At this moment the enemy opened upon me with two batteries, one of six pieces in front, and one of three pieces on my right flank, pouring in an incessant and well-directed cross-fire of shot and shell. At the same time he advanced his infantry both in front and on my right flank. From the force of the enemy, now for the first time made visible, I saw that I could not hope to defeat him; but still I resolved to defend the train to the last, hoping that re-enforcements would come up from Camden. I suffered them to approach within 100 yards of my lines, when I opened upon them with musketry charged with buck and ball, and after a contest of fifteen minutes' duration compelled them to fall back. Two fresh regiments, however, coming up, they again rallied and advanced against my lines, this time with colors flying and continuous cheering, so loud as to drown even the roar of the musketry. Again I suffered them to approach even nearer than before, and opened upon them with buck and ball, their artillery still pouring in a cross-fire of shot and shell over the heads of their infantry, and mine replying with vigor and effect; and for another quarter of an hour the fight raged with desperate fury, and the noise and din of battle of this almost hand-to-hand conflict was the loudest and most terrific it has ever been my lot to listen to. Again were they forced to fall back, and twice during this contest were their colors brought to the ground, but as often raised.

During these contests fully one-half of my infantry engaged were either killed or wounded. Three companies were left without an officer, and seeing the enemy again re-enforced with fresh troops it became evident that I could hold my line but little longer. I directed Major Ward to hold that line until I could ride back and form the Eighteenth Iowa in proper form to support the retreat of this advanced line. Meanwhile, so many of the gunners having been shot from around their pieces as to leave too few men to serve the guns, I ordered them to retire to the rear of the train and report to the commanding officer there. Just as I was starting for the line of the Eighteenth Iowa my horse was shot, and caused a delay long enough to obtain an mount another one, which done, I rode to the rear and formed a line of battle facing the direction in which the enemy was advancing. Again did the enemy hurl his columns against the remnant of men which formed my front and right flank, and again were they met as gallantly as before. But my decimated ranks were unable to resist the overpowering force hurled against my line, and after a check had been given their advance, seeing that our line was completely flanked on both sides, Major Ward gave the order to retire, which was done in good order, forming and checking the enemy twice before reaching the rear of the train. With the assistance of Major Ward and other officer I succeeded in forming a portion of First Colored Regiment in rear of the Eighteenth Iowa, and when the enemy approached this line they gallantly advanced to the line of the Eighteenth Iowa maintained their line manfully, and stoutly contested the ground until nearly surrounded, when they retired, and, forming again, checked the advancing foe, and still held their ground until again nearly surrounded, when they again retired across a ravine which was impassable for artillery, and I gave orders for the pieces to be spiked and abandoned.

After crossing this ravine I succeeded in forming a portion of the cavalry, which I kept in line in order to give the infantry time to