and slept upon their arms in line of battle. At 2 a. m. we were summoned and moved promptly at 3 o'clock. We expect to meet the enemy about 4 or 5 miles distant. When, however, we reached the point where he had retired to the night before we found that he had precipitately fled. We instantly took up the line of march in pursuit, the division under my command taking the lead of the infantry troops. We proceeded some 18 miles, to within 2 miles of Pleasant Hill, where we were informed that the enemy occupied an advantageous position at that place. Within thirty-six hours my division had marched some 45 miles, almost without sleep, and were necessarily very much worn out and fatigued. After resting about two hours we diverged from the main Mansfield and Pleasant Hill road and proceeded some 4 miles, for the purpose of making a flank movement upon the enemy. Brigadier-General Parsons' Missouri division was upon my right and my division was immediately upon their left.

My line was formed at about 4.30 o'clock. As soon as formed I threw out three companies of skirmishers, as ordered, under Major Steele, of Garnsted's regiment, and immediately ordered my line to advance rapidly as directed. As soon as we began to move forward we became engaged with the enemy. We advanced from our original position more than half a mile, and by the right flank a distance equally as great. For an hour and a half we were as warmly engaged with the enemy as it has ever been my experience to witness on any battle-field. My division, however, never faltered, but moved steadily and firmly forward with the firmness of men who seemed determined to succeed or to fall in the attempt. Up to this time I obeyed implicitly the only order I had received, to press rapidly forward with my command and to keep up with the division on the right. At this juncture, learning that the division on the right had been outflanked and was falling back, I immediately directed my attention in that direction and saw that such was the case. When said division had swept entirely past mine, and my command became exposed to a heavy and murderous fire from the flank as well as the front, I ordered the brigade commanders to fall back with their respective brigades with a view of forming aline on amove advantageous position. As we commenced retiring I came across the brigadier-general commanding the two divisions, who was gallantly exerting himself to rally the division on the right. I reported to him, and under his guidance and direction exerted myself, in conjunction with Brigadier-General Parsons, to rally the men. The confusion which had, however, appeared on the right was soon manifested on the left. The exhausted condition of the men, the lateness of the hour, it being near dark, and the denseness of thicket made it extremely difficult to rally the men. While the battle lasted no men over fought more gallantly. This is evidenced by the fact that the enemy made little or no attempt to pursue our line as we fell back; on the contrary,so thoroughly was he worsted in the engagement that he fled toward Red River as soon as night came, leaving his dead to be buried and his wounded to be cared for by us. Thus ended one of the brilliant affairs of the war so far as its result have proven. The loss of the division in the engagement was as follows: Killed, 26; wounded, 112; missing, 63.

I would state that I had no knowledge of the topography of the country, nor was furnished with a map. The number of dead and wounded Yankees found before the line of division will attest their efficiency in the action.