end of Johnston's plantation on Yazoo River, and bivouacked for the night upon the bank.

Agreeably to Orders, Number -, on Saturday morning, the 27th, at 5 o'clock, I was in readiness to march with two day's cooked rations in haversacks, the same order directing me to follow De Courcy's brigade thirty minutes after his rear left the ground. I did so, and kept within supporting distance of him throughout the day, and at night again bivouacked, the men resting upon their arms.

Early on the next morning, the 28th, the firing becoming in front, I at once advanced my command to within easy supporting distance of the advance brigade and remained in position ready for action at a moment's notice, keeping at the same time a strong line of skirmishers on my right flank. At 10 a. m., received orders to that effect, I advanced the Third kentucky Regiment and placed it on the right of De Courcy's line, then engaged with the enemy. Soon after this I received orders to send three companies of skirmishers into the woods across the bayou, upon the left of De Courcy. I immediately sent three companies from the Forty-ninth Indiana Regiment as skirmishers, supported by two companies from the same regiment. Hearing them hotly engaged soon after entering the woods, and asking permission and obtaining it, I sent the remaining five companies of the regiment to their support.

This regiment passing entirely from under my personal observation during the remainder of this day, I refer to the reports of Colonel James Keigwin, commanding Forty-ninth Indiana, and Colonel Sheldon, who, with one of his own regiment, had gone to the support of Colonel Keigwing, and both of whom spears of the acting of officers and men in the highest terms of praise.

With the remaining two regiment of my brigade I was ordered to follow De Courcy, who was charging the woods immediately in front. I did so and came under raking fire from the enemy's batteries, to avail which I deployed my command to the right of the dike, over which we were then marching in column. Finding De Courcy harassed from the enemy's skirmishers on the right I immediately waded the lagoon intervening between the ground occupied by him and myself, and with Third Kentucky Regiment cleared the woods to the bayou at the foot of the enemy's works on our right, and there rested on our arms for the night.

The following morning, the 29th, Captain Patterson's corps of engineers, assisted by a detachment from the One hundred and fourteenth Ohio Regiment, attempted to place a pontoon brigade across the bayou in my front, but were driven from the undertaking by a hot fire of musketry and shell from the enemy's rifle-pits and batteries, two of the latter having been erected during the provisions night. Receiving notice at this time that there would be a general advance along the whole line and hearing the signal for the same, I moved forward with my whole command (the Forty-ninth Indiana Regiments having report back to me during the previous night) and with the Fourth Ohio Battery, which proved to be short of shell, I opened a heavy fire upon enemy, under which Captain Patterson, again, assisted by a company from the One hundred and fourteenth Ohio Regiment, reattempted to construct the pontoon bridge over the bayou; but, notwithstanding our was incessant and well directed, the enemy, with a battery and rifle-pit (until then not discovered), succeeded in frustrating the attempt, but not until six boats were properly placed and floored.

Learning at this time the charge of De Courcy upon the enemy's