by lying down, and as best they could, from the severe fire from the enemy posted on the opposite side of the bayou, and continued to fire upon them. At this time Major Abraham John, commanding the Thirty-fifth Regiment, fell from his horse mortally wounded by a rifle-ball passing through his body. He fell while gallantly encouraging his men to deeds of valor by his words and actions. Thus fell one of our best and bravest men, a good officer and true patriot. We continued an incessant fire of musketry for about one hour, when the firing (except an occasional shot) from the enemy ceased, and they had apparently left their position.

Our supply of ammunition being nearly exhausted, we were relieved by the Second Brigade of the Third Division. We fell back about 100 yards, gathered our killed for burial, and had our wounded cared for, replenished our cartridge-boxes, and were again ordered to pursue the enemy. At 3 p. m. we moved forward, and at 6 p. m. went into camp at Lake Village.

The following is a list of the casualties:*

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

GEO. W. VAN BEEK,

Major Thirty-third Missouri Infty. Vols., Commanding Brigade.

Lieutenant CHARLES CHRISTENSEN,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 6. Report of Captain Felix W. Doran, Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry.

HDQRS. THIRTY-FIFTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLS.,
On board Steamer Idaho, Mississippi River, June 9, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to herewith transmit to you a report of the part taken by the Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the battle at Old River Lake, Chicot County, Ark., ont he 6th instant: On the evening of the 5th, the regiment disembarked about 2 miles below Greenville, on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River, in obedience to orders from Brigadier General Joseph A. Mower, and bivouacked for the night a fare rods from the river bank. About 7 o'clock on the morning of the 6th, the Thirty-fifth, commanded by Major Abraham John, received orders to march. We had not proceeded over a mile from the river when we were notified, by repeated discharges of musketry, that our cavalry had met the enemy. The regiment closed up and Major John gave the order to load at will, which, being done, we again moved forward, though with much difficulty, as the falling rain had rendered the roads very bad. After proceeding about a mile front he bayour we heard the first firing. We came in view of Old River Lake, along the left shore of which we marched for about 2 miles, when we halted while one of our batteries moved into position on our left and threw a few shot forward, which elicited a corresponding number by way or reply from the enemy. Being satisfied that there was something heavy ahead we again passed forward and continued marching until we found by unmistakable signs that the enemy had made a stand in front. We then filed off to the left into a large field covered with a growth of ed leaves and

---------------

*Nominal list (omitted) shows 9 enlisted men killed and 2 officers and 30 enlisted men wounded in the Thirty-third Missouri Infantry, and 1 officer and 7 enlisted men killed and 1 officer and 9 enlisted men wounded in the Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry.

---------------

62 R R-VOL XXXIV, PT I