I saw the necessity of holding my position, with or without support, until the right was successful or compelled to retire, and I determined to do so. If I had been driven back the Seventeenth Brigade would have been cut off from the main body and in my judgment irretrievably lost. During this part of the engagement Colonel Scribner informed me that the regiment on the right was not firing. I sent Lieutenant Spencer, my aide, to inquire the cause and to ascertain what regiment it was. On his return he informed me that it was the Tenth Ohio, and that Colonel Lytle said that they were reserving their fire. Half an hour afterward I sent to Colonel Lytle, informing him that I had been compelled to withdraw the Tenth Wisconsin for want of ammunition. The withdrawal of this regiment left an interval of 200 yards on the left of the Thirty-eighth Indiana. In the mean time the Fifteenth Kentucky and Third Ohio, which were on the extreme right, were compelled to retire. Colonel Scribner now informed me that they had exhausted their ammunition and were using the ammunition of the dead and wounded. My aide that I sent after support and ammunition informed me that no support could be had and that ammunition was some distance to the rear. The only aide I now had with me having had his horse shot under him, I rode over to Colonel Lytle and informed him of the condition of things. Upon my return to the Thirty-eighth Indiana I found they had exhausted the cartridges of the dead and wounded. Colonel Scribner then directed his men to fix bayonets and hold the position, which was promptly done. Without a round of ammunition, under a heavy fire in front and an enfilading fire from the artillery, they held their position for twenty-five minutes. Seeing the hopelessness of longer attempting to hold the position I gave the order to retire, which was done in perfect order. I had not fallen back more than 100 yards when a tremendous fire from a column of infantry, which had turned the right flank of the Tenth Ohio, was poured in upon their left and my retiring column.

I retired the woods in the rear of the corn field, where I met the Thirty-third Ohio, who had just replenished their cartridges. I directed Major Lock, who was commanding, to place them in position parallel to the fence separating the woods from the corn field, and at right angles to the road and immediately opposite the white house, directing them to hold the enemy in check until the Thirty-eighth Indiana and Third Ohio were supplied with cartridges. The Tenth Ohio came up at this moment, under the command of the gallant Colonel Burke, and took position on the left of the Thirty-third Ohio. At this time the Second Ohio were warmly engaged with the enemy on our then left, stubbornly falling back, and husbanding their ammunition, which was nearly exhausted. I also met the gallant and lamented Colonel Webster rallying a regiment of his brigade which was in confusion. I assisted him, and as soon as order was restored requested him to form in the rear of the Thirty-third and Tenth Ohio Regiments, so that the balance of my command might supply themselves with ammunition. This he promptly did. At this moment I again met General Rousseau riding among and encouraging the soldiers.

As soon as the Second and Third Ohio, the Thirty-eighth Indiana, and the Tenth Wisconsin were supplied with ammunition I formed them into line to cover the retiring of the Thirty-third and Tenth Ohio and that portion of Webster's command engaged, directing the Tenth Wisconsin to move obliquely to the right, to support a battery engaged to the right of the road. From this point by your orders I retired the line about 100 yards, when I met and attached to my command the