divisions, the part taken by my division in the battle of Pleasant Hill, La., on April 9.

I was encamped on the morning of the 3 miles beyond Keachie, when I received orders to march immediately to Manisfield, at which point my command, numbering 2,200 men effective, arrived at 6 p. m. same day; there ordered three days' rations to be cooked, which occupied my troops until 12 p. m.

At 2 o'clock the same night I resumed the line of march in the direction of Pleasant Hill. Having arrived within 2 miles of this point, it was ascertained that the enemy were drawn up there in full force to give battle. Brigadier-General Churchill, being chief of command of the Arkansas division and my own, ordered the two divisions to diverge to the right of the main road for the purpose of attacking the enemy's flank and rear. Having marched by a circuitous route for the distance of 2 miles, we entered a road leading to the town from a southwesterly direction, following it until within 1 mile of the enemy's outposts. A line of battle was formed as indicated in Numbers 1 of the sketch* of a portion of the battle-field, herewith submitted and made a part of this report. The line advancing it was discovered that it would expose its right flank to the enemy without accomplishing the purposes intended by the movement. It became necessary, therefore, to change the direction by marching my division by the right flank entirely to the south side of the road as indicated by Numbers 2 of the sketch.

While this movement was being accomplished my sharpshooters, under Major Pindall, were hotly engaged with the enemy and finally rallied upon the main line, my left flank being also exposed to a galling fire. During this the enemy were also moving a portion of their force by its left flank, for the evident purpose of outflanking me on the right.

Having extended my line to the right to its mots tension, and the Texas cavalry under Colonel Hardeman having formed on my right, I ordered the division to move by the left flank, and as soon as it was in motion I ascertained by the firing upon my right (the timber being too dense for personal observation) that the enemy in force even attempted to turn my right. Without waiting for intelligence form Colonel Clark, commanding First Missouri Brigade and the right of my division, I immediately informed General Churchill of the fact. In a few minutes information from Colonel Clark was received to the same effect. Aided, however, by the Texas cavalry and by his skill full maneuvering of his command he succeeded in defeating this first attempt of the enemy in that direction. I then ordered the whole line to charge. It threw itself with impetuosity and the wildest enthusiasm upon a force of the enemy larger than its own, strongly posted at Numbers 3 in the sketch, protected and concealed in ravines border with cane and willow. The enemy's force here was immediately put to flight, not, however, until nearly a whole regiment was captured.

Continuing the charge in the direction indicated by and between the dotted lines 4 and 5 in the sketch, I next encountered two of the enemy's batteries, which were captured, but in doing so the horses were all killed and no sufficient number of men could be spared to take the guns to the rear. About this time, also, another line of the enemy's infantry (numbered 6 in the sketch) was assaulted and driven

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*Not found.

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