemy, who approached us in overwhelming numbers. My men had fired from 15 to 20 rounds, when I perceived that numbers of the enemy were passing around the right and getting in the rear of my line, and also that the battery on my left had been silenced and taken and the enemy pressing forward to the left of us. I ordered the regiment to fall back, which it did in good order, to a distance of about 70 yards, when I made a halt, facing about and again opening the fire; but being unable to retain this position I again ordered the regiment back under cover of the Twelfth Wisconsin and Powell's regular batteries. Passing to the rear in line of battle I halted at a position immediately between these batteries. I then marched forward and occupied the same ground from which I had retired during the action.

The casualties in the regiment were 6 men wounded on the first day, and 1 commissioned officer, 30 men wounded, and 3 killed on the second day.

During both days I was assisted in the field by Captain N. A. Holson, acting lieutenant-colonel, and Captain Jackson Orr, acting major, also William Manning, adjutant; who acted throughout with great coolness and courage and to whom much credit is due.

The line officers, without an exception, deported themselves with the greatest gallantry, and did much to accomplish our successful movements on the field in the presence of danger.

Upon the men of my command too much praise cannot be given for their endurance, courage, and strict obedience to orders under all circumstances.

Yours, respectfully,

NATHANIEL McCALLA,

Major, Commanding Tenth Iowa Regiment.

Brigadier General J. C. SULLIVAN,

Commanding Second Brigade, Third Division.