and right, soon silencing the enemy's fire, when, finding that we had no support on either flanks or rear we again withdrew to the rising ground between the pike and railroad. We then were ordered by Captain Mendenhall to take position across the pike, near the old log-house in our extreme front, having to guard against the enemy's advance up the pike and from the woods on our right, from which a continued fire of musketry annoyed us. At the same time a battery opened upon us from the brick house near the pike, injuring on of our trails and limber,to which we replied until our long-range ammunition,the supply of which was small, was exhausted, when I had the smooth-bores withdrawn and took a position to rake the pike with canister, in case the enemy advanced, and kept the two rifles in the advance until night, when the whole battery was withdrawn about 500 yards to the rear, and supplied with ammunition.

On the morning of January 1, by your order, we took position on the left of the railroad and at a right angle with it the Sixth Ohio Battery on our left. We did no firing that day, with the exception of a few shots in the morning thrown at the woods in our front,and kept in position ready for action in that vicinity nearly the whole day; at night went into park in rear of the log-house near the railroad.

At sunrise on the morning of January 2, we were saluted with a shower of solid balls from the enemy's batteries, falling in too close a vicinity to be agreeable. We mounted quickly and took position on the left of the railroad,on a small rise commanding the approach of the enemy in our front. Captain Mendenhall then ordered us to the front, to take a position commanding the open field to the left of the railroad. During the forenoon we were several times saluted with shots from the battery of the enemy planted in the woods beyond the opening in our front,to which we remained silent until near noon, when skirmishers of the Fifty-first Indiana, which supported us on the right, advanced across the opening and drove the enemy's pickets, when the enemy opened upon them with canister, at the same time upon us with solid shot. Our skirmishers falling back, we opened with solid shot, when the battery became silent, and remained so until 3 p.m., when it again opened, and, shortly after, heavy musketry was heard upon our left; we opened at the battery in our front, when it became silent.

When we saw the enemy advancing upon our left wing across the river, and our men falling back, we changed front, firing to the left,and opened a cross-fire on them and continued it until our forces in their front compelled them to fall back beyond our range. We remained in position until 9 p.m., when we ascertained that our supports on our flanks had been withdrawn without we being notified of the fact; and no pickets in front between us and the enemy's lines, I withdrew the battery to the rear of the infantry and parked.

On the morning of January 3 we returned to our position of the previous day, support having returned, where we remained until 3 p.m., when we were ordered across and took the place occupied by the Third Wisconsin Battery, where we remained until near midnight, when we were ordered to recross the river, which we did, and parked on the ground we now occupy. We expended about 1,650 rounds of ammunition,lost 7 horses, 2 men killed and 7 wounded, a few small-arms, and a large quantity of clothing, camp and garrison equipage.

Yours, respectfully,

A. J. STEVENS,

First Lieutenant, Commanding Battery.

Capt. G. B. SWALLOW,

Chief of Artillery, 3rd Div., Left Wing, 14th Army Corps.