with two howitzers, and soon afterward the whole battery, was put in front of the brigade fired at the enemy with such good effect that his forces were compelled to retire into their fortifications after 80 shots thrown at the enemy by my battery, which then encamped on said gained battle ground during the following night.

On the morning of the 28th the battery, by order, command moving forward with the brigade, but soon afterward it was ordered to leave the brigade by General Blair for the support of General Morgan's divisions, and consequently was detailed to Captain Foster's artillery battalion of said division, with which it remained until 3 p. m. on December 31, and then, by order, rejoined your brigade for a secret expedition.

The narrative of the actions of the battery during the engagement, when detachment to General Morgan's division, forwarded to Brigadier-General Morgan, is as follows;

About 3 p. m. on December 28 the battery was stationed opposite Fort Morgan and ordered to shell the same. It continued its firing during the afternoon until dark and remained in its position during the night.

December 29, at 7 a. m. the battery, by order, reopened its firing at the fort and continued so, with small interruptions, until 2 p. m. About an hour afterward the battery was ordered by Colonel Lindsey to support him at the right flank of General Morgan's division. There it was exposed to a very heavy fire from the enemy's artillery and infantry. In sprite, however, of that heavy firing the battery could not be compelled to retreat, but on the contrary it gained ground yard by yard the cannoneers pulling the pieces forward and firing continually until the battery reached the bank of the bayou surrounding the fort and in that position the battery remained until 3 p. m. on December 31, when it was ordered to rejoin its brigade for the embarkment with General Steele's division.

In the above engagement, near the bayou, 2 cannoneers and 1 horse of the battery were slightly wounded.

The number of projectiles thrown by the battery on said occasion has not been ascertained yet.

In closing this statement I have to add that the officers as well as the men under my command by their gallant conduct the engagement have again, as on previous occasions, gained for themselves the name of brave soldiers.

I remain, sir, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

L HOFMANN,

Captain, Commanding Fourth Ohio Volunteer Battery.

Brigadier General E. P. BLAIR,

Commanding 1st Brigadier, 3rd Div., Right Wing, 13th Army Corps.

Numbers 15.

Report of Colonel Daniel W. Lindsey, Twenty-second Kentucky Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations December 26-30, 1862.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION, RIGHT WING, THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, January 1, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to submit, thought you, the following report on the action of my brigade from the 26th to the 30th ultimo:

As ordered, I landed my command on the 26th ultimo at the upper