battery came to my assistance and enabled me, with the fire from the infantry, to drive the enemy back several hundred yards, but this only after he had offered stout resistance of about four hour's duration. As soon as I deemed in practicable to do so I advanced the brigade into the woods, and ordering a charge thought it the enemy was immediately driven out of it, and I placed the brigade in position in the woods and near the abatis, facing the works on the Chickasaw Bluffs.

The casualties this day were as follows: The Sixteenth Ohio, 30 killed and wounded; Twenty-second Kentucky, 2 men wounded Forty-second Ohio, 31 killed and wounded, Forty-fourth Indiana, 30 killed and wounded; Lanphere's battery, 2 men wounded, 2 horses killed

and 3 wounded. Lieutenant Stein, my acting assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant Thomas, acting aide-de-camp, on my staff, had their horses wounded.

Your, respectfully,

JOHN F. DE COURCY,

Colonel, Commanding Third Brigade.

Lieutenant SAUNDERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

DECEMBER 29, 1862.

SIR: At about 11 o'clock this day I received the order to prepare to advance with my brigade and attack the works on the Chickasaw Bluffs on my front. I formed the brigade in the following order: The Twenty-second Kentucky and Fifty-fourth Indiana deployed in line of battle (the former on the right), the Sixteenth Ohio and Forty-second Ohio in rear double column: the Sixteenth Ohio supported the Fifty-fourth Indiana and the Forty-second Kentucky.

At ten minutes before 12 o'clock the order to advance was given and the Twenty-second and Forty-second Regiments found themselves immediately engaged under a hot fire in the toils of a nearly impassable abatis of heavy timber. But the gallant labor of these regiments was of no avail for the object in view, as I found that a deep and wide to tram ease before reaching the base of the enemy's works. By theirs time the Sixteenth Ohio, Fifty-fourth Indiana, and a part of the Twenty-second Kentucky, having a much easier and less encumbered ground to march over, had dashed across the bayou on their front, and by a road had marched up to and deployed on the open ground which sloped up to the works which were to attack. This attack they began immediately, in spelended style, and nearly accomplished their object, notwithstanding the immense and fearfully-destructive fire which poured in from front, left, left, right, and even rear, for as soon as these regiments had advanced a few hundred yards the works the enemy opened with a battery in rear of the left of their left of their advance.

Seeing that I could not cross the bayou at the point which the Twenty-second Kentucky and Forty-second Ohio had reached I ordered a flank movemed by the left thought the abatis, and as fast as it was possible and with hearty cheers these regiment moved to the support of the Sixteenth and Fifty-fourth which were just beginning their charge. In short the abatis was recrossed, the bayou passed over, and the head of the column emerged on the open ground; too late however, to afford support or assist in the desperate charge. Notwith