while I moved forward and formed on the left of the Fifty-eighth Illinois, when the whole line was halted. Skirmishers were thrown out in front and on the left to protect the flank, and the Ninth Indiana Battery was brought into position between the One hundred and nineteenth Illinois and the Eighty-ninth Indiana, and opened a heavy fire upon the enemy. But it was not long before the enemy got fine range on our battery, and put in several very close shots, which compelled us to change the position of the battery farther to the left, which was soon done and firing renewed from the guns. We soon ascertained that the shots fell short, doing no great damage to the enemy. During this time, however, the enemy was steadily advancing, the skirmishing becoming heavier. The enemy was gradually driving our skirmish line in, and advancing in overwhelming numbers. The order was passed to fix bayonets and charge the enemy.

In a moment the whole line was in motion, soon meeting the advancing foe, and pouring into his ranks a deadly fire as the men advanced on double-quick. With cheer upon cheer we advanced. The enemy faltered, stopped, turned, and fled before the glittering line of bayonets and galling fire of our men, who nobly pressed forward through the woods to the open field beyond. Here we halted, being too weak to press the charge farther. I then discovered that an effort was being made to turn my left flank. I immediately changed the front of the One hundred and nineteenth Illinois obliquely to the rear on first company in order to protect the line. I then received the order to fall back, and, facing the brigade by the rear rank, moved back in line of battle to the open field originally occupied by us. In checking the attempt made by the enemy to turn my left, the Ninth Indiana Battery rendered great service, double-shotting the guns with canister. The Twenty-seventh Iowa was ordered to its support, and one section of the Third Indiana Battery also came to its assistance, and all poured such a murderous fire into the ranks of the enemy that he was compelled to fall back in great disorder. I then reformed the brigade, moving farther to the right, and then advancing again to the fence in rear of the timber. Here I halted until the Second Brigade, Colonel Shaw, was placed in position on my left. At this time I learned that Colonel Lynch had arrived on the field during the charge, and that he had been severely wounded and carried off the field in a moment after he arrived. The enemy, having rallied as we fell back, made another attack upon our skirmish lines, and with greatly superior numbers thought to overwhelm our little band; but the men, nothing daunted or disheartened at the loss of their comrades, charged the enemy the second time with such daring bravery that he again fell back, pursued by our men through the woods into the open field. Again we were ordered to fall back to the original position, and again the enemy attempted to turn our left flank, but with no better success than at first. After falling back to the open field the second time, re-enforcements came up, but the enemy had already received such punishment as induced him not to try another attack.

Darkness soon came on, and the brigade was ordered back to the camp across Yellow Bayou, while the fresh troops took position behind a hedge in the open ground near the battle-field. This, perhaps, was one of the most severe battles of the war, considering the numbers engaged on our side, having but three brigades, of less than 1,000 men each, to contend against at least three times their number,