a number of men were seen to drop as if killed or wounded, but to what extent the enemy suffered from our fire I cannot tell.

After the regiment opened fire not a man flinched. We held our position and advanced as far as there was cover for our men.

I have to regret the loss of Captain Thaddeus Lemert, of Company A, who was killed by a discharge of canister within 100 yards of the enemy's breastworks. Captain Lemert was as brave a man and as true a soldier as ever lived. His place in the regiment cannot be filled.

Capts. J. M. Jay and Joseph C. Wehrle; First Lieuts. John S. Anderson and Beverly W. Lemert; Second Lieutenant John M. Hart, and Lieutenant Colonel W. B. Woods were wounded, and 59 non-commissioned officers and soldiers killed and wounded.

I cannot speak too highly of the brave and gallant conduct of Lieutenant Colonel W. B. Woods, who was among the foremost in the charge, and who urged the men on, by his example, to deeds of bravery.

Adjutant Miller was also with the regiment and his conduct deserves the highest praise. Not having room to particularize, I will say that every officer and man who went into the battle did his whole duty to his country and to my satisfaction.

I herewith inclose a list of killed and wounded.*

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. R. WOODS,

Colonel Seventy-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

Captain F. M. CRANDAL,

A. A. G,2nd Brigadier,2nd Army Corps, Army of the Miss.

Number 31. Report of Brigadier General John M. Thayer, U. S. Army, commanding Third Brigade.

JANUARY 12, 1863.

CAPTAIN: My command disembarked from transports on the morning of the 10th. At dark, according to orders from General Steele, I moved around through an almost impassable swamp to a position on the right and above the fort, which we reached at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 11th. It was found impossible to get the wagons and artillery through in the night and I was compelled to leave them.

About noon my infantry moved forward into line of battle, the right resting on General Hovey's left. About this time my battery, the First Iowa, which had got through the swamp with great difficulty, came up and was placed in position on the right of my brigade. The action soon became general, the lines advancing. Owing to the thick underbrush and the want of space for a front of the brigade, I at first advanced in column of regiments, deploying them into line as fast as we could get a front. The Twenty-sixth Iowa, Colonel Smith, being on the left, gained an advanced position and did good execution. This regiment had 2 commissioned officers and 16 men killed, and 99 wounded, including Colonel Smith, who had to leave the field. The Thirtieth Iowa, Lieutenant-Colonel Torrence [Colonel Abbott being sick], also occupied an advanced position and was warmly engaged, supported by the Thirty-fourth Iowa Colonel Clark. The Fourth and Ninth Iowa, together

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*Embodied in revised statement, p.718.

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49 R R-VOL XVII