Captain Cockerill during the afternoon was ordered to the front, and he took a position in the corn-field on the left of the woods, where the enemy was making such desperate attempts to force back the left. At this place Captain Cockerill was severely wounded in the foot, and the command of the battery devolved upon Lieutenant Osburn. Two guns of this battery were disabled from their own firing, the axles being too weak. One of the limbers of this battery was blown up during the day. Lieutenant Parsons, commanding Batteries H and M, Fourth Artillery, was ordered up to support the left about 4 p.m., and took a position in rear of the woods near the railroad, and after he had expended all his ammunition I sent Captain Swallow's (Seventh Indiana) battery to replace him. These batteries did much to repel the enemy, as he advanced with the evident determination to drive us back at all hazards, if possible.

During the night the batteries were resupplied with ammunition, and I directed them to take positions as follows, before daylight, viz: Lieutenant Livingston (Third Wisconsin), commanding ford on the extreme left; Captain Swallow (Seventh Indiana) on his right near the railroad; Lieutenant Stevens (Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania) also near railroad, but on the left of Captain Swallow. The batteries of the First Division between the railroad and the pike. Captain Bradley (Sixth Ohio) on the left; Captain Cox (Tenth Indiana) on the right, and Lieutenant Estep (Eighth Indiana) in the center. The Second Division batteries near the pike, in reserve.

During the morning Lieutenant Livingston was directed to cross the river; he was assigned a position by Colonel Beatty, and Captain Swallow took his place commanding the ford. Lieutenant Parsons was ordered to a position on General Rousseau's front by General Rosecrans, and Captain Cox was moved across the pike, near the Board of Trade Battery, to support the right of his division, which had moved its right to that point. After dark, Captain Standart was ordered to relieve the Board of Trade Battery. No firing, except now and then a shell at the enemy's pickets was fired, during the day.

January 2, early in the forenoon, the enemy opened his batteries, first upon our left, which was not responded to, their shot and shell doing no harm. They then opened more furiously upon the troops and batteries near the railroad and pike. Several of our batteries replied and soon silenced them. When the enemy had nearly ceased firing, the Board of Trade Battery (Captain Stokes) opened with canister upon Captain Bradley's battery and Colonel Harker's brigade, wounding several men and horses.

Captain Standart, with three pieces, Captain Bradley, Sixth Ohio, and Lieutenant Estep, Eighth Indiana, retired a short distance to fit up, they having received more or less injury from the enemy. Captain Bradley fell back on account of being fired into by Captain Stokes. He returned to his former position after a little while, but Captain Standart and Lieutenant Estep remained in reserve. I then ordered Lieutenant Parsons, with Batteries H and M, Fourth Artillery, to a position on the ridge, to the right of Captain Swallow (who was on the highest point of the ridge covering the ford), and Lieutenant Osburn, Battery F, First Ohio, to a position perhaps 100 yards to the right of Lieutenant Parsons. During the afternoon Colonel Beatty changed the position of Lieutenant Livingston's (Third Wisconsin) battery to near the hospital, across the river.

About 4 p.m., while riding along the pike with General Crittenden, we heard heavy firing of artillery and musketry on the left. We at