commanding; First Georgia Regulars, Captain H. A. Cannon, commanding; Sixty-fourth Georgia Volunteers, Colonel J. W. Evans commanding; First Florida Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel C. F. Hopkins commanding; Bonaud's battalion, Major A. Bonaud commanding, and Guerard's light battery, Captain John M. Guerard commanding, was drawn up in line of battle behind the intrenchments near Olustee Station about 10 a.m.

About 12 m. pursuant to instructions I sent forward the Sixty-fourth Georgia Volunteers, under Colonel Evans, and two companies (H and E) of Thirty-second Georgia Regiment, under Captain Mobley, to meet the enemy, then reported 3 miles in our front, with orders to engage, them lightly and fall back, with a view to draw them to our works. About one hour and a half later I advanced to the front with the remainder of my command (except First Florida Battalion) and Sixth Georgia Regiment (Colquitt's brigade), and one section of Guerard's battery, for the purpose of supporting Brigadier-General Colquitt, who was now in advance with a portion of his brigade and that portion of mine sent out at 12 m. I had advanced about a mile to the front when I received a message from General Colquitt to move up rapidly. I had scarcely put my command in the double-quick when the report of artillery in my front indicated that the fight had opened. Quickening our pace we moved on until within a few hundred yards of the place where the road we were upon crossed the railroad. Here I halted for a moment, but observing General Colquitt forming his line, and seeing the enemy's position across the railroad, who was then sweeping the front of my column with a battery in position near the cross-roads, I moved to the left in double-quick, crossed the railroad, and formed line of battle upon the left of that just established by General Colquitt.

About this time the engagement became general. In a few moments I was informed by one of General Colquitt's staff that I was in proper position. Being now at long range (300 yards) I advanced in conjunction with the right of the line to within about 200 yards of the enemy, who stubbornly stood their ground. In about this position the field the field was hotly contested by both parties for about an hour, when the enemy gave way slowly before the close pressure of our gallant men (it was during this, while riding with my staff down the line from the left toward the center, that my ordnance officer, Lieutenant R. F. Dancy, was instantly killed, and my aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Horace P. Clark, and one of my couriers had their horses shot under them); but soon a new line of the enemy appeared and our advance was checked. His resistance now seemed more stubborn than before for more than twenty minutes, when the enemy sullenly gave back a little apparently to seek a better position, but still held us at bay. Now the results of the day seemed doubtful. It was whispered down the line, particularly in Sixth and Thirty-second Georgia Regiments, that our ammunition was failing and no ordnance train in sight. This I immediately reported to General Colquitt, who urged that we hold our ground, stating that ammunition would certainly reach us directly. This, I am proud to say, was heroically complied with by my command, many of them for fifteen or twenty minutes standing their ground without a round of ammunition. Seeing the critical position of affairs. I dismounted myself, placed one of my staff whose horse had bee disabled upon mine, who, together with the remainder of my staff and couriers, was employed in conveying ammunition from a