advance, relieving the Valverde, was withdrawn to the rear and held with the reserve artillery, the wooded condition of the country offering no field for the employment of many guns. My line of battle was in the edge of a wood, with cleared fields in front on both sides of the Pleasant Hill road, the clearing about 1,000 yards in extent. Soon after the troops were in position our cavalry was rapidly driven in and assumed the positions above described. On the left a body of the enemy's cavalry, following hard upon ours, ran into the line of the Eighteenth Louisiana and was destroyed. The enemy formed his line in the woods on the opposite side of the cleared fields, and some light skirmishing took place. I soon found that the enemy was weakening his left and massing on his right to turn me. I at once brought Terrell's regiment of cavalry to the left to re-enforce Major, and Randal's brigade, of Walker's division, from the right to the left of the road to strengthen Mouton's, causing the whole line to gain ground to the left to meet the attack. These movements were masked by throwing forward skirmishers toward the enemy and deploying Debray's regiment of cavalry in the open fields on both sides of the road. It was not until 4 p. m. that these changes were completed, when, becoming impatient at the delay of the enemy in developing his attack, and suspecting that his arrangements were not complete, I ordered Mouton to open the attack from the left. The charge made by Mouton across the open was magnificent. With his little division, consisting of his own and Polignac's brigades, the field was crossed under a murderous fire of artillery and musketry, the wood was reached, and our little line sprang with a yell on the foe. In this charge General Mouton, commanding division, fell. Colonel Armant, of the Eighteenth Louisiana; Colonel Beard, of the Crescent Regiment; Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, commanding Twenty-eight Louisiana; Lieutenant-Colonel Noble, Seventeenth Texas; Major Canfield, of the Crescent Regiment, were killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel, of the Crescent Regiment, were killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel Clack, Crescent Regiment, dangerously wounded. Seven standard-bearers fell one after another with the flag of the crescent Regiment.

Despite these and other heavy losses of officers and men, the division never halted for a moment nor ever fell into confusion, but under the gallant Polignac pressed stubbornly on. Major, with his division, consisting of his brigade, under Colonel Lane, Bagby's brigade, Vincent's brigade of Louisiana cavalry, re-enforced by Terrell's regiment drawn from the right, dismounted his men on Mouton's left and kept pace with his advance, forcing back and turning the enemy's right. Randal supported Mouton's attack by advancing his regiments en echelon from the left. In vigor, energy, and daring Randal surpassed my expectations, high as they were of him and his fine brigade. These movements on the left of the road to Pleasant Hill were under the immediate direction of Major General Thomas Green, who displayed the high qualities which have distinguished him on so many fields. As soon as the left attack was well developed I ordered Major-General Walker to move Waul's and Scurry's brigades into action, directing General Bee, on his right, to press on with Debray's and Buchel's cavalry to gain the enemy's rear. Believing my right outflanked by the enemy, General Walker was instructed to throw forward Scurry to turn his left and gain a position on the high road beyond his main line of battle. The dense wood through which Bee advanced prevented him from gaining much ground, but the gallantry and vigor with which that accomplished soldier