teer Infantry, and Ninety-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being in the front line, and Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteers and Seventy-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the second line. Moving forward in line of battle, the brigade came in front of Overton Knob, an eminence the enemy had fortified with breast-works, abatis, &c., and upon which he had in position a battery. Halting 600 yards from the knob, the Ninety-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry was moved to the right of the pike, and the Sixth Ohio Battery placed in position to fire upon the knob. The brigade lay here some time, the artillery firing on the enemy's works in front. At length Colonel Post, commanding brigade, was ordered to assault the knob, Colonel Straight's [First] brigade to support him. The Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry was deployed as skirmishers, and moved forward with orders to push as far up as possible, the enemy having showed few indications of a strong line in the works. The Ninety-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry was moved back to the left of the pike, closing upon the One hundred and twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was designated as the battalion of direction. The skirmishers moved steadily forward to the edge of the woods covering the side of the knob, and then rapidly up its side, encountering, when a short distance from the enemy's works, a formidable abatis, while at almost the same moment the enemy was seen to move into his works a well-closed line of battle, which immediately opened a furious fire. The brigade in the meantime had followed closely upon the skirmishers, the two lines moving up in splendid order until receiving the heavy fire of the enemy, and then charging with spirit. The enemy, however, bravely defended his works his infantry firing rapidly and low, while his battery swept the hillside with canister. The second line [Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteers and Seventy-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry] came up promptly, and made a desperate effort to push on over the works. Two men from the Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, with a skirmisher from the Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, actually accomplished the feat, but after holding the ground some minutes, during which time many valuable officers were lost, the brigade, with Colonel Straight's, which came up as support, was compelled to fall back to the position from which it had started.

During this last movement a staff officer from the division commander informed me I was in command of the brigade, and directed me to form it in rear of Colonel Knefler's line. I know of no straggling to the rear, at this time or any other, during the two days' operations.

The brigade had suffered heavily. Colonel Post, the brigade commander, was seriously wounded while urging on the men, and his horse was killed almost at the same moment. Lieutenant Clark, Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant Cobb, Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, picket officer, both of Colonel Post's staff, were severely wounded. The gallantry of Major Dawson [General Wood's staff], who rode with the front line, and was wounded while endeavoring to penetrate the enemy's abatis, was particularly remarked. Lieutenant-Colonel Hart, commanding Seventy-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, also fell severely wounded at this point, Captain Mennet, Lieutenants Mossman, Anderson, Gooding, and Irvine, Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, wounded, and Captain Knight, same regiment, killed;* Lieutenant and Adjutant Dempsey, Lieutenant

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*A mistake as to Knight; he was wounded. Lieutenant Gooding, of Knight's company, was killed.

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20 R R-VOL XLV, PT I