Much of the credit of this successful exploit is due to Lieutenant Colonel W. B. Keeler, commanding the Thirty-fifth Iowa Volunteers, and to Lieutenant Colonel W. H. Heath, commanding Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers, for their promptness in obeying orders, and their activity in bringing up their regiments promptly and in good order, notwithstanding the men were very much fatigued; also to Lieutenant H. Hoover, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant O. O. England, acting assistant inspector-general of this brigade, of their efficiency and promptness in dispatching orders and capturing prisoners.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. G. HILL,

Colonel Thirty-fifth Iowa Vols., Commanding Brigadier

Captain J. B. SAMPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS, Grand Ecore, La., April 13, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Third Brigade, First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, in the action at Pleasant Hill, La., on the 9th instant: At 3 p. m. this brigade, consisting of the Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers and the Thirty-fifth Iowa Volunteers (less three companies from each regiment detailed on picket duty in the rear), was ordered forward to take position in line of battle, the enemy in force at that time menacing our front lines, and ordered to take position on the left center, as reserves, between the Third Indiana Battery and the First Vermont Battery, and in the rear of the Eighty-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, then formed in line of battle on Pleasant Hill, in front of the woods, remaining in this position until 4.30 p. m. I received orders to form one regiment on the right of the Third Indiana Battery, to support the battery. The Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers was at once placed in this position, while the brigade was under a severe fire from the enemy, who had succeed in breaking the first line of battle in front and were rapidly advancing. The firing becoming still more severe, the men were ordered to lie down to prevent unnecessary loss of life. The enemy continued to press the retreating brigades of the first line so closely as to prevent their reforming their lines. At this juncture the brigade was ordered to rise up and advance on the enemy, who had by this time broken our second line of battle. Here Lieutenant Colonel William H. Heath, commanding the Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers, was severely wounded in the head while gallantly leading his command, and was compelled to leave the field, leaving Major George W. Van Beek in command. The brigade continued to advance, firing incessant and destructive volleys into the ranks of the enemy, who could no longer withstand the strong fire poured into them from our troops, began to waver, and were immediately charged very determinedly and compelled to fall back in great disorder, then followed closely by our troops. The Thirty-fifth Iowa soon encountered a large force of the enemy in a ravine thickly covered with bushes, and suffered severely from their fire, but they at once gallantly charged the enemy, killing and wounding many and capturing about 60 prisoners. The Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers were exposed to the fire of a four-gun battery