success each time. At this juncture Lieutenant-Colonel Shaffer arrived upon the field with his command. I ordered him to dismount his men; to hold one company in reserve; to send one company forward to our extreme right, and to take position with the rest of his force on our extreme left, Company G, Merrill's Horse, under Lieutenant Peckham, was sent forward to the right. I am not advised of the order in which the other companies were formed on the left. I know, however, that all the companies moved promptly and eagerly to their positions. I here called upon Major Clopper, Merrill's Horse, to act as aide (not having had so much as an orderly after the fall of my chief bugler), which he id during the rest of the engagement, rendering me efficient and valuable assistance.

During the time occupied in making these dispositions the battle continued with unabated vigor. Some of the companies, in their eagerness to get into position on the left, exposed themselves greatly. Among them Company K, Merrill's Horse, and in consequence suffered seriously. Lieutenant Myers fell at this point covered with wounds, from which he has since died. He bore himself nobly and fell in front of his company. The companies however, without faltering, reached their positions. Just at this time a circumstance occurred which for a moment occasioned some confusion. The cry was raised on the left of the center that they were being fired upon by our own men upon the extreme left. It was kept up so persistently that I ordered the companies upon the left to cease firing. It soon proved, however, to be a mistake, and we went on again with the work. I now ordered an advance along our whole line, which was promptly responded to, and with steady step the enemy driven back. Tired of crawling though the brush, and catching the enthusiasm as they moved, the whole line, raising a wild shout of triumph, rushed upon the enemy, completely routing and driving him from the field.

I immediately ordered two companies mounted and sent in pursuit. They soon found the enemy's camp, but he had fled, leaving his only wagon and a few horses. It was now 4 p. m., the action having begun at 12 m., the men not having had food or water since morning. The day was one of the very hottest of the season; the battle-field in a dense, unbroken forest, and the undergrowth so thick as to render it impossible in many places to see a man the distance of 30 feet. Many of the men were almost famished with thirst and exhausted from fatigue and the extreme heat. These circumstances induced me (much against my will) to defer farther pursuit until morning.

Thus terminated the battle of Moore's Mill, brought on and sustained for more than an hour by a force of less than one-third that of the enemy, terminating in his utter and rout by a force largely inferior in numbers; that, too, upon a field of his own choosing, as strong and as well selected as nature could afford. The enemy's force numbered over 900. They were posted behind logs and trees, under cover of brush, so perfectly concealed and protected that you were compelled to approach within a few steps of them before they could be seen. The battle occurred about 1 mile west of the Auxvasse, and about the same distance south of Moore's Mill, from which it takes its name.

Of the conduct of officers and men I cannot speak in terms of too high commendation. Where every man discharged his whole duty it would seem invidious to discriminate. It is enough to say that with such officers and men I should never feel doubtful of the result upon an equal field.

The following is a summary of our loss: Third Iowa Cavalry, killed 2,