having fired upon them after he had received his mortal wound. No better blood ever stained a battle-field. It would afford me pleasure to allude to the many acts of gallantry and courage of my officers and men. They did their duty and did it well. I congratulate you upon your success in disposing of the various regiments upon the field and your final success in the narrow escape through the heavy fire of the enemy, and trust that you may soon recover from the wounds received on that memorable day. I append a list of killed and wounded of my regiment as near as can now be ascertained.*

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

JOHN R. MAHAN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Fifty-fifth Regiment.

Brigadier-General MANSON.

No. 7.

Report of Brigadier General Charles Cruft, U. S. Army, commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE GENERAL NELSON'S COMMAND,
In the Field, near Louisville, Ky., September 5, 1862.

CAPTAIN: The following report of the operations of the Second Brigade of General Nelson's command in the battles near Richmond, Ky., on the 29th and 30th ultimo, is herewith submitted:

The brigade consisted of four regiments and a battalion of volunteer infantry and a volunteer battery, as follows, to wit: The Eighteenth Kentucky Volunteers, Colonel W. A. Warner; Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteers, Colonel McMillen; Twelfth Indiana Volunteers, Colonel Link; Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteers, Major Morrison; battalion of Third Tennessee Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Chiles; Andrews' Michigan battery, Lieutenant Hale. The effective strength of the brigade on the morning of the 30th ultimo was 3,085.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, the 26th ultimo, I was assigned to the command of the brigade. It was bivouacked a short distance from the town of Richmond, in a line of battle, which extended from the Irving turnpike, across the State road leading to Cumberland Gap, to the edge of the woods west of the cemetery. The men were all fresh recruits, except the Eighteenth Kentucky, which had seen no field service, very little drill, and was now, for the first time

since its formation, collected as a regiment. The men knew nothing of the duties or habits of soldiers. Most of them had been less than a fortnight away from their homes. They could but indifferently execute some of the simplest movements in the manual of arms, but knew nothing whatever of company or battalion drill. Both officers and men were earnest and brave, but wholly inexperienced and untrained. There were no regular camps; neither had the men any of the ordinary camp equipage or conveniences. They were lying exposed to the hot sun by day and heavy dews by night, without the means of instruction or improvement in any way. One regiment had no field officers yet appointed, and, save the exception above noticed, all were but a mere collection of citizens, hastily assembled, armed, and thrown together without the least knowledge

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*Nominal list omitted shows 12 killed, 46 wounded, and 2 missing; but see revised statement, p.909.

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