troops (both officers and soldiers) was worthy of the highest commendations. All appeared to do their duty promptly and coolly, advancing with alacrity when necessary, retiring only when ordered, and then in good order, and promptly halting at the word to face-about and beat back the enemy; the men of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri standing together and bravely fighting side by side.

I respectfully refer to the reports of brigade and other subordinate commanders for further details, which it is impracticable to embody in a report of this nature, and also for notice of those who by good fortune and the chances of war as well as by personal merit became most conspicuous for good conduct in this battle.

I propose to make a special report upon this subject as soon as full reports from the several grades of commanders can be obtained. In the mean time a few cases will here be noticed that came under my own knowledge. All the commanders of brigades were active in the discharge of their duties. Colonel Allen, Sixteenth Wisconsin Volunteers, and Brigadier-General McArthur successively commanded the First Brigade with zeal and ability. Colonel J. M. Oliver, commanding the Second Brigade, which received the first attack of the enemy, is entitled to great credit. Charged with one of the most embarrassing duties that could be intrusted to an officer, that of opposing with energy the advance of an enemy and yet retiring slowly when overpowered, a task involving a tax at the same time been singularly felicitous in the discharge of that duty; a veteran could not have better or accomplished more. Colonel M. M. Crocker, commanding Third Brigade, is entitled to the highest credit for the skill and bravery with which he executed the various orders for his fine brigade, and especially for his gallant conduct in the engagement near Battery F. This brigade was previously well disciplined under his command and the care of the meritorious field officers of the several regiments. Captain Hickenlooper, Fifth Ohio Battery, acting chief of artillery for the division, on this as on former occasions showed himself a brave and skillful officer.

Of the field officers Major Reynolds, who commanded the Sixteenth Wisconsin Volunteers; Colonel Doran, who commanded the Seventeenth Wisconsin Volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel Malloy, of the same regiment; Colonel Moore, who lost a leg at Shiloh, and now commanded the Twenty-first Missouri Volunteers until he lost his horse; Major Moore, who afterward commanded the same regiment; Colonel Hancock, commanding Fourteenth Wisconsin Volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel Ward, of same regiment; Colonel Bouck, commanding Eighteenth Wisconsin Volunteers; Major Jackson, of the same regiment; Lieutenant-Colonel McDermott, commanding Fifteenth Michigan Volunteers; Captain Ault, commanding the battalion of the Eighteenth Missouri Volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, commanding Eleventh Iowa Volunteers; Major Abercrombie, of the same regiment, a veteran of the Mexican war and a survivor of the battle of Wilson's Creek; Lieutenant-Colonel Shane, who commanded the Thirteenth Iowa Volunteers; Major Van Hosen, of the same regiment; Colonel Reid, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, who was sick when the battle commenced, but was with his regiment at daylight on the 4th and remained in command until the regiment returned from the pursuit; Lieutenant-Colonel Belknap, who commanded the same regiment on the first day of the battle and displayed great coolness and bravery in the conflict near Battery F; Major Cunningham, of the same regiment, who was severely wounded;