enemy's fire. The following is a list of the casualties in the regiment.* The smallness of the number is attributable to the fact that my men received the heaviest fire of the enemy lying down. The prisoners taken by the regiment were sent to the rear in charge of stragglers. No account was taken of them.

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

GEORGE W. VAN BEEK,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Colonel S. G. HILL,

Commanding Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRTY-THIRD MISSOURI INFANTRY VOLS., Vicksburg, Miss., May 29, 1864.

SIR: In pursuance of orders received, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Thirty-third Missouri Infantry Volunteers in the battle of the 18th instant at Bayou De Glaize: At about 9 a. m. I received orders to move from the position I then occupied, viz, in rear of the levee on Avoyelles Bayou, and take a position in the center of the field, in front of Fort Carroll and on the left of Battery M, First Missouri Light Artillery. I remained in this position about half an hour, when it was ascertained that the enemy were advancing in force with a number of pieces of artillery, and I was again ordered to move forward and take position on the right of the Third Brigade and in the edge of the woods. At this juncture I was ordered to send forward four companies as skirmishers. I accordingly sent Companies C, D, E, and G, with orders for E and G to advance and ascertain the position of the enemy and C and D to deploy to the right along the bayou, to prevent the enemy's sharpshooters from getting a flank fire upon us. The enemy on meeting our skirmishers in front of our line threw a heavy force against them, compelling them to fall back. At this time I received orders to charge the enemy, who were now pouring a heavy and destructive fire of musketry and artillery upon us, which I did successfully, driving the enemy entirely out of the timber and compelling them to fall back upon their reserves, which were stationed midway of an open field and in rear of a sugar-mill and buildings of the plantation. Upon arriving at the field I received orders to fall back, under cover of the timber, and reform. This being accomplished, I was ordered to fall back to my first position in rear and on the edge of the above-mentioned timber. All this was accomplished under a heavy fire of the enemy's artillery. In the charge my regiment lost quite a number wounded. The enemy seeing us fall back again advanced upon our lines, assisted by fresh troops, and a second time caused our skirmishers to fall back. At this juncture I was again ordered to charge the enemy and if possible dislodge them, although the fire was very severe. I again charged with the brigade, again compelling the enemy to retire, which they did in a confused and disorganized mass, leaving behind them their dead and wounded and many prisoners in our possession. Owing to a misunderstanding of orders received I continued charging across the open field, and had advanced about 150 yards into the field, when I received orders to fall back and reform under cover of the woods. My loss

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*Nominal list (omitted) shows 3 killed, 12 wounded, and 1 missing.

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22 R R-VOL XXXIV, PT I