line was pushed forward a few hundred yards in advance, and was immediately engaged with the enemy's skirmishers. At about 4 p.m. Major-General Wilson, accompanied by Brigadier-General Long, came forward to my skirmish line; after examining the grounds for a few moments General Wilson ordered an assault. The First Brigade was now moved to my right and my skirmishers from that direction were drawn in. By direction of General Long I left one regiment, the Fourth Michigan, to support the Chicago Board of Trade Battery. The Third Ohio was still protecting the led animals, and was at this moment skirmishing with Chalmers' advance. This left me but two regiments for the assault, numbering in all 33 officers and 671 men. At about 5 p.m. the order was given to advance; the men moved forward with enthusiasm and kept a perfect line until their left struck a swamp, in which they were almost knee-deep. This threw the right considerably in advance. The left of the First Brigade came forward in the same manner, and as I afterward learned, from the same cause, swamp in front of the outer flank; thus the right of the Fourth Ohio and the left of the One hundred and twenty-third Illinois gained the works first, the flanks sweeping forward as if the movement had been that of individual echelon. Corporal Booth, Company A, Fourth Ohio, was the first man inside the works. He was almost immediately after shot through the head. The works at the point of assault consisted of a breast-work or parapet from six to eight feet high, with a ditch about five feet deep, in front of which there was a well-built palisade stretching along the entire line. After entering the works we pushed up the line to the left cleaning the rebels out of the bastions, in which we captured a considerable amount of artillery, until arriving opposite the fort near the cotton-gin, which formed a portion of the inner line of works. This was immediately assaulted and carried. Three field pieces were captured in this work. Here we again turned to the left and attacked and carried the works on the Plantersville road, capturing five pieces of artillery, one of them a 30-pounder Parrott. At this point I collected and reformed my command, and at about 11 p.m. bivouacked between the lines of works. As before stated, the number engaged in the assault was 33 officers and 671 men. Of these 9 officers and 114 men were killed and wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel Dobb, commanding Fourth Ohio, was, I regret to say, killed, and Colonel McCormick, commanding Seventh Pennsylvania, was severely wounded. Each officer and soldier performed his duty well and nobly. It is therefore difficult for me to make special mention of any. The gallant Corporal Booth, of the Fourth Ohio, was the first man in the enemy's works, but he fell in the moment of victory, shot through the head. Captains Moore and Richardson, of the Fourth Ohio, were amongst the first to enter the works, and acted throughout with conspicuous gallantry. Major Burns, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, my acting assistant adjutant-general and Major Greeno, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, my acting assistant inspector-general, were also amongst the first to enter the works, and acted in the most gallant manner throughout the entire action. I strongly and earnestly recommend the four above-mentioned officers for brevet. Inclosed herewith I hand you sub-reports of regimental commanders, together with report of casualties.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBT. H. G. MINTY,

Colonel Fourth Michigan, Commanding Brigade.

Captain T. W. SCOTT,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Second Division, Cavalry Corps.