dark. Captain Green discovered the enemy advancing in force slowly down the river bank, and immediately opened fire upon him, and stubbornly resisted him until stricken down by a minie ball. His company fell back, bearing his body with them. The enemy pursuing, charged up the street. Captains Stamps, Sims, and Gibson opened a galling fire upon him and drove him off the streets up toward the pontoon bridge, and held him in check until about 7 o'clock, when I was ordered bridge, and held him in check until about 7 o'clock, when I was ordered to withdraw my troops from the city and form a line of battle at the foot of the hill on the Telegraph road, where I remained until I was relieved by the gallant and lamented General Cobb, when I moved back to camp.

During the whole day we were exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy's batteries posted on the opposite heights, sheltering ourselves as best we could behind houses, fences, &c. The officers and men obeyed every order with promptness and alacrity, and maintained every position with a firmness and constancy worthy of all praise.

The Twenty-first Regiment lost during the day 8 killed, 25 wounded, 13 missing.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BENJ. G. HUMPHREYS,

Colonel, Commanding Twenty-first Regiment Mississippi Volunteers.

Brigadier General WILLIAM BARKSDALE,

Commanding Third Brigade.

No. 287. Report of Major D. N. Moody, Right Wing, Twenty-first Mississippi Infantry.

[DECEMBER -, 1862.]

SIR: In compliance with your order, on the morning of December 11, I took command of the right wing of the Twenty-first Regiment, composed of the following companies: Company A, Lieutenant [W.] Wolcott; Company C, Lieutenant [J. J.] Lengsfield; Company H, Lieutenant [S. B.] Bryan; Company F, Captain [William H.] Fitz Gerald; Company G, Captain [William H.] Dudley, and moved to the support of Captain [A. R.] Govan, of the Seventeenth Mississippi Regiment, who was holding the enemy in check at the bridge at the lower portion of the town. Immediately upon arriving, I ordered Company G to his support, but found that he had all the men he could use to advantage. This wing remained in line in the road about 100 yards in the rear of Captain Govan's position, unprotected, from 4 a.m. until 1 p.m. The dense fog which had before concealed us from the enemy then cleared, and they concentrated their fire upon this wing. I immediately ordered the command to retire about 300 yards out of range of the enemy's fire.

About 4 p.m. Captain Govan sent to me for assistance. I ordered forward Companies C and F, which order was obeyed with promptness.

In the mean time Captain Govan received orders from General [William] Barksdale to retire. I then took position on the railroad, a short distance in the rear, leaving two companies at the deep cut on the road, and the other three I stationed near the Telegraph road, within supporting distance, and remained in this position until ordered by you about 10 p.m. to return to camp.

You, sir, have every reason to be proud of this wing. From 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. they were exposed to the hottest fire I ever witnessed, and I saw