about 23 miles and encamped on the Big Muddy that night. The squadron of cavalry attached to my command, under Major Hayes, had a slight skirmish near Middleton, in which one or two were wounded.

The next morning, Sunday, the First Brigade, being in the rear, moved forward about 10 o'clock toward Davis' Bridge, on the Hatchie River. I soon heard the report of artillery and knew that the Second Brigade had met the rebels. At this time I received your order to move forward quickly and throw out flanking regiments to the right and left of the road (which was done by placing the Thirty-second Illinois on the right of the road and the Third Iowa on the left) and to move briskly forward with the balance of my command. I immediately ordered up the Twenty-eighth and Fifty-third Illinois Regiments, and reported to Major-General Ord at the bridge, who at once ordered me to cross the bridge and take position on the right of the road. Here we found a portion of the Second Brigade, which had preceded us, and were in some confusion. This to some extent checked our advance, but only for a moment. We were here assailed by a murderous fire of shell, canister, and grape; but the men withstood it without once faltering, and continued to advance through the thicket by the river bank until the nature of the ground enabled them to deploy into line, when they moved forward up the hill and drove the rebels from their position on the ridge. In the mean time the Thirty-second Illinois and the Third Iowa Regiments were ordered from the position previously assigned them, and crossing the bridge, the Thirty-second joined me on the right, while the Third Iowa formed line of battle on the left of the road, and in conjunction with the other regiments moved steadily forward until the rebels were driven from their strong position on the hill and forced to beat a hasty retreat. Here I sent General Hurlbut word that the road was clear, when he immediately ordered Mann's and Spear's batteries to the front. They took position on the ground previously occupied by the rebel batteries and opened on them with telling effect, resulting in their precipitate retreat.

I cannot speak in terms of too high commendation of the officers and men of my command without a single exception. Exposed for hours to a murderous fire, and not being able, from the nature of the ground, to return it effectively, they maintained their ground without faltering or giving way for a single instant.

To Colonel Johnson, of the Twenty-eighth Illinois; Colonel John Logan, of the Thirty-second Illinois; to Captain McClanahan, of the Fifty-third Illinois, and Captain Trumbull, of the Third Iowa, who were in command of their respective regiments; Lieutenant-Colonel Ritter and Major Gillam, of the Twenty-eighth Illinois; Lieutenant-Colonel Hunter and Major English, of the Thirty-second Illinois, and Captain Earl, acting major of the Fifty-third Illinois; to Lieutenant Brotzmann and Lieutenant Burrows, commanding batteries, and in short to all the officers I tender my highest meed of approbation. Never did officers do better; never were men placed under more trying circumstances.

To Captain Scofield, my assistant adjutant-general, and to Lieutenant Frank J. Crawford, my aide, I tender my most sincere thanks for the valuable assistance they rendered me. I can truly say they were the right men in the right place all the time.

To Colonel Pugh, of the Forty-first Illinois, was assigned the highly important duty of protecting the train and covering our rear, and to him, his officers and men, belong an equal share of the glories of the day.

I herewith append the aggregate losses of my command in killed,