June, 1864: At 6 o'clock in the morning of the day mentioned, the brigade left its bivouac on the bank of the Mississippi, and took up the line of march ont he Lakeville road. The Second Brigade held the advance of the column, and when some 2 miles out encountered a line of the enemy's skirmishers which our cavalry advance guard was vainly endeavoring to press back. At this point, by order of General Mower, I deployed five companies of the Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry as skirmishers and directed them to move forward as rapidly as possible. The balance of the brigade was formed in line of battle and moved up in support of the skirmishers. The enemy, somewhat stubborn at first, soon began to give way and sullenly retire before my advance, and for a distance of several miles continual skirmishing was kept up, with an occasional stand, but of short duration upon the part of the enemy. As we approached a bayou, which ran from the lake at right angles across the road, the enemy showed stronger evidences of fight and developed an intention to make a stand. When within perhaps a half a mile of this bayour a fire was open upon my line of battle from a battery of our guns in position along the edge of the timber skirting the opposite bank, and as I moved forward the fire became sharp and quite effective. I halted the line of battle when within about 100 yards of the bayou, where the men could obtain shelter, but pushed the skirmishers forward, strengthened to a regiment, to the bank of the stream. As the skirmishers here were within point-bank range of the enemy's muskets and wholly without cover, they suffered much, but not without inflicting serious injury in return. The battery of the enemy soon ceased to work and limbered tot he rear. Many of the gunners had been shot down, and at once piece opposite he right of my line but a single man was left, who attached a rope to the gun, with which it was dragged away. As the bayous was wide and the water apparently deep, and the bridge where the road crosses it having been torn up, I deemed it prudent before attempting to effect a passage to endeavor to drive the enemy's sharpshooters from the opposite bank, where they were thickly posted under cover of the timber and protected by the undulations of the ground. I therefore strengthened my line of skirmishers still further, and by means of a well-directed fire the enemy was dislodged and forced back. The bayour was now crossed and the retreating enemy pursued without further encounter to the village of Lakeville. During the advance and the progress of the fight a hard rain-storm prevailed, which greatly added to the labor of the men and caused much exhaustion and fatigue. No part of the command, however, evinced a disposition to lag, but bore itself throughout with its usual gallantry, and sustained its established reputation for good conduct on the field.

The brigade suffered much in this action, sustaining the loss of many valuable officers and men. Major Miles, Forty-seventh Illinois Regiment, was very seriously wounded while at his post coolly and gallantly discharging his duty. Captain Biser, of the same regiment, received a mortal wound while advancing his company deployed as skirmishers. Though the command will mourn for these gallant officers and the service feel it has sustained a loss, yet there is relief int he assurance that they fell while bravely fighting, and to the last presented their front to the foe. To Colonel McClure, Forty-seventh Illinois; Major Becht, Fifth Minnesota, and