for action. Two brigades, ascertained to be Cabell's and Dockery's, were now engaging us, and the skirmishing was very brisk. Major Norris, with the remaining companies of the Forty-third Indiana, moved forward and supported the skirmish line. The enemy then, in overwhelming numbers, charged upon our line, and were gallantry met by the Forty-third Indiana, who went forward with a deafening shout and drove back the brigade of Dockery. I then ordered Major Hamilton to take the left wing of the Thirty-sixth Iowa, and move to the support of our advance. He had just placed his men in position when the enemy again charged upon our center. I ordered Major Norris to deploy to the right and left to give an opening for our artillery, ordering Lieutenant Peetz to hold his fire until they were in close range, and to give them grape. They came charging up in column, and when writhing 75 yards the battery opened upon them as ordered, Major hamilton ordering his men, who [were] lying down, to rise up and fire. they poured a deadly volley of musketry in the enemy, whose ranks were again broken, and they staggered and fell back, but only to rally again.

The contest raged with unabated fury, the Forty-third Indiana and five companies of the Thirty-sixth Iowa, with Lieutenant Peetz's artillery, sustaining the full charge of the enemy. The brigades of Shelby and Fagan were in sight and advancing rapidly upon my left and rear. The Seventy-seventh Ohio was hurrying forward, but was not yet up. I moved the remaining five companies of the Thirty-sixth Iowa forward, posting them for a charge on the right of Fagan's brigade, and while so doing I received a wound from a minie-ball through the thigh and hip, completely disabling me. Subsequently I ordered Major McCauley, with about 60 cavalrymen, to make a charge upon the left of Fagan's brigade, while the right wing of the Thirty-sixth Iowa charged his right flank for the purpose of forming a junction with the Seventy-seventh Ohio. I then told Captain Magill return the command over to the next ranking officer present. For some cause this was not done. I understand that, owing to the overwhelming numbers of the enemy and in spite of the gallant efforts of the Seventy-seventh Ohio, this junction could not be formed. Seeing that we were overshalmed in front, the combined forces of the enemy moved upon the Seventy-seventh Ohio, who gallantly withstood them for more than an hour, but finally yielded to superior numbers.

The attacking forces of the enemy could not have been less than 6,000 men. Overwhelmed, as each command was, by greatly superior numbers, they still continued to fight each upon its own responsibility, until the conflict became a hand-to-hand fight. At last, however, our ammunition being exhausted and a large proportion of our men killed or wounded, they at length yielded to he overwhelming numbers of the enemy, and being completely surrounded, they were captured as prisoners of war. Less than 150 of the brigade escaped from the conflict, the balance, including the wounded, being made prisoners. I cannot give the exact number of killed and wounded of my command. Dr. Cochran, surgeon of the First Iowa Cavalry, and medical director of Major-General Steele's forces, informed me that it would be about 250. I have requested him to furnish from the several regiments belonging to the brigade. It was estimated that after the battle from 800 to 900 men lay dead and wounded on the battle-field, about half of whom were rebels, and a large number